Hornets Notes: Howard, Hernangomez, Walker
The Hornets shouldn’t have any regrets when it comes to their offseason acquisition of Dwight Howard, but despite the 32-year-old veteran’s admirably productive season, the team should look into trading him, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes.
Howard has been impressively consistent and durable and the move that the club made to acquire him was worth the risk. Unfortunately for Hornets fans, Charlotte seems destined to rebuild, something that Howard may not be all that interested in and that his arduous $23.8MM 2018/19 contract may complicate.
In 76 games for the Hornets this season, Howard has averaged 16.8 points – his highest scoring output in four seasons – and 12.4 rebounds.
There’s more out of Charlotte tonight:
- Midseason acquisition Willy Hernangomez has had his work cut out for him appeasing Hornets coach Steve Clifford but the young big man appears to be taking the constructive crticisim to heart, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. “With every player, you have to find a way that you’re comfortable talking with them and they are comfortable talking with you. Serious players, they want a coach who can help them play better,” Clifford said.
- A year of setbacks and injuries has continued into the final month of the regular season. Most recently, the Hornets have watched big man Cody Zeller shut things down for the remainder of the season. “I would say we’re at the stage now where it almost becomes, ‘Why [ask him to play]?‘” head coach Steve Clifford told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “It’s so hard to not play for long stretches off the season. Why, with five games left, would we even play him? It makes more sense to me to let him get back to 100 percent and then just start again next [season].”
- A dramatic year has resulted in another disappointing, playoff-less season for the Hornets and now it seems as though Kemba Walker‘s future in Charlotte is far from certain. This week we asked readers what they think will come of Walker’s tenure with the organization. Could Hornets fans be nearing the end of an era?
Knicks Notes: Van Gundy, Hernangomez, Thomas, Burke
Jeff Van Gundy has been mentioned as a possible candidate if the Knicks make a coaching change, but his brother wonders how serious their interest is, relays Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
After his Pistons defeated New York Saturday, head coach Stan Van Gundy noted that the organization has only recently begun to acknowledge Jeff on the jumbotron when he comes to town to broadcast its games. He coached the Knicks for nearly seven seasons and took them to the NBA Finals in 1999. Stan compares Jeff’s situation to Patrick Ewing‘s.
“I used to walk in here and Patrick would be sitting next to me on the bench [as an assistant in Orlando] and they would put him up on the jumbotron and everyone would clap and then he could never get an interview for any freakin’ job they had,” Stan said. “That’s sort of fake appreciation in my opinion. I don’t know what it is in Jeff’s case. If it’s genuine appreciation then that’s great. If it’s just a way for them to appease their fans, a little bit different.”
There’s more today out of New York:
- The Knicks will regret trading young center Willy Hernangomez for a pair of second-round picks, Iannazzone writes in a separate story. Hernangomez got a measure of revenge this week with 12 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes against his former team. “He’s been so much better,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “What I’ve talked to him about is the team part. Everybody views player development as the shot, the post move, the one-on-one ‘iso’ play. None of that matters if the team can’t function when you’re out there.”
- Another 50-loss season is taking its toll on Lance Thomas, notes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Thomas, who was acquired in a January 2015 trade, has been with the Knicks longer than anyone on the current roster. He’s also a native New Yorker who grew up in Brooklyn. “I hate losing,’’ he said after Saturday’s game. “Anyone who has God-given ability to make it to this level hates losing. Myself being the long-tenured Knick here, I’ve been part of some losing teams and it doesn’t sit well with me. I want to find a way to turn it around. I lose sleep when we lose.”
- Trey Burke‘s connections with Knicks GM Scott Perry helped him earn another shot at the NBA, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Perry is a Detroit native and former assistant coach at the University of Michigan, where Burke played two seasons. They bonded over their Michigan connections while Burke was preparing for the 2013 draft and Perry was an executive in Orlando, so Burke reached out to him earlier this season when he was looking for a G League contract. “I knew that he would give me a fair shot, fair opportunity to reinvent myself,” Burke said, “to come in and go through a process where I would have an opportunity to play consistent minutes at the highest level.”
Dwayne Bacon Removed From Game With Sprained Ankle
- Hornets guard Dwayne Bacon was removed from today’s game with a right ankle sprain, the team tweeted. Further evaluation will be needed to determine the extent of the damage.
Community Shootaround: Kemba Walker’s Future
Although he was the subject of several trade rumors leading up to last month’s deadline, Kemba Walker remained in Charlotte. With the Hornets set to land in the lottery this spring though, the Walker rumor mill figures to be revived in the coming months.
