Hornets coach James Borrego isn’t sure how Nicolas Batum fits into his plans for next season, Borrego admits to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Batum was placed in a variety of roles but had another disappointing season and was briefly benched by Borrego. The team’s highest-paid player has two years and $52.5MM remaining on his contract, making him virtually untradeable unless Charlotte sweetens the pot with a first-round pick or young player. Bonnell suggests making Batum a utility player where he sees minutes at shooting guard, small forward and power forward.
We have more on the Hornets:
- Unrestricted free agent Kemba Walker was unhappy that an attempt to acquire veteran center Marc Gasol from Memphis before the February trade deadline fell through, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (hat tip to NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman). The outline of the proposed deal would have sent out center Bismack Biyombo, forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a protected first-round pick for Gasol. Memphis instead chose to make a deal with playoff-bound Toronto.
- If Walker re-signs with the club, Jeremy Lamb will likely be a cap casualty, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out in his offseason preview. Getting a commitment from Walker would push Charlotte past the luxury tax threshold. Re-signing Lamb for a conservative estimate of $11MM in the first year would trigger an approximate $27.5MM in additional luxury tax penalties. The team also has to make some hard decisions on non-guaranteed contracts, including Tony Parker‘s deal. The Hornets are unlikely to give forward Frank Kaminsky a $4.5MM qualifying offer before the June 30 deadline, Marks adds.
- Walker’s chances of returning are pegged at 30% by Bonnell in his player-by-player breakdown of the roster. Those odds will rise only if GM Mitch Kupchak can pull off a blockbuster deal before free agency to entice Walker to stay.
Batum for Wiggins could be interesting for both teams.
No
With Charlotte sending out two first round picks?
Doesnt move the needle for Minn
Wiggins has potential and is a better athlete. Bad idea
The thought behind it is that Batum’s contract is a lot shorter for Minn and Wiggins has potential for Char.
Exactly what part of his behind calculated the return percentage at 30%?
Walker might leave just because they can’t even sign Lamb. Too bad, $45MM is off the books for next year.
Bas.Ref has Parker at $5MM guaranteed, I suppose in error.
I should say, can’t sign Lamb plus himself.
Hornets Cavs, swap Williams and JR Smith. That’s one scenario.
Maybe with pick 12 attached. That JR deal will be a hot commodity and a 1st rounder would have to be included with any salary dump as it will put CLE in tax territory.