Tag Archives: New Orleans Hornets

by | May 30, 2012 · 7:04 PM

New Orleans Hornets win the NBA Draft Lottery

Lucky socks

The NBA Draft Lottery is one of the silliest things ever created that has actual weight behind it. A series of beer ping pong balls dance around in a clear plastic cylinder and that decides who will get the first three picks of the NBA Draft. This is supposed to stop tanking with the random nature of the selection and combination of the balls. It doesn’t and it really just makes rumors swirl throughout the day. As with all things NBA, plenty of people think the whole process is rigged.

It isn’t. Get over it.

This year’s draft class is far superior to last year’s. 2011 was marred with the looming lockout which led some players to stay in college for another year before declaring for the draft, a decision that they will probably be glad they made in the long run.

Anthony Davis, a freshman from Kentucky is widely assumed to be the number one pick in the 2012 draft and now he should have a pretty good idea as to where he is going to begin his NBA career.

On Wednesday night, the New Orleans Hornets, a team with a 13.7 percent chance of winning the number one overall pick, became the future recipients of Davis. By winning the NBA Draft Lottery, the Hornets, who are in the midst of rebuilding after trading Chris Paul before the season began, will have a solid building block. However, New Orleans also holds the tenth pick in the draft so they should be able to get a second good player to help their rebuilding process.

Some will speculate that the Hornets won because the league wanted them to after the NBA took over ownership of the team last season. “Basketball reasons” will often be mentioned, but New Orleans won because that is how the balls fell. Well, there’s that and because Jarrett Jack wore his lucky socks (pictured above).

The rest of the Lottery went like this:

2. Charlotte Bobcats

3. Washington Wizards

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

5. Sacramento Kings

6. Portland Trail Blazers

7. Golden State Warriors

8. Toronto Raptors

9. Detroit Pistons

10. New Orleans Hornets

11. Portland Trail Blazers

12. Milwaukee Bucks

13. Phoenix Suns

14. Houston Rockets

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by | · 6:34 AM

A Song about Gustavo Ayon

Mexico is a land of tradition and home to a proud people. Yet, when it comes to the sports world, Mexico has not had many sons and daughters to cheer  for outside of their club soccer teams. Now, however, it looks as though a new folk hero is emerging.

Gustavo Ayon is not the first Mexican born citizen to play in the NBA. Horacio Llamas and Eduardo Najera got there first. Najera is still playing but his best days are behind him, though no matter where he plays his is a fan favorite for his energy and hustle. Therefore it is now Ayon who is now cultivating a sizable fanbase.

In his first season in the NBA, with the New Orleans Hornets, Ayon posted per 36 minutes averages of 10.6 points, 8.8 rebounds (which is beyond modest), 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks. He started 24 games for the Hornets and in those games averaged 6.5 points, 5.7 boards, 1.6 dimes, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks. Modest numbers at best, but Ayon was one of the bright spots on the team due to his hustle on the floor. To go along with those numbers he also shot 51.5 percent on field goals.

He numbers aren’t going to blow anyone away at this point in his career but if Mexico had a vote for Rookie of the Year it would have gone to Ayon. In fact, he might even be worthy of someone penning a song about him. Luckily, someone already has.

I don’t speak Spanish, but from what I gather, the people of Tepic, Mexico are proud of him. As they should be.

Hat tip to HoopsHype for finding the song.

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by | December 10, 2011 · 3:13 PM

Chris Paul situation highlights a still broken league

(Honestly, this could be the most stream of consciousness piece I have written but since the site has been dormant for a while it is posted as is.)

WoW

Since a tentative agreement was reached between the owners and the former players union, who have since voted to reform, the NBA has been nothing short of…well, let us say, interesting. Rumors and rumor mongering have swirled, dominating much of the headlines. This is nothing new to the NBA, of course. However, the speed at which they appeared to gobble up coverage was surprising. The two main targets of the rumors are the biggest names to be free agents at the end of the shortened season: Chris Paul and Dwight Howard.

