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[Rod4soonrs]

Think we will see some moves before the season starts? Kirk Snyder is looking for a team, any thoughts?

[Starksfan311]

Other than John Lucas and Derrick Byars being cut I doubt we make any moves before the start of the season. I think Alexander will stick because of the injuries to White, Swift, & Sene.


From Dec 15th to the Feb trade deadline I expect Joe Smith and Mason to be shipped out, maybe hopefully Wilcox and Wilkins too.

[RicanThunder]

Around Feb, since Utah will be looking to unload in order to re-sign Boozer, I say we look at trading Wilcox for Korver and Kosta Koufos. We get a shooter and a big man in the trade.

[Thunderguru]

I think we have 14 under contract but can carry 15. So it's possible that we keep Alexander as Starksfan says. Another option altogether is to see who gets cut from other teams because of numbers game. Possibly filling other needs.

[Rod4soonrs]

I think we have 14 under contract but can carry 15. So it's possible that we keep Alexander as Starksfan says. Another option altogether is to see who gets cut from other teams because of numbers game. Possibly filling other needs.

agree, and with DJ out for a few months, that should free up some more room right?

Not sure how the NBA works, do they have a DL like baseball? Or would we "send him" to Tulsa of the D league to free room?

[Starksfan311]

agree, and with DJ out for a few months, that should free up some more room right?

Not sure how the NBA works, do they have a DL like baseball? Or would we "send him" to Tulsa of the D league to free room?


Eventually it will be that way, but it doesn't work that way now. Even when sending someone to Tulsa it does not free up a roster spot.

[Starksfan311]

Around Feb, since Utah will be looking to unload in order to re-sign Boozer, I say we look at trading Wilcox for Korver and Kosta Koufos. We get a shooter and a big man in the trade.


I think Utah already knows they will not be able to resign Boozer and more than likely they will be looking to replace Boozer and may even trade Boozer. It's the same situation as with Derek Fisher a couple years ago. Fisher needed to be in LA for family reasons, Boozer needs to be in Miami for family reasons.

[Taranis]

Think we will see some moves before the season starts? Kirk Snyder is looking for a team, any thoughts?

No, thank you.

[Fatty J]

From Dec 15th to the Feb trade deadline I expect Joe Smith and Mason to be shipped out, maybe hopefully Wilcox and Wilkins too.

I really hope that they don't trade Mason. He is a great face for this organization and OKC. I realize that his contract expires after this season, and that there is a chance that he will not be resigned in order to free up money to go after some big free agents. I guess if they have no intent on resigning him they may as well get something out of him before his contract expires. However, I think that he brings a lot of veteran leadership to a very young team (both on and off the court). I hope that they sign him to a long term contract and he is allowed to finish his career in OKC.

[RicanThunder]

I really hope that they don't trade Mason. He is a great face for this organization and OKC. I realize that his contract expires after this season, and that there is a chance that he will not be resigned in order to free up money to go after some big free agents. I guess if they have no intent on resigning him they may as well get something out of him before his contract expires. However, I think that he brings a lot of veteran leadership to a very young team (both on and off the court). I hope that they sign him to a long term contract and he is allowed to finish his career in OKC.


I'll hold off on giving him a long term contract. Because once his athleticism goes (which should be in the next 2-3 years), he'll give you nothing. He has NOOOOOO shot and that completely limits what he can do for you. If he wants to be an assistant coach or a front office type, I could see that. But I can't see giving him a 3 or 4 year deal in the 12-15 million dollar range after this year. I'm pretty sure he won't be looking for a contract for the veteren's minimum.

[RicanThunder]

No, thank you.

Hey, if he can still jump over people, I'd pay him the minimum to see that.

[Thunderhead]

Hey, if he can still jump over people, I'd pay him the minimum to see that.

:D:D That WAS great!

[Starksfan311]

I really hope that they don't trade Mason. He is a great face for this organization and OKC. I realize that his contract expires after this season, and that there is a chance that he will not be resigned in order to free up money to go after some big free agents. I guess if they have no intent on resigning him they may as well get something out of him before his contract expires. However, I think that he brings a lot of veteran leadership to a very young team (both on and off the court). I hope that they sign him to a long term contract and he is allowed to finish his career in OKC.


He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player. He's a major major major liability offensively, and a lot of people say he's a good defender but the truth is that he's a below average defender. He has a very low basketball IQ especially defensively. He's an athlete only and he's already lost half of that quick first step and several inches off of his vertical.

He may be a great guy in the locker room and out in public but he's a disaster on the floor.

[Taranis]

I'm not so sure about keeping Mason on the court, but it would be nice to see him stay with the organization.

