Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Face Uphill Battle, MKG is an Appealing Trade Option
Buzz City Beat is Swarm and Sting’s one stop for the best articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.
In yesterday’s playoff action, the Raptors evened up their series at 1-1 against the Bucks, Chicago took a surprising 2-0 lead over Boston and the Clippers defeated the Jazz to draw level at 1-1. In today’s games, Washington will host Atlanta, the Rockets will take on the Thunder while the Warriors and Trail Blazers face off. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the Charlotte Hornets facing an uphill battle this offseason, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist‘s contract being the most appealing on the trade market and the team falling short of expectations.
Hornets Face Uphill Battle This Summer (BasketballInsiders.com)
"Despite missing this year’s playoffs, Charlotte has a solid collection of talent and a capable head coach. The team’s front office doesn’t have much flexibility being up against the cap and trade-wise, the Hornets have more than a few assets – but at what cost?"
Charlotte and Rich Cho face an uphill battle in terms of the draft, free agency and the trade market this offseason. They will likely have a late lottery pick, little to no cap space and not very many appealing players for trades. Still, the team needs to find a way to get considerably better for next season.
The Hornets are in a tough spot. They put themselves in this mess though by trading for Miles Plumlee, giving players bad contracts and not planning well enough for the future. The simple fact is that a return to the playoffs is needed for Cho and Steve Clifford to keep their jobs so something needs to be done to improve this roster. Maybe they will get lucky by winning in the draft lottery/having a player fall to them or a risky signing/trade working out in their favor.
MKG’s Contract is Appealing on the Trade Market (Twitter/HornetsGIFs)
"from @BobbyMarks42 on @PrimetimeWFNZ: “MKG’s contract would be the most appealing if you put him on the trade market.”"
Bobby Marks is one of the most respected front office insiders but it is still interesting that Kidd-Gilchrist is the Hornets’ most appealing player if they put him on the trade market. It does make some sense though because he is only 23-years old and is only making $13 million each season until 2019-20. The potential is still there even with his inability to shoot from deep.
The question then is if Charlotte would be willing to move their starting small forward. It doesn’t seem likely as both the front office and Steve Clifford are committed to Michael going forward. His defense, intensity and hustle make him a valuable piece. The only problem is that the Hornets don’t currently have the right players to overcome his shooting struggles.
Charlotte Falls Short of Expectations (TechnicianOnline.com)
"A season with all the promise of the playoffs and beyond turned out to be a bust for the Hornets. Losing streaks and away game struggles hampered any postseason hopes the team had in 2016-17. With most starters returning and the chance for a high draft pick, however, Charlotte can do enough this offseason to put itself in a better position for next year."
Next: Sessions Unlikely to Re-Sign with Hornets
The Hornets were projected to win around 42 games this season by Bovada. There was an expected decline from their 48-win season the year before but winning 12 fewer games and going 36-46 was disappointing. Charlotte not only fell short of their projected record but they failed to make the playoff which was the main expectation that they didn’t reach. Even after a down season, expectations remain high as most and planning on the team making the postseason next year.