Marquee names appear in free agency regularly, though there are quite a few more players deserving of a mid level exception on that list each year. Yet this firestorm hit swiftly. Howard could go here, Paul there, perhaps both end up in New York or Los Angeles. The absurdity grew daily. There have yet to be actual games played, they begin on Christmas, but there is always something more than rumor. Something more than yellow journalism. It was and is ludicrous. Fans sat through the six-month period of speculation surrounding Carmelo Anthony last season and cringed each time a “trusted source with knowledge of the situation” merely speculated that Anthony would want to play for yet another big market team. He forced a move to the Knicks and used the media as puppets. New York obliged and gutted their roster.

Paul is at the forefront of establishing player power post lockout. Not Billy Hunter, not Derek Fisher. He wants to play in a bigger market. He will not stay in New Orleans when his contract expires and he will not sign an extension there. Dell Demps, the general manager of the league owned Hornets, knows this. Paul is forcing his hand.

A three team trade involving the Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Houston Rockets that would send Paul to Los Angeles was assembled as soon as teams could actively begin trade discussions. In return the Hornets, who did not want to lose their star player for nothing would receive Kevin Martin, Lamar Odom, and Luis Scola in the deal. Pau Gasol would have wound up in Houston. On the surface the trade seemed reasonable. There was one catch, however. The league owns the Hornets.

Small market owners, namely Dan Gilbert, were enraged that once again a player was dictating where they wanted to play. How dare they have personal freedom! Nonetheless, competitive balance, as shortsighted as it may be, was one of the rhetorical talking points of the owners during the lockout. All star talent flocking to the major markets scares some owners. Gilbert went as far to say that 25 teams in the NBA should just be called the Washington Generals. He may not be right, but he certainly is not wrong. Perhaps, though, he should put the whole LeBron James ordeal behind him once and for all and focus on building a better team. (Oh, and dump the Comic Sans.)

Despite everything that the lockout served to accomplish for the owners, the real power remains with the players. Sure, they will not be making as much money in the long run but what is a few million dollars anyway? They still make more than the average American household will in its lifetime.

Luckily, David Stern stepped in, as the authoritarian he is, to uphold the values of the lockout. He nixed the trade of Paul for “basketball reasons.” The internet was livid, but when is it not, honestly? Stern stepped in and killed the trade as the owner of the Hornets. That is his prerogative. It may not be a healthy move for the league as a whole but it was his to make. He fought for the owners to retake their power during the lockout. With this move he acted on it. It was a maneuver for control.

Since the trade fell apart it was adjusted and resubmitted to the league for approval. (At the time of this posting no news was released about the possibility of its approval.) This time Demps and the Hornets have complete autonomy in the dealings of the Hornets and their ability to make trades.

There will be a power struggle throughout the season and likely for seasons to come. The lockout was only the beginning. Players, specifically the all-stars, know they have the ability to force trades and can readily make their opinions known to the media and fans via Twitter. They can whip up a story in 140 characters or less. Owners still have the final say but when they know a player will leave in free agency they must react so that they are not left empty-handed. In the present situation, Paul knows he is in control despite what the commissioner did and the media eats it up while spinning rumors of their own.

Not for one second are all the people who cover the NBA to blame. No, that is far from the truth. In actuality only a few stir up the rumor mill for their personal gain. Most of those who cover the sport want to dissect games and plays, wins and losses. The situation before all of us is perplexing. The balance of power is being restructured in the NBA and in the way in which it is covered.  Paul and Howard have, not by their own doing, caused the storm of the shorted season. Combined they have trumped the madness that surrounded Anthony and training camps are only in their second day. One would think that this feat would be astounding but it is not. Not in the 24-hour sports news cycle. Not in a world were Twitter breaks every news story. This is how it is going to be from now on. It is not pretty but it must be accepted as a fact of life. Players dictate their fate and rumors will spew forth uncontrollably because of it.

Getting flustered will change nothing. Filtering out the garbage is the only thing a fan or writer can do. Sometimes it will be hard but there is no other choice. Soon games will be played and the rumors will ride shotgun instead of driving. At least we have basketball.

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by | June 7, 2011 · 11:14 AM

Gambling in The Big Easy

The New Orleans Hornets have to gamble on winning a few more.

