[Charania] GM Jeff Peterson says the Charlotte Hornets will continue with their “organic acceleration” as opposed to making an all-in trade. The Hornets have 7 first-round picks, 14 second-round picks, and financial flexibility moving forward.
Crazy how Jordan sells the team and they’re suddenly headed into being a playoff team for the next few years. Amazing turnaround by the Hornets.
They switched up the draft philosophy from domestic white bigs to domestic white wings and had themselves a day!
We still drafted Kalkbrenner this year, so we’re just taking our domestic white bigs a little later lol.
Good catch, forgot about him I was just so focused on Kon and McNeely!
He’s essentially a slightly lesser version of the other white guys they took except without the lottery pick pedigree.
Thomas Haugh, you are a Hornet!
I argue it’s that and it’s luck you get a really good prospect like Cooper flag for example and it can change your entire franchise
I wonder when they’ll switch up from their domestic abuser
Similar to the new front office who joined in 2023 from the Wizards. Besides the Deni trade, they’ve nailed mostly every trade and front office decision since the Beal trade
It is telling who isn’t a superfan when people refer to the Hornets, and Wizards as poverty front offices
Wait… wizards have new ownership? Thought Leonsis still owned them
I guess I should’ve specified front office, I’ll edit it to say front office
Will Dawkins and company at the Wizards front office have done smart moves these last 3 years
Wizards are still Ted Leonsis, FO just changed. Which is almost even more surprising but truth can be stranger than fiction.
Not really – it’s well known that Leonsis cares more about the Caps than the Wizards lol
Maybe so, but he finally let us tank. That’s more than can be said of pels, mavs, bulls, kings etc who were trying to win but just blow
Ironically that’s not what he said:
Ted Leonsis: Wizards ‘Weren’t Tanking, We Were Developing’
Well do you think he going to say “yes we were tanking hard” in public and get punished from the league for it?
Agreed. Speaking of the Wizards, Young/Bilal/George/AD/Sarr/Riley/Tre Johnson + a lottery pick. What’s not to like? They got shooters, bigs, and defense. Young guys and vets. Let’s see what happens.
How can you nail every decision but be at 17 wins and dead last in your conference? I’m not seeing a lot of talent on that roster. Outside of Sarr.
2024 draft- Sarr, and Kyshawn. Sarr has DPOY and maybe all star potential. Kyshawn was a steal in that draft
2025 draft (feel to 6th in a stacked top 5) - Tre and Will Riley. Will Riley was a great pick for them. Tre is a bucket getter
Top 5 pick guaranteed this year
Flipped Beal’s horrible supermax and washed Kuzma for AD and Trae. Yeah, AD and Trae might have injury problems, but to flip an albatross Beal contract and washed overpaid Kuzma into AD, and Trae Young is an acomplishment
Most front offices wouldn’t have thrived in 3 years because they probably wouldn’t have got off Beal’s 250 million supermax and Kuzma’s untradeable contracts. They tanked these last 2 years, too
Good trades for picks, good drafting, and smart decisions overall these last 3 years
Yep. Wizards are making good moves. They will be competitive again sooner rather than later.
Idk, those guys mean nothing to me until they put up bigger than 10 ppg and they win games. This league is chock full of guys who can look okay and lose badly.
Maybe they’ll try winning games when the ownership allows the team to practice and not sub in Anthony Gill, Leaky Black, and Julian Reese to get losses to lock in a top 5 pick in a stacked draft
Who is averaging 10 PPG that was listed other than Will Riley, who’s been a bench player for most of the year? Sarr is averaging 16. KyG is averaging 14. TreJ is averaging 12. AD and Trae are self-explanatory, don’t think we need to dive into what they can average.
One player listed is at the amount you noted. Feels like you didn’t even pay attention to the point that was made.
The Trae young disrespect
Trae young was given away for free lol.
Even better deal
When will y’all learn that when you look at numbers alone it means nothing in this league. So many fake superstars sitting around. I bet you thought Brad Beal was a legit superstar too at one point.
I’ve liked trae young since he was a sooner, but okay. Go off king.
That’s fine. He can’t defend and he’s a shot chucker. Let me know how that works out the rest of his career.
Also, I did learn that talent =/= superstar. Way to move the bar.
now do the kings
If someone asked me 20 years ago if I thought Michael Jordan would be better at managing an NBA or NASCAR team…
We should have all assumed NASCAR tbh. No predispositions, no ACC big man biases, etc
I doubt he manages much
That’s big part of why things are going so well. Team is also building a nice new training facility that’s likely to go a long way in making us more attractive to FAs. We’ve long been very behind other teams in training staff, scouting department, and training facilities.
That’s really exciting!! Man, today’s game is gonna be crazy. Best of luck to y’all.