[StormFan93]

He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player. He's a major major major liability offensively, and a lot of people say he's a good defender but the truth is that he's a below average defender. He has a very low basketball IQ especially defensively. He's an athlete only and he's already lost half of that quick first step and several inches off of his vertical.

He may be a great guy in the locker room and out in public but he's a disaster on the floor.

He's this year's Kurt Thomas, in the sense that they traded for him to get some veteran leadership, and he'll probably be traded near the deadline to get something in return for the expiring contract.

[Starksfan311]

He's this year's Kurt Thomas, in the sense that they traded for him to get some veteran leadership, and he'll probably be traded near the deadline to get something in return for the expiring contract.

Kurt Thomas had value because he was expiring AND he could help a team on the floor. Joe Smith has that same value, several contenders would love to add Joe Smith for a playoff run.

Desmond doesn't have that kind of value though, he can't help a team on the floor his only value is that his contract is expiring. We could probably get Speedy Claxton and a 1st for him.

[KDisNotNice]

I wouldn't want to trade for Speedy. He's more injury prone than Robert Swift. Here's an update on Speedy 'Gonzalez' Claxton.

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/10/01/hawks_speedy_claxton_camp.html

[Starksfan311]

I wouldn't want to trade for Speedy. He's more injury prone than Robert Swift. Here's an update on Speedy 'Gonzalez' Claxton.

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/10/01/hawks_speedy_claxton_camp.html


Speedy would be cut. It's not about Speedy it's all about getting a mid first rounder while the Hawks shave 5 million from next seasons payroll.

[Wrap10]

He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player.

How many guys who "flat out suck as a basketball player" last for 8 years in the world's most advanced basketball league?

[RicanThunder]

How many guys who "flat out suck as a basketball player" last for 8 years in the world's most advanced basketball league?


Alot....here's 10 just to name a few:

Micheal Olawakandi
Kwame Brown
Smush Parker (hasn't played 8 years, but is heading down this road)
Darius Miles
Lorenzen Wright
Stromile Swift
Hilton Armstrong (again, hasn't played 8 years, but is heading down that road)
Jerome James
DJ Mbenga
Mateen Cleaves

[KDisNotNice]

Including guys who averaged 12.5 points per game for 8 seasons?

[RicanThunder]

I'm not saying Desmond is worthless. But Desmond depends entirely on his athleticism. The thing they always say about Des is that, while he is offensively suspect, he makes up for it on the defensive end. Well, Bruce Bowen does the same thing, but here is the major difference....Bowen offense comes mainly off of set 3 point shots that open the floor up, while Des's offense comes from barrelling into the lane, causing the middle to become extremely congested. I always thought the Hornet's offense flowed a little better when Des was not in the game, because it opened up the floor a lot more.

[Wrap10]

Alot....here's 10 just to name a few:

Micheal Olawakandi
Kwame Brown
Smush Parker (hasn't played 8 years, but is heading down this road)
Darius Miles
Lorenzen Wright
Stromile Swift
Hilton Armstrong (again, hasn't played 8 years, but is heading down that road)
Jerome James
DJ Mbenga
Mateen Cleaves

Anyone who makes an NBA roster doesn't suck at basketball. Not even Kwame Brown. They might not be the best players ever to take a court, but I repeat - if you make an NBA roster, you do not suck at basketball. Period.

[RicanThunder]

Oh gosh, calm down. I'm not saying I could beat any of these guys at 21 at the local YMCA. But when compared to other NBA players, they have proven that the only reason they still have a job is because NBA contracts are guaranteed. Believe me, if NBA contract were like NFL contracts, these players would've been out of the league a long time ago. Its like your job. You know those people at work with that you ask yourself one of two things..."How the hell did they get this job?" or "How the hell have they kept this job this long?". And if you don't know any of those people at your work, then you probably are that person.

[Starksfan311]

I'm not saying Desmond is worthless. But Desmond depends entirely on his athleticism. The thing they always say about Des is that, while he is offensively suspect, he makes up for it on the defensive end. Well, Bruce Bowen does the same thing, but here is the major difference....Bowen offense comes mainly off of set 3 point shots that open the floor up, while Des's offense comes from barrelling into the lane, causing the middle to become extremely congested. I always thought the Hornet's offense flowed a little better when Des was not in the game, because it opened up the floor a lot more.


Yeah the Hornets were a much much better team with Des on the bench. Their D was better when Desmond wasn't on the floor also. Desmond is a good post defender because of his strength he does an excellent job when someone tries to back him down. But out on the perimeter he's a nearly a turnstyle, he gets beat off the dribble constantly, although he's an amazing athlete his anticipation is horrible. Perimeter players out think him, this is why he gets beat. His help defense is piss poor. His denial is piss poor on the perimeter and just ok in the post.

