The Hornets are expected to target point guards through free agency, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes, especially after the franchise elected to part ways with Ramon Sessions earlier today.
“Backup point guard has to be No. 1 priority,” general manager Rich Cho said. “Ideally, someone who can play with and without Kemba Walker, who plays both ends of the floor.”
Worth noting is that Charlotte’s 2016/17 third-string point guard, Brian Roberts, is also a free agent this summer and may not return. That could mean that the Hornets’ front office will turn their attention to the prominent names available on the market.
All of Darren Collison, Patty Mills and Shaun Livingston will be free agents but Bonnell wonders if they may be too pricey for what the Hornets currently have available. If that’s the case, cheaper options like Michael Carter-Williams and Shelvin Mack could be in play.
Traditionally, head coach Steve Clifford likes to retain three point guards and three centers on the roster, Bonnell notes, so it’s almost inevitable that the team will add somebody. The question is, with limited cap flexibility thanks to a busy 2016 offseason, who that may be.
There’s more from the Hornets:
- After starting his career as a mainstay with the Magic, Dwight Howard has bounced around from franchise to franchise. Dating back to his final year in Orlando, Howard has played for four teams in six seasons. The big man tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that he’ll “hopefully” end his career in North Carolina.
- Don’t rule out Dwight Howard as an offensive option in the pick-and-roll. “Go back to my time in Orlando. We used a lot of of pick and rolls,” the big man said, addressing critics in an interview with Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “It’s not that I don’t want to set screens. People just used that to have something negative to say.”
- Consider undrafted big man Przemek Karnowski a dark horse candidate to land a two-way contract, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes in a mailbag with readers.
Collison might be looking at the MLE so he’d be a good add there.
So wrong of them to trade Dwight like that.. after signing with them in FA. If only you didn’t need to play 10+ years in league (including 5+ with the same team) to be eligible for a “no trade clause” – NBA has some of the toughest NTC rules in Sports
So you’re anti trade? Why dude
Because people like Howard choose a team in FA, deliver a productive first season then gets dumped like he’s nothing for an even worse contract in Miles Plumlee. Plumlee has one of the worst contracts in the NBA– three years $57M remaining on his contract– with career averages of 5.1 points and 4.7 Rebounds. Howard has two years $40M years remaining, reasonable amount for a productive C.
I never said I agreed with the trade from the Hawks perspective, but I do believe teams should be allowed to trade players. Do you think George shouldn’t have been traded? How about Butler or Paul?