Season-ticket holders, that is.  The chairman for the league-owned Hornets, Jac Sperling, says that in order to be desirable for a local owner, they need to show signs of profitability.  While this will undoubtedly be addressed this summer during negotiations with the Player’s Association, Sperling feels that by having 10,000 season-ticket holders by the start of the season, the team can match the profitability of the 2008-09 season.

This marks the first opportunity the fans have had in the future of their team, and more importantly, Chris Paul.  Potential buyers have seen the devastation caused by the loss of a superstar to a franchise after The Decision and do not want to risk the uncertainty that rebuilding a franchise entails, especially if there isn’t a sustainable fanbase.

Paul, on the other hand, is watching these Finals games and seeing whether a move to a team with another (or two, in New York) superstar would give him a chance to win a championship.  He traditionally performs better in the playoffs (averaging 21.9 points, 11.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game), and if explosive scorer David West remains with the team, the Hornets look to capitalize in a

Monty's gracious embrace awaits. (via swarm and sting)

Monty's gracious embrace awaits. (via Swarm and Sting)

wide-open Western Conference next year, when the team is better acquainted with the system of head coach Monty Williams.

The Hornets only need 2,000 more tickets before they reach their mark, and if they gain those, it will show a developed fan base, a market that shows that they care about more than just the Saints.

But the fans need to let their wallets speak in order to keep their team, as well as their superstar.

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by | May 11, 2011 · 11:52 AM

Robert “Tractor” Traylor has died

Rest in peace

Robert Traylor has been found dead in his apartment in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, according to his team, Vaqueros de Bayamon. He was just 34 years old.

Known by the nickname Tractor Traylor because of his girth and strength, he made a name for himself at Michigan, where he played for three years, before entering the NBA Draft in 1998. He was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the sixth overall pick. On draft day, the Mavericks traded Traylor to the Milwaukee Bucks for the ninth overall pick, Dirk Nowitzki.

Traylor would play seven seasons in the NBA with the Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets. He left the NBA in 2005 after struggling with conditioning, weight, and heart issues throughout his career. Traylor averaged 12 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes over his career.

After his stint in the NBA, Traylor moved to Europe to continue his career and played in Turkey and Italy before relocating to Puerto Rico.

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by | April 5, 2011 · 5:58 PM

Southwest Turning Sour

Some ugly moments from the Southwest Division's season.

The mighty Southwest Division looked like the powerhouse group of teams going into the All-Star Break but a bit of wind has been knocked out of the division since.

Dallas, New Orleans and San Antonio were the teams to beat with impressive win streaks and records against the NBA’s elite teams.  Now, it’s looking like the trio is falling into the playoffs rather than rushing in full steam ahead.

Together they amassed a 51-34 record against teams set to make the post season in both conferences before the All Star Game.  The Spurs built the best record in the league.  Dallas could beat anyone in the NBA and New Orleans had experienced two of this season’s best winning streaks.

Things were going well in the South but things have changed in the last few weeks.

New Orleans has fallen to seventh in the West and is set to square off against the hot Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs. Defense is still their game but no offense has marred their play since they have fallen to 27th in the league in scoring with only 95 points a night.  They have only scored 100 points or more five times since the break and are 6-20 this season when their opponents score 100 or more.

Ouch.

Essentially, it’s a case of too little depth down in the big easy, which is a problem that can infect every aspect of a team’s play.  Their bench is ranked 19th in the league with only 16 minutes of play a night and are only putting up 28 points a game (17th in the league).

It doesn’t help that David West tore his ACL against the Jazz on March 24th.  He was the leading scorer for the Hornets at the time and that’s not saying a lot.  It’s really been a case of Monty Williams opting to start a more defensive lineup there in New Orleans but regardless of what your system is, you need scorers.

Chris Paul is averaging fewer minutes per game than most of his previous seasons but they really lost a lot when Darren Collison left for Indiana and when they shipped Marcus Thornton to Sacramento.

Jarrett Jack is the only other point guard on the squad but to call that depth is a serious overstatement since the rest of the guard core is garbage (Marco Belinelli and Willie Green).

Now, it appears that Paul has tweaked something in his knee and hopefully it won’t turn out to be something serious.

Luckily, Carl Landry is finding his place in NO.  He started his time there scoring in the single digits against some of the NBA’s elite teams but is starting to get comfortable in the offense.

