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Buzz City Beat: MJ meets with his players, Should the Charlotte Hornets trade Kemba?

By Jerry Stephens

CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 13: Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets reacts on the bench during their game against the Dallas Mavericks at Spectrum Center on October 13, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 13: Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets reacts on the bench during their game against the Dallas Mavericks at Spectrum Center on October 13, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Buzz City Beat is Swarm and Sting’s one stop for the latest news and stories from around the web about the Charlotte Hornets.

Nicolas Batum says that his elbow is still bothering him and limiting what he can do while on the court. (CharlotteObserver.com) In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at Michael Jordan meeting with the players, if the Charlotte Hornets should trade their all-star point guard and why Kemba Walker is a top-25 player in the league.

MJ speaks with team before Lakers’ game (Twitter/ @JustinThomasNBA)

"Before the game, MJ came in and spoke to the team about what he’s seeing. Last time this happened was two seasons ago"

According to Marvin Williams, the Hornets’ owner didn’t berate the team. Instead, MJ was trying to clear the air and get other players to voice their opinions. This could be seen as a “players-only” meeting as the coaches were out of the room when the meeting took place between the owner and his players.

Dealing with multiple injuries and being without their head coach, Charlotte is in a tough spot but maybe this meeting with Jordan will help them in the long run. Michael was one of the best leaders when he was a player so it’s understandable as to why he would intervene and look to find the root of the problem with his struggling side.

Should the Hornets look to trade Walker? (Inquisitr.com)

"The question Charlotte must ask themselves is, is it worth paying Walker $25 million per year for 40 wins or do we tear down and rebuild with assets from a trade?"

I don’t think trading Kemba is the best move for Charlotte. With that being said, I do think that they should at least be considering it. The Hornets’ front office needs to gauge Walker’s interest in signing a contract extension once his current deal expires at the end of the 2018-19 season. If he is 100% committed to re-signing, then keep him but if he has any doubts about his future with the team, they should start fielding calls leading up to the trade deadline.

Because of his salary cap friendly contract, Kemba is a prized possession in today’s NBA. The Hornets could get a good haul for their star player as his value is at an all-time high. Although, the longer they wait, the less leverage they will have which will hurt the return they could get in potential deals. If I’m Charlotte, I’m looking to trade other players on big contracts before looking to deal Walker.

Kemba is a top-25 player in the NBA (TheRinger.com)

"At times, it feels like the only thing keeping the Hornets from complete collapse is Kemba pedal-powering a generator over on the bench. The Hornets have sunk to 20th in the league on offense, and middle of the pack on defense. But if Walker played all 48 minutes, they would rank in the top 10 in both."

Next: 2018 Draft Preview: Williams, Duval, Knox, and Bridges

This article ranks Walker as the 24th best player in the league just ahead of Bradley Beal. Looking at some of the players ranked ahead of Kemba, there’s a case to be made that the Hornets’ point guard should be higher on the list but considering the team’s poor play, it’s understandable why he comes in at No. 24. The biggest surprises to me were Ben Simmons at 14 and Joel Embiid at 10.

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