Not trading Kemba for picks and losing him for nothing is a potential franchise killer.

[Eazy-E]

We are a year away from a bunch of bad contracts coming off the books and the potential to finally move Batum or have him as the only remaining shitty contract on the roster. Having Kemba already in place to try and convince a decent player or two to come play with him in Charlotte was an actual possibility for the first time in over a decade.

If Bacon, Bridges, Monk, and Washington actually play well and develop this season (I’m looking at you JB) you could argue our roster would be in a better position in 2020 than the Celtics team Kemba is ditching us for. If Kawahi leaves for a western team and Philly and Milwaukee lose guys like Butler and Middleton the east will be a total crap shoot.

There really isn’t any defending MJ anymore. We are about to be historically bad for the foreseeable future because he is a cheap bastard who has no idea how to run a franchise. If we would have traded Kemba, I would have been mad but it would have been understandable. Losing him for nothing because we don’t want to pay the tax for one season is indefensible. I don’t know who is running the numbers for MJ but I don’t see how the loss in ticket and merchandise sales is going to outweigh paying the tax for 1 season. If reports are true of this team already operating in the red I don’t see how a franchise can recover from a move this stupid and short sighted.

Imagine if NO held AD for another year, didn’t tank, and let him go to LA for nothing. They wouldn’t recover from that. Instead they got a load of picks and the number 1 overall pick. Talk about franchise saving luck.

I would not be surprised if Charlotte loses its NBA team again in the next 5 years.

[4Corners]

“Franchise killer” is a bit much but I get where your coming from. In fact, I’m good with Kemba leaving but the franchise just letting him walk with absolutely nothing to show for it is awful asset and team management. They had a golden chip to help rebuild the franchise but just pissed it away. The team is a joke and really poo the bed here. It’s a shame but honestly as watered down as the NBA is and in the age of super teams I don’t think most of the people in this city are going to care if the hornets win 13 games next year. 

[Eazy-E]

6 minutes ago, 4Corners said:

“Franchise killer” is a bit much but I get where your coming from. In fact, I’m good with Kemba leaving but the franchise just letting him walk with absolutely nothing to show for it is awful asset and team management. They had a golden chip to help rebuild the franchise but just pissed it away. The team is a joke and really poo the bed here. It’s a shame but honestly as watered down as the NBA is and in the age of super teams I don’t think most of the people in this city are going to care if the hornets win 13 games next year. 

People literally only went to games for Kemba or to watch other teams beat us.

I personally know people who have already contacted the team to cancel their season tickets. When Kemba to Boston becomes official I imagine around half of season ticket holders who aren’t businesses will cancel as well.

[Shotgun]

10 minutes ago, Eazy-E said:

People literally only went to games for Kemba or to watch other teams beat us.

I personally know people who have already contacted the team to cancel their season tickets. When Kemba to Boston becomes official I imagine around half of season ticket holders who aren’t businesses will cancel as well.

Yep Jordan saved his $, but I will save mine too.

[Eazy-E]

1 minute ago, Shotgun said:

Yep Jordan saved his $, but I will save mine too.

Is the financial loss this team will take without Kemba greater than the price of the luxury tax for one season? What about potential profits gained if the team actually became competitive in 2020 and beyond when we free up a ton of cap space?

Unless we get incredibly lucky, we’re looking at a minimum 3 to 5 years to rebuild and there’s still no guarantee we improve let alone land a player of Kemba’s caliber.

[yasuhara2241]

This is why I was advocating a trade for awhile. I didn't want to lose him for nothing. 

Now comes the part that the Hornets have been extremely bad at...LUCK. 

Let's say they would have traded Kemba last year for the Cavs pick. I think they would have picked Knox with that pick and kept SGA for our pick. We would have been bad and had a top 5 pick. So a young core of SGA, Monk, Bacon, Knox and one of Zion, Ja, RJ or whoever 4th or 5th. 

Now, we get nothing but will most likely have a top 5 pick in the 2020. Draft. We will have a young core of Monk, Bacon, Miles, PJ and a top 5 pick (most likely a PG). 

The only way the second scenario is better is if we get a franchise changing player in the 2020 draft. Here's the lucky part. We not only get a top pick but that top pick is a bonafied superstar that is better than whoever we could have picked in the 2019 draft. We also need to hope for great strides from Miles and PJ to make this option better.

We shall see but man we have been unlucky with this franchise. 

[AggieLean]

Franchise killer is a bit much. Hornets were fighting for a playoff spot up until the final 2 games, and the all star game was in the city. Kemba needed to be here for that.

[AggieLean]

If MJ allows Mitch to do his thing once these contracts are up, y’all will be fine. 

There will be 2 to 3 opportunities for a 1st overall pick. Just need one and the others to be top 3 or 4. Also, no more throwing money at unsure players. Batum should be a lesson for all involved. 

The Hornets ain’t leaving the bity.

[4Corners]

2 hours ago, Eazy-E said:

People literally only went to games for Kemba or to watch other teams beat us.

I personally know people who have already contacted the team to cancel their season tickets. When Kemba to Boston becomes official I imagine around half of season ticket holders who aren’t businesses will cancel as well.

That is their right to do so - cancelling their season tickets. Some corporation will just scoop them up or the team will donate then to a charity or non profit for a tax write off. 

A 30 year old PG isn’t worth a super max contract. I have no problem with them moving on from Kemba but I do have a major problem with the team not receiving any sort of compensation or dumping bad contracts by dealing the only major asset this team has ever had. NBA is basically turning into Euro club soccer and we had a chance here to move Kemba for draft picks. 

[4Corners]

1 hour ago, AggieLean said:

Franchise killer is a bit much. Hornets were fighting for a playoff spot up until the final 2 games, and the all star game was in the city. Kemba needed to be here for that.

With Kemba, and an marginal addition FA here or there, and the ball bouncing their way in a couple games, Hornets at best are a 5-6 seed. I just wish they would have dealt him for some serious compensation. 

[Shocker]

This is the worst mismanagement of a situation I can recall in sports.  Stupidity doesn’t even quite say it.

[AggieLean]

If Charlotte allows the team to leave, yet again, then that should be it for basketball in the QC. 

The city might only be big enough for the NFL, and maybe soccer; so one or two teams. 

[Eazy-E]

14 minutes ago, Shocker said:

This is the worst mismanagement of a situation I can recall in sports.  Stupidity doesn’t even quite say it.

Yup. MJ just gave a big fug you to the entire fan base and just proved to everyone that he only cares about the bottom line. 

He is now just banking on his corporate sponsors to keep this franchise afloat.

[MrBubba]

It could be the beginning of the end.  Old hornets were one of the best attended franchises in the NBA.  Then Shinn proved he wouldn't pay for talent to stay in Charlotte.  Fans gave up and apathy set in, and off to Orleans they went.  Vegas, Seattle both desperate for NBA team, among others.  Don't think for a second that it cannot happen again.