Though Hornets player attendance at the team’s practice facility has reportedly been strong, pending free agents, players who are not currently in Charlotte, and players who are concerned about COVID-19-related health risks might not participate in upcoming group practices, says Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
The NBA and NBPA agreed to let each of the so-called “Delete Eight” — the eight league-worst teams who missed out on the Orlando restart — to hold voluntary skill and conditioning sessions plus scrimmages at their facilities, with mandated campus living arrangements, from September 21 to October 6 after a week-long quarantine. Teams are allowed to invite five players who were with their affiliated G League club during the 2019/20 season.
Backup center Bismack Biyombo, earning $17MM this season, is the costliest free agent who is definitely coming off Charlotte’s books in October. Bonnell tweets that Biyombo’s fellow 2020 free agents on the roster, Dwayne Bacon and Willy Hernangomez, will most likely be advised by their representatives to either not participate at all or only partake in a limited amount of activities to avoid injury ahead of new potential contracts.
There’s more out of Charlotte:
- Bonnell anticipates (Twitter link) that, among the prospective G-League players who may join the team’s fall offseason practices, Greensboro Swarm regulars Kobi Simmons, Joe Chealey and Ray Spalding seem most likely to get an opportunity to join the Hornets.
- Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Mitch Kupchak anticipates the Hornets to be able to select a “special” player with the No. 3 pick in this year’s NBA draft, according to The Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell in another article. LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards headline this year’s draft class.
- Kupchak noted last week that the Hornets, as a rebuilding team coming off a 23-42 record, would not be big players in free agency during the offseason.
The biggest concern is LaVar Ball
If Wolves pick Edwards and Warriors pick Wiseman
Then Hornets pick Electrical Ball
More than any team, including the Knicks, this version of the Bobcats/Hornets need a star. They haven’t really had a star ever. The closest was Kemba Walker, but even he wasn’t really a star. More like a good #2 guy or a great #3 guy on a good team.
As much as I believe LaMelo Ball will be a bust, he also the most potential star power in this draft. Charlotte would probably benefit most by him. And they need someone to score points. He could easily be ROY if Charlotte takes him. Of course, he could also become the next Adam Morrison and be out of the league in a couple of years as well.
That’s two-time NBA Champion Adam Morrison you’re speaking of
Yeah and he was about as responsible for those rings as Robert Horry was for his seven. Right place, right time.
You have to be kidding with Horry?
Did you mean 7th or all seven?
I mean all 7. Horry was a decent role player, but he was hardly the reason his team was even in the finals let alone winning them.
Yeah his clutch shooting definitely didn’t put his teams in positions to win. /s
Yikes!
I want no parts of Ball in Charlotte. I can’t believe MJ would, either. If someone likes Ball, I’d rather see Charlotte move down and pick up more selections. I’d love to see Charlotte swap picks with the Knicks and move down from #3 to #8, and try to get Randle and an extra pick in the process.
A #3-#8 trade is quite likely, assuming Lamelo is on the table, with Jordan’s excuse for trading down, just what got said ^^.
That having been said, getting Lamelo is probably a good idea.
I just don’t like Ball that much. Unless Anthony Edwards shockingly slides to #3, I’d rather have the future asset and a lower pick this season. They could still draft Saddiq Bey, who I think really fits a need for them. If they could somehow nab Randle in that trade, all the better.
Did anyone hear about Jason Williams？
A player who runs like a wind
No one knows where he is
Can LaMelo compare to him？
Both are Electrical
What the hell are you talking about?
Two of the top three projected picks have virtually no experience. Wiseman with his 3 games and ball with his hijinks in the US, and that sad excuse of a pretend showcase he did overseas. I have my doubts about Minnesota’s ability to not mess it up, but they should grab Edwards. Golden State will either take Wiseman or trade the pick, and that leaves ball for Charlotte. Maybe they can try and get a star for the pick? Maybe some team is in love with ball. I doubt Jordan is.
What hijinks are you referring to? I think you may have the ball brothers confused.
Well, there was spewing out racial epithets on live TV. Although I would consider that a little more than a hijink.
I think he was referring to the middle ball brother who was suspended and subsequently quit the UCLA basketball team after the shoplifting fiasco in China. I could be wrong tho, which wouldn’t be the first time for me on this site lol
Hope you’re feeling more relaxed today.
Yeah I figured that was the case, but LaMelo shouldn’t get a pass for what he did either.
Not sure , but it seemed like Markanen was on the outs in Chicago this year.
I could see The Bulls working a trade with GS to swap picks. Something like :
Otto Porter
Markanen
Valentine
#4 pick
For
Wiggins
#2 pick
Chicago take LaMelo Ball
Warriors take Obi Toppin
Charlotte gets Wiseman I’m this scenario,
all of their big men are FA’s
Why would the warriors take on Porters contract? It makes no sense whatsoever to make this move if you’re GS. Come on man…
Oh, you must not understand how the salary cap works. Porter has 1 year left, Wiggins has 3. So you are getting an excellent wing defender for another championship run , cutting cap and adding a big man who can shoot just for moving down 2 spots in the draft and sending out Wiggins 3 years of control on his contract.
TWolves are not making trades. They have the best compliment they could possibly get for DAngelo, Edwards is a big 2 guard. Who has plenty of upside. He’s a great fit and mix. GS could trade down here. If someone makes them an offer they can’t refuse. No one is trading up for Ball, not here. Balls biggest potential is as a playmaking 2 guard. He’s got size. But has not grown into his body yet. If you look at Lonzo. You can see he should fill out and be stronger. That is upside. His shot is not good now. Was a scorer in HS. So at best I see a playmaking SG with size. But that’s 4 yrs down the road. A Klay type without the D. Not as good a shooter. But a better passer. He’s a project and for that you get Lavar. LA wanted no part of that. Most big market teams don’t want that.
There are stories Lonzo wants out. ???? Interesting
There are a few teams who would trade up for Wiseman. Wiseman also is a great pick for Warriors. But Warriors don’t need him to win rings. So a big offer can get you here, Charlotte needs a Wiseman big time. They need a center. And he’s a generational center. He’d be a coup for MJ. If not I can see them take Ball. Although Killian Hayes could go here. He has more upside than Ball. He too you will have to wait yrs on. Big PG who can score. Think DAngelo with better vision. I think GS and Charlotte are the two teams who could change things up. Either way Edwards is going #1, Wiseman #2. Then it gets fun.
As a Knicks fan. I have always said I’d give up our pick 6 or more, for Lonzo. He fits us like a glove. And is ready from day one. Lonzo is more mature now. So it should be easier to deal with Lavar. I know he’d love for any of his sons to play in NY.
Wiseman is not a generational center. Shaq was a generational center. Hakeem Olajuwon was a generational center. Kareem was a generational center. Wiseman is potentially the best big man in a weak draft in an NBA where centers are not really as important as they once were.
Does it all really matter: Kidd-Gilchrist, Kaminsky, Monk, draft and trade Gilgeous-Alexander. Their pick will be Toppin because Kupchak prefers older players like last year when he took Washington over Herro.
MKG and Monk weren’t older players. They both came out as freshmen.
Washington was only 1 year older than Herro. And he doesn’t exactly look like a bad pick right now either.
Kupchak wasn’t involved in three of the things you’re complaining about.
They may have been freshmen, but my point is they can’t draft no matter what the player’s class is. Liliard, Beal, Mitchell? Washington is two years older than Herro.