Longtime Hornets general manager Rich Cho is no longer in the picture in Charlotte, as the team is set to hire a new head of basketball operations at season’s end. That new general manager will inherit a cap sheet packed with expensive multiyear contracts, with Walker’s $12MM expiring deal easily representing the most valuable trade chip on the Hornets’ roster. Tasked with turning the franchise into a contender, the new GM could decide that moving Walker is the best way to accelerate a necessary rebuilding process.
It’s also worth considering how Walker’s latest comments differ in tone from his initial response to trade rumors back in January. At the time, the star point guard said he’d be “pretty upset” to be dealt, and talked extensively about having spent his whole career in Charlotte. Two months later, Walker’s fondness for the city likely hasn’t changed, but he sounds more pragmatic about his situation.
Earlier this month, for instance, Walker admitted that he’s not sure he has the stomach to go through another rebuilding process, noting that “nobody wants to lose.” More recently, the 27-year-old acknowledged that he’s getting tired of missing the playoffs, suggesting that winning will be his top priority going forward — including when he has to make a free agency decision in 2019.
The Hornets could certainly retool around Walker and attempt to make a playoff push in 2018/19 before eventually looking to re-sign him in 2019. However, a trade looks like a viable possibility too. In his latest piece for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor took a closer look at the situation, identifying the Cavaliers, Bucks, Suns, and Knicks as a few teams that could make sense as trade partners if the Hornets want to deal.
What do you think the Hornets should – and will – do with Walker? Would it be misguided to move the team’s only star, or would it ultimately be the best long-term move for the organization? If the Hornets do trade Walker, do you think one of the clubs mentioned by O’Connor would be the best destination for him, or is there another team you view as an ideal fit?
Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Hornets Notes: Clifford, Bacon, Zeller, Batum
The Hornets have already announced that general manager Rich Cho won’t have his contract renewed after this season, and according to Tom Sorensen of The Charlotte Observer, head coach Steve Clifford probably shouldn’t be retained either.
Despite being one of the best coaches that the city of Charlotte has ever had – in Sorensen’s eyes – Sorensen wonders whether the team has reached a point where the players have stopped listening to Clifford and his message.
The Hornets have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year. The team was widely expected to compete for a playoff spot, but have been out of the hunt for much of the season, currently sporting a record of 34-41 with seven games remaining after finishing with a similarly disappointing record last season at 36-46.
There’s more out of Charlotte from Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer:
- The Hornets selected Malik Monk with the 11th overall pick in last year’s draft, with expectations that Monk could come in and help the team this season. However, the Charlotte rookie who has probably ended up having the best season is second-round pick Dwayne Bacon, the 40th overall selection. With that in mind, Bonnell analyzes whether Bacon could end up being the better catch.
- Hornets big man Cody Zeller missed his 10th consecutive game tonight against the Cavs, leaving Bonnell to wonder whether Zeller may be done for the season. Zeller, who thought he might be ready to play in Dallas on Saturday, said his injured left knee had begun to swell again after he tested it.
- Part of the Hornets’ problem is a high payroll for next season, leaving the team with few options to improve upon its current roster. One albatross of a contract is that of Nicolas Batum, who is scheduled to make $24MM next season. In a mailbag piece, Bonnell answers some readers’ questions regarding Batum and his contract, among others.
Walker Weary Of Missing Playoffs
- Kemba Walker will enter unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019 and playing for a winner will be a prime consideration, as he revealed to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. The Hornets point guard says he’s tired of missing the playoffs so often after winning a national championship in 2011 with Connecticut. “I’ve always felt like I’m a winning player. Like I deserved it to be in the playoffs – to be battling,” Walker said. “That’s what it will be all about in the future.”
Dwight Howard Suspended For One Game
After posting historic numbers for the Hornets on Wednesday night in Brooklyn, Dwight Howard won’t suit up for the team’s game on Thursday vs. the Grizzlies. Howard has been suspended for one game after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season on Wednesday, the NBA confirmed today in a press release.
With 16.6 PPG and 12.2 RPG in 72 games for the Hornets this season, Howard is averaging a double-double for the 14th straight year, but Wednesday’s double-double may have been the most impressive of his career. The veteran center racked up an eye-popping 30 rebounds to go along with 32 points in Charlotte’s comeback victory over the Nets.
