Charlotte Hornets’ recent trades might be biggest off-season moves
NBA teams can’t start contacting free agents until Wednesday and can’t sign them before July 9.
But I suspect the Charlotte Hornets already made their biggest player-personnel move of this off-season when they replaced shooting guard Gerald Henderson with former Portland Trail Blazer Nicolas Batum.
Teams don’t usually do much trading between the end of their season and the day of the draft. However, the Hornets made four deals in June before ever selecting Wisconsin center-forward Frank Kaminsky ninth overall Thursday night.
Over the span of two weeks they discarded Henderson, Lance Stephenson and Noah Vonleh. They ended up with Batum, a 6-foot-8 guard-forward, Spencer Hawes, a 7-foot center-power forward and Jeremy Lamb, a 6-5 shooting guard.
The three trades Wednesday and Thursday that acquired Batum and Lamb added more than $5 million to the Hornets’ player payroll for the 2015-16 season. They will in all likelihood spend the summer above the salary cap, so the most they could spend on a free agent is about $5.5 million via the mid-level exception.
I can assure you of one thing: Hornets owner Michael Jordan won’t become a luxury-tax payer this summer for a squad just trying to get back into the playoffs. So the current roster is, for the most part, what it will be come training camp in October.
I get asked frequently if the Hornets could be in play for the likes of free-agent shooters Arron Afflalo or Danny Green. I don’t see how either of those players signs for the mid-level, particularly with the salary cap about to skyrocket in the summer of 2016 when the NBA’s new television revenue kicks in.
So it looks like Hornets general manager Rich Cho decided his best chance at improving the roster (and particularly the league-worst 31.8 percent 3-point shooting) was via trades.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering this franchise’s history. All the way back to the then-Charlotte Bobcats’ inception in the summer of 2004, trades have been their thing.
They’ve been mediocre to bad in drafts (hello, Adam Morrison). They’ve been hit-or-miss with free agents (center Al Jefferson became third-team All-NBA while Stephenson became an expensive mistake). But they’ve always been active traders, and many of those deals turned out well.
It started all the way back to the expansion draft when then coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff made two deals with the Los Angeles Clippers to move from the No. 4 spot in the rookie draft to No. 2 (which became Emeka Okafor).
Since then the Bobcats/Hornets have made, by my count, 38 trades up to and including sending the draft rights to second-round pick Juan Vaulet to the Brooklyn Nets for two future second-round picks and cash considerations.
Some of those deals have been expensive duds (Gana Diop, Tyrus Thomas), but many of them have been smart moves (acquiring Josh McRoberts and Mo Williams).
It makes sense that trades would be a primary tool for a small-market team that hasn’t been a big free-agent destination. Trading for a veteran means you have a decent read on that player’s NBA-level ability and trading for a veteran’s contract offers some cost certainty.
The biggest thing the Hornets did last week was acquire Batum, whose $11.8 million salary is nearly double what the Hornets were scheduled to pay Henderson ($6 million). Batum is 3 inches taller than Henderson and a better 3-point shooter (career 36 percent, though a career-low 32.4 percent last season). The Hornets like that Batum plays multiple positions, contributes as a rebounder and passer, and has guarded every NBA position except center.
The Hornets were last in 3-point shooting and among the NBA’s smallest teams last season. Batum and Lamb make them taller and presumably better shooters.
I don’t think the Hornets will sit out free agency, but I wouldn’t expect anything big. They need a third point guard and can always use another shooter.
Some guesses on possible targets who might accept the mid-level exception or less: At point guard either re-sign Mo Williams or perhaps make a run at a Jeremy Lin or Ish Smith, the former Wake Forest star from Concord. Among shooters, how about a Marco Bellinelli or Gerald Green.
Yes, those are helper bees, not stars. That’s all that is left in the budget.
Bonnell: 704-358-5129; @rick_bonnell
NBA teams can start contacting free agents at midnight Wednesday. The Charlotte Hornets have limited resources for free agency this summer. They need a third point guard and possibly another shooter. Here are two notions for either of those spots:
Point guards
Mo Williams: The Hornets traded for him to fill in while Kemba Walker recovered from knee surgery. He was terrific initially, but tailed off late in the season. His return to Charlotte could be contingent on his expectations both for pay and playing time.
Jeremy Lin: “Linsanity” in New York was a long time ago. Lin is at a place in his career where he’s a backup. He’s a good pick-and-roll player and a decent shooter. But he’s always been a defensive liability.
Shooters
Marco Bellinelli: He’s a career 39 percent 3-point shooter over eight NBA seasons. He spent phe last two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and the Hornets could use a player with that sort of experience.
Gerald Green: He’s 37 percent from 3-point range over eight NBA seasons. He’s also 6-foot-8, which would improve the Hornets’ overall size.
This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets’ recent trades might be biggest off-season moves."