Chris Paul, Dime #36We continue our look at current NBA team needs with the New Orleans Hornets…
The Needs — The Hornets made a serious move when they inked James Posey to a 4-year contract. Forget the fourth year of this deal; this is about the next two seasons and putting the pieces into place to win now. Posey does that for you off the bench. Yes, New Orleans, we said off the bench. Posey is a tremendous role player, having the ability to play the 2, the 3, or the 4 and playing every single minute like it’s his last. Can he be a starter? Sure; Posey started for the Heat in their championship run. Ideally, though, he plays the exact same role as he played on the Celtics. Right now, the Hornets have a pretty deep bench, but we still don’t see a starting two-guard on their roster. We’d also be concerned about relying so much on Peja’s perimeter scoring. Peja’s a year older and still very injury prone. The Hornets are also thin up front if Tyson Chandler gets in foul trouble, but Hilton Armstrong’s continued improvement will help in that regard.
The Possible Solutions — The possible solution probably doesn’t exist anymore. Corey Maggette might have been that guy to start at the two, but that didn’t happen. The Hornets will try to make due with Morris Peterson, Posey and Mike James, and possibly try to bring back Bonzi Wells and Jannero Pargo on cheap deals. Julian Wright was also getting a lot of reps in the backcourt during the Vegas Summer League, so that could be an option down the road.
Our suggested moves? — Why not give Bonzi one more chance? The talent is there. Or was there, at least. If they can get Bonzi believing a little bit and in better shape, he might be good enough to fill the two-guard role, and you need a handicap to the oft-injured Peja.
If you’re the Hornets, what do you do?
NBA Team Needs archive
7/19 - Boston Celtics
7/20 - Los Angeles Lakers
7/21 - Detroit Pistons
7/22 - San Antonio Spurs
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Krayzie says:
First!
Bonzi was a beast in Portland and that one year for Sac when he almost beat the Spurs by himself.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
doc says:
I’d go at it with the same squad plus Posey.They chemistry seem to good to fuck up with a random signing just because.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
hahns says:
they needed a guy who can create his own shot w/o cp. i dont see why they didnt take cdr in the draft for this…he woulda fit in real well
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Michorizo says:
They can start by preventing Peja from getting a case of Pussyitis during the playoffs …
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
The Jed says:
Ricky Davis. I’m serious.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
John Starks says:
They cud seriously get sumthing outta Jerome Moiso. So come get him guys!
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
#8 - Antwan "Sky" Walker says:
Bonzi Wells is washed up since he turned down what Sacto gave him. Although the Rockets got him 4 cheap, he was a bum while playing for us.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Big V says:
Bonzi is the man!!!
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:21 pm
#8 - Antwan "Sky" Walker says:
What about bringing back Anfernee Hardaway ? I feel he has a lot left in the tank.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
GsusX says:
Bring in Kwame to back up Chandler and show hilton the nuances of the game… hahah…
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
YeKanEast says:
@ Antwan “whateva” Walker: What about…NOOOO ? I’d better have Tractor Traylor or David Wesley’s corpse on my team…
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Kobeef says:
“JR Smith”
It probably won’t happen but imagine what CP3 could do that that kid. JR has the talen but needs a “makes other guys better” type like CP to help him breakthrough. With CP, JR and Peja the Hornets could score 50 points a game on threes.
Also, it would be nice to have a bigger back-up PF to throw in when West is getting beat-up by the likes of Amare, Gasol, Duncan. Someone like Andray Blatche might fit the bill.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
fiyaman says:
lmao @post 7 & 9 ..u say Bonzi is washed up but recommend Penny..lmao im glad u aint know GM.. well maybe ..is your name Isiah?
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Billy Sunday says:
I agree with The Jed bring in Ricky Davis
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Chaos says:
maybe JR smith but thats it unless Wright shows he can play. lets fave it bonzi, mo pete and posey aint starting again. they missed out on corey maggette and CDR so they gotta go with what they got….what decent big men are on the market that could back up tyson?
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
GsusX says:
@ Chaos: KWAME BROWN!
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:53 pm
#8 says:
@ Fiyaman
Penny is a proven winner and used to be a tremendous floor general/slasher.
Bonzi used to be a good low post scorer, a very good rebounder, an adequate defender but a player with an awful work ethic.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
#8 says:
And by the way, bring the Reignman back to training camp !