Bruce Bowen has actual skills and knows what he's doing. Desmond is an athlete only he has no basketball skills and most of all he doesn't have a basketball brain.

[Wrap10]

Oh gosh, calm down. I'm not saying I could beat any of these guys at 21 at the local YMCA. But when compared to other NBA players, they have proven that the only reason they still have a job is because NBA contracts are guaranteed. Believe me, if NBA contract were like NFL contracts, these players would've been out of the league a long time ago. Its like your job. You know those people at work with that you ask yourself one of two things..."How the hell did they get this job?" or "How the hell have they kept this job this long?". And if you don't know any of those people at your work, then you probably are that person.

I don't need to calm down, since I'm not upset. I'm just amazed that anyone with your obvious knowledge could point to an eight-year veteran of the NBA and suggest they don't know what they're doing. That's nonsense.

Mason might get traded soon, and he might not, but I don't think he was picked simply for his contract, even if that figured into the equation. He's not just a body occupying space on an NBA roster. Even if he were - he's on an NBA roster. At any given time, less than 500 people, on the entire planet, can make that claim. Assuming he does in fact rely on his athleticism, then that speaks well of his intelligence. He's figured out how to survive for going on a decade at the sport's most challenging level. Who cares what the difference is between NBA and NFL contracts. They are what they are. And I rather doubt that very many of his teammates look at Mason and ask themselves how the hell he got there. I think they know he earned it.

And for the record, no, I don't know anyone where I work who makes me wonder how they got there. According to you, that means I am that person. Which perhaps is the same as saying that Desmond Mason sucks as a basketball player. So thanks for the compliment.

[Beck Steel]

I don't need to calm down, since I'm not upset. I'm just amazed that anyone with your obvious knowledge could point to an eight-year veteran of the NBA and suggest they don't know what they're doing. That's nonsense.

Mason might get traded soon, and he might not, but I don't think he was picked simply for his contract, even if that figured into the equation. He's not just a body occupying space on an NBA roster. Even if he were - he's on an NBA roster. At any given time, less than 500 people, on the entire planet, can make that claim. Assuming he does in fact rely on his athleticism, then that speaks well of his intelligence. He's figured out how to survive for going on a decade at the sport's most challenging level. Who cares what the difference is between NBA and NFL contracts. They are what they are. And I rather doubt that very many of his teammates look at Mason and ask themselves how the hell he got there. I think they know he earned it.

And for the record, no, I don't know anyone where I work who makes me wonder how they got there. According to you, that means I am that person. Which perhaps is the same as saying that Desmond Mason sucks as a basketball player. So thanks for the compliment.

Wrap10, you are officially my favorite person on this board.

[RicanThunder]

Wrap, I can see this is un-nerving you a bit, so we'll just agree to disagree. While I see your point, I think you are missing my point. Being very tall is not a talent. There are some players in the NBA that are in the league because they are a big body and have played basketball for a long time. Do they know about the game? Yes. If they were 5 inches shorter, would they be in the league? Probably not. Every player in the NBA was probably the best player on their high school team. That's great. But there is a definite hierarchy when a player reaches the pros. The players mentioned in my previous post, are at the bottom rung of that hierarchy. Nobody is picking these players in their fantasy basketball team. That is what I am talking about. Are they among the greatest basketball players in the world? Of course. But they are not, by any stretch of the imagination, the creme de la creme of the league. And, you're welcome for the compliment (this was a joke, but if you really don't know anybody like this at your job, then consider yourself lucky).

[RicanThunder]

And who the hell said D Mason sucks???? I mentioned 10 players whom I think are not necessarily worthy of their roster spot. I believe Mason has his niche in this league. Do I have problem with aspects of his game? Of course. But I also remember that stretch of about 10 games, where the Hornets were missing CP3, DWest, and Peja, and Mason erupted for like 22 points per game for about 10 games and carried our team to about 2 or 3 victories in those 10 games. I don't believe Mason belongs in that group of unworthy players, but his weaknesses are very obvious.

[Wrap10]

And who the hell said D Mason sucks???? .

You did: "He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player."

But yes, we can agree to disagree. I'd hate to see you get unnerved by all this. :)

[Wrap10]

Wrap10, you are officially my favorite person on this board.

Thanks Beck, but to be honest, you should really raise your standards. :)

[RicanThunder]

You did: "He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player."

But yes, we can agree to disagree. I'd hate to see you get unnerved by all this. :)

That was not me my friend. Check your sources.

[Starksfan311]

You did: "He may be a great face and a great guy but he flat out sucks as a basketball player."

But yes, we can agree to disagree. I'd hate to see you get unnerved by all this. :)


He didn't say that I did. And yes Desmond sucks, he has zero basketball skills.