Trevor Ariza is having a very forgettable season in his first year playing for the Hornets.  He has only scored 20 or more points once this season and that was a mere 21 against the Knicks back on December 3rd (they lost that game).  Call him adjusting or  just call him an overrated player.  Whatever he is, he isn’t helping New Orleans win with his offensive game.

They started the season off 8-0 and on top of every pundit’s power rankings.  Since, they have essentially fallen off the face of the Earth outside of a few impressive stretches.  Don’t expect them to cause an upset in the first round.

They are set to face off against the Lakers who are on fire right now and it’s mainly due to the heightened play of their big men.  Andrew Bynum looks confident and Lamar Odom is providing increased depth for the defending champions.  Emeka Okafor and the rest of the frontcourt will have their hands full defending the big guys in LA.

Let’s move to San Antonio who has the best record in the NBA at 58-19.  Regardless, they have won one of their last seven games.  That just so happened to come against the struggling Suns on Sunday where they entered a must-win situation having lost their previous six.

Yes, Tim Duncan did go down with an ankle sprain and the Spurs were due for their annual injury.  They really lucked out when Tony Parker missed two games instead of two weeks at the beginning of March but their luck really ran out when they lost the four games that Duncan missed and the first two he returned for.

However, Duncan is getting old and it shows.  He is playing fewer minutes than ever before in his career and the season has dragged on for him.   He has only been the top scorer for them once this season and that was only 21 against the Thunder on New Years Day.  This new run and gun San Antonio team has incorporated the big guy well but it’s obvious that they are moving in a different direction that can sometimes leave the NBA veteran huffing and puffing up the court.

It’s interesting to see a team such as the Spurs change the way they play in such a short amount of time and it’s fared well for them so far.  Regardless, it has been shown that this style of play really doesn’t work for an 82 game season and playoffs.  Just look at the team they ended their losing streak against.

The Phoenix Suns faded every season under Mike D’antoni and that was with a team that was in much better shape.  Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash were in their prime.  They had good depth with Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion as well.

The Spurs have the depth with Richard Jefferson finally finding his stroke, DeJaun Blair getting more comfortable and George Hill developing into a well-rounded scorer.  They are known for building and even rebuilding quickly down there in San Antonio but this one may be too soon.

If the playoffs started today, they would be matched up against Memphis that is experiencing a resurgence of their own.  They split their four games against the Spurs this season by losing the first two in San Antonio before winning the rest at home.

Surprisingly, they are playing very well without their lead man Rudy Gay and it’s mainly due to the heightened play of Zach Randolph and Tony Allen.  Shane Battier’s return to the Grizzlies is helping out a lot as well.

We aren’t saying that the Spurs are going to lose in the first round but the Griz will give them a good run that will further wear them down.  The second round wont be easy at all with possible matchups against the hot Lakers and a Mavericks team that might develop a strong taste for blood.

Additionally, there is a slight chance that they will loose that No. 1 seed to the Lakers that are only two and half games behind them.  The Spurs still have to play the Hawks at home, the Lakers in LA and even face the Suns in Phoenix.  Things could get interesting for this perennial playoff contender.

Next, we have the Mavs.

They look bombed out and depleted.

Injuries have plagued the boys from Dallas and that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.  Caron Butler was looking to have a full season in Mavs to really contribute on a contending team.  Tough luck when he tore his patella tendon against the Bucks on New Years Day.

It was very untimely since Dirk Nowitzki was already missing games at the time with a sprained knee that he suffered against the Thunder on December 27th.  They lost seven of the nine games he missed and the Mavs lost a key opportunity to catch up with the Spurs by losing to them twice in that time span.  They began the All-Star break without the same determination and energy they had entering the season.

Since, they are 3-7 against teams set to make the playoffs and all of those loses are against teams set to make it in the West.  The Mavs have slipped to the third spot in the conference and they look tired as head coach Rick Carlisle is trying his hardest to get them pumped up.

It isn’t working.

Jason Kidd is looking older and older as his minutes are staying in the 30s per game.  He went 0 for 10 in their last two games from beyond the arc and just can’t keep up at times.  The team has even opted to rest him as much as two of their remaining five games.