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Sith Lord 24 says:
i was screaming for them to go after Corey M. the hornets needed someone else who on the wing who can.. go get theirs.. and corey would have fit perfectly with him.. i know everyone says corey is a gunner but playing with a pg like paul will make anyone who likes to score happy. bonzi is the only option now until someone becomes available during the season.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Mskittle says:
I disagree about Bonzi. Besides being on some overtalented Portland teams that didn’t win anything significant, he should be on your “Loser List.” Never seems in shape and seems slow.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Dave says:
Hornets have two main needs:
(1) A more diversified offense.
(2) Backup big man
They’re far too reliant on Chris Paul to create/score on each possession. They need another scoring option or an upgrade on Peja. During the Spurs series, the Spurs locked up Peja and the supporting and effectively forced the Hornets to play 2-on-5 offensively with Paul and West. That’s unnecessary, there’s no way that the Hornets should be that vulnerable in big playoff series.
New Orleans got a huge boost when Bonzi Wells joined. Not a top 20ppg scorer but he was a go-to scorer on the second unit who gave them close to 10 points a night. That spurred on the Hornets through the second half of the season, it was a huge coup for the Hornets. They played their best basketball and most team orientated basketball. Unfortunately Bonzi stunk against the Spurs with Ime Udoka plain stopping him at every turn. The important point is that they don’t have to have a top scorer, just another go-to scoring option even at low ppg numbers, that alone makes a huge difference.
Part of it is Peja’s fault. He’s too easy to stop if the opposition is disciplined and stays glued to him like Bruce Bowen did or like Rick Fox used to do. That takes away the Hornets third scorer and they need that third scorer to beat top teams like the Spurs/Lakers in a playoff series.
The second problem was the lack of a backup big man. They’ve got the weakest collection of backup bigs of any contender in the league last season, and they haven’t managed to upgrade it. The Hornets were constantly running into problems whenever Chandler or West got into foul trouble. It was a killer hole during the playoffs that cost them greatly against the Spurs. This also forced Chandler to be more passive defensively because he couldn’t take as many chances going for blocks.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
They should’ve kept Brandon Bass and drafted Douglas-Roberts. Now the options are few. They already had JR Smith didn’t they and traded him for Chandler? Can’t get him back now. Ricky Davis is an interesting idea if there’s no other options. They still need another serviceable big man. I think they still have Chris Anderson’s rights so maybe he can help them out.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Mark says:
Money Mike. Even though he’s just been traded, the man is effectively proficient and more diverse than Predrag, although I’m not sure what I would do to entice the Wolves to get at him.
Our core is pretty solid, though I personally think we’re missing a replacement 1. Coach Scott doesn’t seem to trust Mike James, which would either mean A) Trade him or B) start trusting him. James is a decent backup, and at times I would have rather seen him control the game than Pargo. Also, a 5 would be nice, but I’d be more concerned with a backup to DX. I think we need a more physical (and higher basketball IQ… looking at you Ely) power.
Coach Scott seems pretty adamant against JR, so I’m going to go with ‘no’ for that one.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 pm
kobeef says:
They ust announced JR Smith was added to the Team USA Select Team (generation next)
Can someone finally recognize that this kid has talent and give him some minutes? He’s a better 2 guard than Mo Pete.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Mo says:
JR Smith was too big of a knucklehead for Byron Scott. He’s talented but still a knucklehead.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
PEACEMAKER says:
HORNETS NEED TO RESIGN BONZI
THE PLAYOFFS WAS THE FIRST TIME
BONZI FADED AND A LOT OF THAT WAS
DUE TO THE UNCERTAINLY OF USE
July 31st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
PEACEMAKER says:
I MEANT UNCERTAINTY-SORRY
REMEMBER WHEN BONZISCORED 20 POINTS
IN FOURTH QUARTER AGAINST HOUSTON
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS TRADED TO THE HORNETS
MID-SEASON, HE STILL HELPED THE HORNETS TO
50 GAMES
ALSO REMEMBER WHEN HE HAD EIGHT STEALS
IN ONE GAME AGAINST BOSTON
HE HAS PLAYED WITH POSEY BEFORE AND THEY
MAKE FOR A NIGHTMARE FOR OFFENSIVE PLAYERS