What to do with Ben Gordon?

[Captain Morgan]

there are multiple options.

 

A team that needs cash to keep an important player could trade an asset with multiple years on their contract to get rid of that cost for Gordon.

 

It probably won't happen, but it could.  Say a guy has 3 years at 5 mill per year...if we wanted him, it's a win win situation for a trade.

 

The draft pick scenario is less likely but certainly possible.

 

How about we see what we can get before sentencing ourselves to letting him go for nothing?

[OchoNueve]

You act as if letting him go for nothing is a bad thing...

 

That frees up $13 million for us to SPEND ON TALENT next year.

 

As of right now, this is our best option.  Things may change in the future.  But letting him walk gives us more money instead of tying it up on other big contracts.

[carolina-chuck]

You act as if letting him go for nothing is a bad thing...

That frees up $13 million for us to SPEND ON TALENT next year.

As of right now, this is our best option. Things may change in the future. But letting him walk gives us more money instead of tying it up on other big contracts.

This.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

You act as if letting him go for nothing is a bad thing...

That frees up $13 million for us to SPEND ON TALENT next year.

As of right now, this is our best option. Things may change in the future. But letting him walk gives us more money instead of tying it up on other big contracts.

Easily what the plan is.

There is just a disconnect on some fans understanding the cap and what has to happen in trades in the NBA.

Money for free agency would be ideal...Grainger would be a great fit. Cannot see P George leaving. However if we see any evolutionary leaps from Hendo or Kemba it frees up some resigning money.

It is the most beneficial scenario for the Hornets.

[teeray]

If we traded him to a cap strapped team we would have to receive back at minimum 9,250,000 in salary, most likely in multi year contracts.

Doesn't make much sense unless we get a high caliber player at a position of need.

[carolina-chuck]

Easily what the plan is.

There is just a disconnect on some fans understanding the cap and what has to happen in trades in the NBA.

Money for free agency would be ideal...Grainger would be a great fit. Cannot see P George leaving. However if we see any evolutionary leaps from Hendo or Kemba it frees up some resigning money.

It is the most beneficial scenario for the Hornets.

I agree.

We clearly need to save money for Kemba if he somehow make the huge leap next year. If not, we'll probably get him on the cheap.

But, that money will serve us well in next year FA. Especially, for a guy that you mentioned Danny Granger or possibly Luol Deng.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

We already have Luol Deng..remember :)

[thatlookseasy]

If gordon gets traded you have to take back a questionable contract. 

 

Not a lot of guys out there that fit this team, though I could maybe see a trade for Eric Gordon

[Vagrant]

Expiring cap is only useful if you can sign a player that fills that void that actually wants to take our money and not play for one of the ten franchises in the league that actually have a realistic chance of beating the Heat in a 7 game series. I hate to sound like a downer, but until we can court a proven winner we might as well forget that free agency exists unless we're trying to aim for mediocre. You don't build a franchise through free agency. You have to have the pieces to move into position when the time is right. That's why I feel like the Jefferson signing was an abandonment of our plan and as exciting as it will be to watch him, I hope it doesn't put us in no-man's land between too bad to make it past the first round of the playoffs and too good to be in contention for any game changers at the top of the draft.... basically where we were when we had Larry Brown at the helm.

[Vagrant]

And I understand that the Heat kind of sort of built through free agency, but anything short of collusion by the players (which is basically what happened there) it isn't going to happen again. There is only one Lebron James in this game and where he goes becomes a contender defacto.

[teeray]

True Vagrant. But I would rather have the flexibility to sign a free agent that wants to be here or resign our core players rather than take on a bunch of bad multi year contracts of average or poor players who may or may not want to be here.

Nobody is saying you don't pull the trigger if it is for a top shelf player. But if we have to take on a minimum of 9 million back to trade him it would have to be an amazing deal.

[OchoNueve]

Expiring cap is only useful if you can sign a player that fills that void that actually wants to take our money and not play for one of the ten franchises in the league that actually have a realistic chance of beating the Heat in a 7 game series. I hate to sound like a downer, but until we can court a proven winner we might as well forget that free agency exists unless we're trying to aim for mediocre. You don't build a franchise through free agency. You have to have the pieces to move into position when the time is right. That's why I feel like the Jefferson signing was an abandonment of our plan and as exciting as it will be to watch him, I hope it doesn't put us in no-man's land between too bad to make it past the first round of the playoffs and too good to be in contention for any game changers at the top of the draft.... basically where we were when we had Larry Brown at the helm.

 

The plan has been to remain flexible... not just keep drafting players for eternity.

 

We shed salary, signed a big name free agent, and will still have flexibility and plenty of money to spend on players next off-season when Ben Gordon's contract expires....

 

I think we stuck to the plan and are doing so quite successfully.  Al Jefferson is the best player to ever wear a Bobcats jersey. Hats off to Rich Cho.

 

I feel like whatever plan you are referring to is only deemed successful if we draft the next LeBron James... which only happens to one franchise every 20 years.

[Vagrant]

The plan has been to remain flexible... not just keep drafting players for eternity.

 

We shed salary, signed a big name free agent, and will still have flexibility and plenty of money to spend on players next off-season when Ben Gordon's contract expires....

 

I think we stuck to the plan and are doing so quite successfully.  Al Jefferson is the best player to ever wear a Bobcats jersey. Hats off to Rich Cho.

 

I feel like whatever plan you are referring to is only deemed successful if we draft the next LeBron James... which only happens to one franchise every 20 years.

 

I feel more like the plans by teams like the Nuggets, Thunder, and Wolves would be a more prudent approach for us. You don't have to have the best player in the league, but if you can get a great one to build around it helps quite a bit. Let them grow together as a team and figure it out as they go.

[OchoNueve]

I feel more like the plans by teams like the Nuggets, Thunder, and Wolves would be a more prudent approach for us. You don't have to have the best player in the league, but if you can get a great one to build around it helps quite a bit. Let them grow together as a team and figure it out as they go.

The Thunder is an ideal situation for what we would like, but it is rare to stack talent like they did in 3 consecutive drafts and have such a strong core that can contend.

 

The wolves have drafted well as of recent, but still haven't competed well enough to be a feared team in the league although next season may be different.

 

The Nuggets are full of free agents other than Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried and if anything prove that a team can be built through free agency.