Jason Terry is set to play in all 82 games this season but even he is beginning to fade.  His fourth quarter game has slumped and his frustration sparked last week when the Lakers completely embarrassed the Mavs.  A fourth quarter shove by Terry against LA’s Steve Blake attracted a bit of unwanted attention from both Matt Barnes and the media in general.  Since, Dallas has been called soft, a term that shouldn’t be new to anyone on the team.

Even Tyson Chandler himself admitted that the Mavericks were a team that could easily be pushed around and he knows it from his days as a Hornet.  All the fight did was draw criticism and ignite the feud between Dallas and LA, which could carry on into the playoffs if the Mavs even make it to the second round

Right now, they are poised to start the playoffs againstthe Trail Blazers.  An unlikely hero has emerged in Portland with LaMarcus Aldridge making a strong case for most improved player.  He’s averaging 27 points against Dallas this season and we don’t expect that to let up once the playoffs begin.

Dallas will have their hands full against a surprisingly deep Portland squad.  Outside of Aldridge, they will have to game plan against Nate McMillan’s myriad of options.  Wesley Matthews and Andre Miller form a dynamic duo in the backcourt while Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace offer their own set of problems up front.

Every player on the Mavs will have their hands full come playoffs and their wont be any room to be tired.

Butler has stated that he will be ready for the playoffs but we need not look any further than Portland to see how players with injured knees do once the postseason begins.

Brandon Roy underwent surgery on his right meniscus after he tore it towards the end of the regular season last year.  He returned to Portland’s lineup for game four against the Suns in the first round but was essentially ineffective as Phoenix won the series 4-2.

With Butler, he is returning to a team that has changed a lot since his departure.  His minutes have been shared amongst Peja Stojakovic, Rodrigue Beaubois and Marion.  It might take more time than is available for him to find his place back in the Mavs’ offense.

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by | March 15, 2011 · 1:29 PM

Eastern teams should be wary of the ides of March

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?

The ides of March is upon us and there are several NBA teams that have reason to beware, especially when it concerns their playoff fate. Teams around the league are beginning to lock up playoff spots, the East already has three such teams (Boston, Chicago, Miami) because it is still the weaker of the two conferences. Out West on San Antonio has secured a playoff bid as of March 15. These teams need not worry about their post season appearances. The ides of March did not only have serious connotations for Julius Caesar, it also marks just less than a month of the regular season left to play and when teams either rise or get murdered in a coup on the floor of the theater of Pompey. Towards the bottom of the standings is where we find the teams who are looking over their shoulders almost constantly. They hope to not be the ones to utter the words, “et tu playoffs? Then fall, (insert team name here)!”

In the Eastern Conference the jockeying for the final few playoff seeds has been taking a rather disastrous turn for all teams involved of late. The Philadelphia 76ers likely will not drop from their seventh seed anytime soon but their play of late has been marred by unenthusiastic and disinterested displays on the court which has led Doug Collins to use the word terrible when describing his team’s efforts. The Sixers have lost two in a row in stylish blowout and near blowout form (they were down 15 in the fourth quarter to the Jazz) after upsetting the coasting Celtics.

While the Sixers look to lockup the seventh seed, the eighth seed remains wide open. The Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Bobcats, and Milwaukee Bucks are all vying to creep into the playoffs but none of them are by any means as constant as the northern star.

Indiana currently holds a slight advantage over Charlotte for the eighth seed despite the two team’s identical 28-38 records. This is thanks to having defeated the Bobcats all three times the teams have met this season. However, Indiana is currently on a skid which has allowed Charlotte and Milwaukee to think themselves worthy of a playoff bid. The Pacers have only won two of their last ten games, six of their last ten were on the road, and during that span the team has shot only 42.6 percent from the floor while giving up an average of 105.8 points. Indiana’s average total per game during this slump has been 97.2 points. This is not a recipe for success, especially when they only played two top-tier teams over their last ten, both road games, in Oklahoma City and Dallas.

The Pacers’ schedule is not laced with tough teams for the remainder of the season, however, they must face the New York Knickerbockers twice, the Celtics twice, and the Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets, and Orlando Magic before the regular season draws to a close. Also in that span they must play the Bobcats and Bucks which may turn out to be Indiana’s most important games if they hope to stave off their immediate competition.