However, because he also picked up a technical foul in that game, Howard will sit out tonight’s game. NBA rules dictate a one-game suspension when a player reaches 16 technical fouls in a season. Howard, who was the first player to reach that 16-tech mark this season (Draymond Green has 15), would be suspended one additional game for every two technical fouls he earns going forward.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Howard’s one-game ban will cost him just over $162K, 1/145th of his 2017/18 salary ($23.5MM). Under the NBA’s previous Collective Bargaining Agreement, a suspension resulted in a player losing 1/110th of his current-year salary, so Howard and other suspended players have saved a little money under the new CBA’s rules this season, Marks observes (via Twitter).
Community Shootaround: Hornets’ Next GM
Even before the Hornets informed general manager Rich Cho that his contract wouldn’t be renewed, there were rumblings around the NBA about the possibility of Mitch Kupchak joining Charlotte’s front office as the new head of basketball operations.
Kupchak has a long-standing relationship with fellow UNC alum Michael Jordan, and has multiple championships on his résumé as the Lakers’ top decision-maker. While Kupchak made some high-profile missteps near the end of his tenure in Los Angeles – including mega-deals for Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov – it made sense that he was being considered for the Hornets’ job.
However, it appears Kupchak is not a lock for that opening. A report from Marc Stein of The New York Times suggests that Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is emerging as a serious GM candidate for the Hornets, and the team is also reportedly interviewing Sixers VP of player personnel Marc Eversley and Heat assistant GM Adam Simon.
Rosas, Eversley, and Simon don’t have previous general manager experience like Kupchak, with the exception of a brief stint in Dallas for Rosas, who had the title of GM but wasn’t in control over personnel decisions. However, all three men have held key roles alongside veteran executives over the past couple decades.
Rosas has been a key advisor for Daryl Morey in Houston, Eversley has worked extensively for Bryan Colangelo in Toronto and Philadelphia, and Simon has more than two decades of experience in the Miami front office under Pat Riley. While they haven’t run a basketball operations department before, all three execs are seasoned veterans, having logged significant time in respected organizations around the NBA.
With their star player (Kemba Walker) headed for unrestricted free agency in 2019 and a plethora of expensive, undesirable contracts on their cap, the Hornets aren’t in an ideal rebuilding situation, so the new GM will face a challenge in attempting to turn the club into a contender. What type of candidate do you think the Hornets should be targeting for that role?
Is hiring a veteran with extensive GM experience like Kupchak the way to go? Should Charlotte instead be targeting a seasoned executive who hasn’t yet had a chance to call the shots in a front office, like Rosas, Eversley, or Simon? Or is there another direction you think the Hornets should be taking their search?
Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Rockets’ Gersson Rosas A Serious Candidate For Hornets’ GM Job
Rockets executive Gersson Rosas is receiving serious consideration for the Hornets’ open general manager job, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Former Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has been viewed as the favorite to replace Rich Cho as Charlotte’s full-time GM, but Stein suggests Rosas has emerged as an “increasingly serious candidate” for the Hornets.
Rosas, who has spent more than a decade with the Rockets, currently holds the title of executive vice president of basketball operations for the franchise. A right-hand man of Daryl Morey, Rosas briefly left the franchise in 2013 to become the Mavericks’ GM, but returned to Houston after things didn’t pan out in Dallas.
The fact that Rosas resigned from that job with the Mavs after just a few months is something the Hornets will have to consider as they weigh whether he’s the right man for their opening. However, reports at the time suggested that Rosas had been hoping for more say in personnel decisions in Dallas, where Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson ranked above him in the basketball operations hierarchy. That shouldn’t be a problem in Charlotte, where the team’s new GM is expected to have control over basketball decisions.
While Rosas and Kupchak appear to be the early frontrunners for the Hornets’ GM position, the team was also said to be interviewing Sixers VP of player personnel Marc Eversley and Heat assistant GM Adam Simon. It remains to be seen if Charlotte will interview more candidates in the coming weeks — the club reportedly would like to have a GM in place around the end of the regular season, to give the new head of basketball operations plenty of time to prepare for the draft and free agency.
Hornets’ Nicolas Batum Has Chronic Tendinitis
Hornets swingman Nicolas Batum has been diagnosed with chronic tendinitis in his left Achilles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Batum has been ruled out of Monday’s game with the Sixers, and his status for the rest of the season will depend on how effective treatments are on the condition.
Batum was pulled from Saturday’s game after developing soreness in the Achilles. With the Hornets seven games out of the final playoff spot, they may decide to take the cautious approach and rest him for the remainder of the season.
Batum is under contract for $24MM next year and more than $25.5MM in 2019/20, along with a player option worth more than $27.1MM for the following season. He has been limited to 56 games this season and his numbers have dropped across the board to 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per night, his lowest totals in all three categories since coming to Charlotte three years ago.