What The Hell Is This An All NBA Blog?

I know it's my third post of the day and it's about basketball, again. So sorry but this should be my last one today (unless I can't sleep and crank out that draft review). This post may have a little more merit to it than the D-Wade love letter and the haterade post on NBA officials and Paul Pierce.
What happened to the New Orleans Hornets? I believe they got an undeserved self worth and lost faith in their coach and have a poorly put together team. These may not be the correct answers and a lot will be revealed this off season when they make some moves. But what I really want to go over is how a mini-blow up of the team could do wonders.
First we gotta resolve this coaching matter, Byron Scott is out. It's that simple, they could take some college coach for all it matters, he has to go. Also correct me if I am incorrect, but isn't Eddie Jordan out there in coaching free agency? He was good in Washington, seeing as he had to deal with Agent Zero and multiple injuries every year. I think he would be a good fit for building this new New Orleans team.
Now to the demolition. This rooster is very, very poor. Everyone but Chris Paul is expendable (yes I realize that includes David West, I'll get to that in a bit). Unfortunately they can't just go out and sell everyone, so some of the trash will have to stay. Really what we are looking to do is get rid of the major salaries of Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic. Main needs if you succeed at shedding those salaries, a backup point guard, a starting shooting guard or small forward and a center and some backup big men. Those role players that are left can stay or be used as pieces in some trades. I'll toss around some of the possible trades first, remember I didn't really check these salary-wise, just whether or not it is a feasible trade for both parties. My first and favorite possible trade is Tyson Chandler and the Hornets 1st round pick to the Wizards for Andray Blatche, Nick Young, and either Haywood or Darius Songaila to make the salaries work. This is a possible trade, I like to think that the Wizards would like to upgrade their center spot. But they are giving up a lot of young talent so maybe even throw in Julian Wright for a kicker. If the trade goes through the Hornets get a young starting 2-guard a young center/forward that can play an uptempo game and an extra big man for depth.
Another decent sounding, possible trade scenario is Tyson Chandler and Julian Wright or that 1st round pick again for Rip Hamilton. Then trading David West to Golden State for Andris Biedrins. Golden State gets a perfect power forward for their offense and the Hornets get a good, young, decently priced center. And in Detroit they finally get a legit center and another pick and maybe even a young, energetic forward.
Two less likely trade options would be to get J. R. Smith or Amare Stoudemire. I realize that with those above trades they still have a fairly high salary figure, other moves would have to be made. Maybe just dump Peja for expiring deals and move Posey to the small forward spot. Things of that nature. Now for a mixed free agent/trade deal. Sign and trade Paul Milsap of the Jazz with David West. Get a younger player, better rebounder, for about the same price. It's a hard call, I might do that though.
Free agents to look at hopefully you were able to shed some salary. Brandon Bass, Jamal Crawford and Trevor Ariza are all possible starters for this team if they dump some of their higher salaried players. Bass will most likely re-sign with Dallas, Ariza will most likely look for a big deal like Ben Gordon will and Crawford might find a nice home for relatively cheap if he decides to opt out. And just some other potential backup players that could be signed: Chris Wilcox and Drew Gooden, hopefully no one decides to overpay them, and Zaza from the Hawks are all nice options for backup big men.
Then there is the draft and decent, coachable players will be available when they pick if one of these trades didn't happen. But you really gotta get rid of at least two of the three big salaries cause this team isn't working right. And with those top two trades I proposed, you could always even try to package say James Posey and Antonio Daniels for an overpaid and expiring salary small forward or backup players who can start until you get a rookie or in 2010 when there are more players available. Also if they made any of those trades up top and can not get rid of a couple higher salaried players (like the few they have in the 5 mil range), then maybe you just trade Peja for an expiring salary, or even get a good deal for him as well. But blowing up this team now is for the best so that Chris Paul in his prime has a stellar team around him, not a bunch of aging bums.

posted by: Jason