Since paul Silas took over for Larry Brown in Charlotte, the Bobcats have gone 19-19. This is a major reason for them being within reach of the playoffs. Over their last ten games they have gone 4-6, with all six of their losses coming in a row. All but one of those losses were at the hands of playoff bound teams. Against the Magic, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Bulls the Bobcats mustered an average of 80.6 points on approximately 41 percent shooting while surrendering 101.2 points per game in those five losses and allowing their opponent to shoot 48.9 percent. With numbers like these, Michael Jordan needs to decide if watching his team be swept in the first round is even worth it. This is a team that is primed and ready to be blown up this summer.

What more is there to say about the Bucks after that pathetic performance against the Celitcs where they only scored 56 points. Clearly, the ides of March arrived slightly early for the Bucks. If Milwaukee, and their anemic scoring,  somehow makes its way into the playoffs, both the Pacers and Bobcats should spend next season in the D-League to reflect upon the embarrassment that they brought on the league.

It says a lot about the Eastern Conference that, statistically, the Cleveland Cavaliers are not yet out of the playoff chase. Statistically they could still mike it while in the West both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings are out. Now, realistically, the Cavs have no shot at making the playoffs but that should serve to temper the comments that the East is now the dominant conference.

The Western Conference is slightly more complicated, however, the teams currently sitting in the lower playoff spots may be the ones that ultimately make the playoffs. Right now, only four and half games separate the sixth seed and the eleventh seed and each of these teams (New Orleans, Portland, Memphis,  Utah, Phoenix, and Houston) has a record of .500 or better. On top of that, each has won at least five of their last ten games as they know that not just making the playoffs, but playoff seeding is on the line.

Lower seeded Western Conference teams will likely fair somewhat better in the first round of the playoffs as opposed to their counterparts in the East. This is simply because the distribution of talent is not as top-heavy as it is in the Eastern Conference. This is why there has been a better likelihood of an upset in the West over the past several years.

The bottom tier of the Eastern Conference playoff picture has a long way to go if it is to ever become relevant. Teams slipping into the playoffs with a sub-.500 record bring nothing to the table. Sure there are some decent to good players on these teams but in a division that holds the Nets, Raptors, and Cavaliers there is no reason not to find a couple more wins during the season. Outside of the top four teams in the East, there is nothing but teams asking for handouts in the forms of wins. None will see the light of the second round. When beggars die, there are no comets seen.

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by | February 24, 2011 · 12:41 PM

Mark Cuban blasts the league… ethics and cash come into question

Mark Cuban is the only owner with the balls and pocket book to constantly criticize the league.

The league has come under direct fire for the first time since taking over operations for the New Orleans Hornets by a voice David Stern and company should know all too well.

Last night, before the Mavericks took on the Jazz in Dallas, Mavs owner Mark Cuban voiced his utter disgust with the situation in New Orleans and their trade with Sacramento.

Essentially, the Hornets traded Marcus Thornton who is earning $762,195 for Carl Landry who is earning $3 million.  The difference in salaries is $2.24 million, which New Orleans will be responsible for covering for the remainder of the season.  The Hornets, who are over the salary cap, acquired Landry due to a trade exception.

This wouldn’t be shady at all if we didn’t consider the situation that New Orleans is facing.

The NBA, Cuban and 28 other owners, took over the Hornets from former owner George Shinn on December 6.  The league funds the organization and set an operating budget.  Cuban is questioning why the team is taking on such a huge salary when they are already in such a cash bind.

“If New Orleans is taking back $2 million and the team is losing money and I own 1/29th of it, I’m going to go against the grain and say that’s just wrong,” Cuban said. “There’s no way, with their payroll, having to dump salary before they were sold to us [NBA owners]; now they can take on more salary while they’re losing money. That’s just wrong every which way.”

Cuban’s remarks are the first public remarks that have directly criticized the NBA and its dealings in New Orleans.  Earlier in the season, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson questioned the ethics of the situation but didn’t blast the league as Cuban did yesterday.

A lot of teams in the league were interested in Landry but not a lot were willing to take on that contract.  With a possible lockout looming in the NBA, this season’s trades have been fairly even.  As far as money, this has been one of the most lopsided.  The Hornets made the sweetest deal for Landry to a Sacramento team in need of another point guard with an injured Tyreke Evans.  Thornton made a name for himself last season when he filled in for an injured Chris Paul.

The league has yet to hand down a fine for Cuban’s comments but trust the Beef, there will be a fine.

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by | · 12:53 AM

Carl Landry traded to New Orleans Hornets

On the move again

Is David Stern allowed to make trades? Can he do that? Well, he kind of just did. On Wednesday the New Orleans Hornets, who are owned by the NBA, finalized a deal with the Sacramento Kings. So, yes, apparently Stern can make trades.

The trade will send forward Carl Landry to the Hornets to bolster their frontcourt which has experienced issues with injuries this season. In exchange the Hornets will send Marcus Thornton to the Kings along with cash considerations.

Ever since Chris Paul demanded a trade last summer, the Hornets have been busy making trades to appease him. New Orleans answered Paul’s cries on several tiers. They traded away Darren Collison, James Posey, and Julian Wright in a four team trade and acquired Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli. The team then traded two draft picks to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerryd Bayless. Soon thereafter, New Orleans traded Bayless and Peja Stojakovic to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks, and David Anderson.

Phew!

Now throw Landry into the mix. The Hornets have made a ton of moves since the summer and are doing everything they possibly can to convince Paul to remain in New Orleans. However, it may not be enough especially with more and more of his peers vaulting for the Eastern Conference in the hopes of establishing “super teams.”

For now though, the Hornets are trying their best to make their team appealing to Paul. Yet, at what cost are they doing so? Remember, this is a team that is owned by the league.

New Orleans is over the salary cap and was forced to absorb $2.24 million as part of Landry’s $3 million contract. They acquired him using a trade exception as Thornton’s contract was only worth $762,195. This is a team that the league was forced to take ownership of because of financial hardships yet the Hornets are now taking on more salary. Odd. Is that even allowed?

Nonetheless, this trade is nothing but a win-win for the Maloof’s, who own the Kings. Because the NBA was forced to take over the Hornets, all of the league’s owners became part owners of the Hornets. They are already seeing a return on their investment.

Clearly, there is some Cajun voodoo working in the Hornets favor. Yet, it has yet to be seen if this voodoo will have Landry back in the form he was in with the Houston Rockets, when he was playing at his best.

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by | January 25, 2011 · 10:08 AM

Hornets Keep Streaking, Stay in New Orleans, but Could Lose David West

Hornets keep winning but David West (middle) wants to become a free agent

The New Orleans Hornets are back on track, which is more than one can say about the Ninth Ward, as they notched their ninth consecutive win last night with a 91-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. David West secured the victory for his team with a late jumper. New Orleans, with the win, now finds itself a member of the 30 wins club.

As the Hornets continue their resurgence, the fans, who were backed by a media and business blitz supported by Louisiana’s governor, Bobby Jindal, set the attendance requirements necessary to keep the Hornets franchise in the Big Easy. Attendance needed to reach 11,758 for last night’s game to ensure that the Hornets would not be able to opt out of their contract at New Orleans Arena. An average attendance average of 14,735 needed to be reached over a two season time frame otherwise the team could officially think about relocation. The Hornets’ present lease runs through 2014.

The Hornets may not be opting out of their lease anytime soon now, but one of their cornerstone players likely will be. David West is expected to opt out of his remaining $7.5 million he is owed in the final season of his current five-year $45 million contract. He wants to test the free agency waters where he hopes to command $10 million or more per season in a new contract.

New Orleans, for obvious reasons, does not want to see West go. The team’s general manager, Dell Demps has proposed details for a multiyear extension for West with his agents but a source has said that the possibility of the two sides working out an agreement before the February 24 trade deadline is unlikely according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo!.

This leaves open the possibility of a sign and trade for New Orleans if West decides to leave the organization upon seasons end. He could be traded to a contender for lucrative young talent and possibly draft picks before the trade deadline. However, it is clear that Demps and the Hornets, who are now owned by the NBA, want to keep West in New Orleans. To keep him, though, means they will have to sign him as a free agent after the new CBA has been decided upon.

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