Pretty much nothing shy of drafting a top 20 all time talent can fix bad ownership
But would Jordan have drafted Kon? 🤔
Nope.
Jordan’s last gift to the Hornets was making the correct draft selection for the first time ever (Miller over Scoot, which was widely panned at the time)
Why is it crazy? He was terrible and gave tons of people jobs they were not qualified for. Hard to be successful in that environment
Turns out the basketball god is apparently better at running a nascar team than a basketball team
Certainly has seemed to worked for the Pistons so far
Tbf pistons never had assets like the hornets do now
Hornets were excellent at picking up 2nd round picks for mediocre bad contracts. Then moving around the draft if needed to get more assets.
Jeff has been playin 5d chess with the salaries, trade exemptions, and pick acquisitions. He also hit an absolute home run of a draft with Kon, Sion, big Kalk, Liam. The future is bright
drafting is a skill. hell of a job
Don’t forget separately we got our starting center basically for free because the clippers waived him
Don’t forget getting actual value from Gordon Hayward’s corpse out of Presti of all GMs.
A huge chunk of our rotation this year is just rookies with another in Liam that would be getting bench minutes for half the league but we have the luxury of being patient with him and Tidjane and letting them play big minutes for Greensboro. Hell of a draft
Yeah they had pj and MADE the mavs a final team while being a contender in like a year. Now with a rivalry witha as the pistons, I like the hornets bc they’re great for the nba
Gafford came from the Wizards
Pj was the only hornet.
I remember at the time the moves were praised and I just recall thinking how hard it was to care until we were actually winning. Now I’m over the moon that we padded our assets like that right before anybody cared about us.
Instead we (pistons) took one of the best assets they could of had (Duren)
Most of our fans hated that trade the second it happened and it just got even worse seeing how the Mark Williams situation played out for us.
Pistons still need another piece though to really contend. At the moment now I doubt they get to the conference final without a real second option
I’m sorry, how is an all star and likely all nba dominant center not a real second option?
They need a secondary ball handler/scorer who can create their own shot to take pressure off Cade.
That’s fine, but Duren is still a strong second option. Those aren’t mutually exclusive.
Have considered Daniss Jenkins, when Cade was out he averaged 18⁄7
Hes okay but it was March madness where its not a real indicator generally. They still need an upgrade in that area and then id put them as a proper contender
They dont have a proper guard to help Cade when hes having one of his horrible shooting nights. Their perimeter shooting is still pretty bad
Yeah but that’s not what you said, a second option doesn’t have to a perimeter scorer/ball handler.
They dominate teams inside, so it’s a strength vs other teams strength thing. Other teams might shoot better but they can’t score inside or rebound or defend like the pistons.
I do agree not having a second perimeter creator is a weakness, but Duren is a second star, don’t get it twisted.
We will find out how right or wrong this is real quick. I’m excited to see how it plays out, I’m kind of surprised that I find myself expecting Duren to prove he is exactly that guy. This last stretch of the season with Cade out has really impressed me. Hopefully it’s not just the March mirage though lol
And the All-In trade seems to have backfired against Houston
Hard to judge when their starting PG has been out the entire year
As a raptors fan - often teams reach that wall and will eventually need to pull some assets together to get a hired gun
It works until expectations start being placed on the team
they don’t need to make an “all in” trade but they could turn bridges into an upgrade by attaching some picks, for example.
Prolly makes more sense to use Grant Williams and Tre Mann’s expirings. That gets them upto $30M in salary matching.
Yea it was just an example but yours is better. Just saying they don’t need to trade for Giannis but they could still look to upgrade.
They should def look for another 2 way veteran. Wiggins would be a great fit on that squad.
I wouldn’t trade for him, but Giannis with all that shooting would be insane
I’ve seen the idea floated around of them going to the Bucks for Myles Turner. Seems like a great fit for what their roster needs, outside of a legit all-star/all-NBA guy.
Issue currently is who’s the guy? Really liked the idea of JJJ but that’s dead. Finding a bridges replacement who brings the size defensively we need and not tank the shooting is tough. Hoping we can draft Someone to take his spot but it won’t be easy. Our starting lineup is one of The best in the league
Most obvious choice for me is Peyton Watson. He’s free agent however could get like 30 mil and some concerns he benefits from Jokic
How good of a defender is Watson? Haven’t see much of him on that side.
He’s a positive and good 1v1 guy but has his flaws according to nuggets fans. Don’t expect Aaron Gordon ofc
His biggest flaw is that he’s too thin, not strong enough to guard lots of bigger guys. If he can fill out, and he’s still young, he could guard 1-4 easily.
Haven’t Chet & Wemby proven that skinniness ain’t a setback lol
Yeah but theyre also 7’ +
true
Nice. Idk why someone downvoted me lol.
He can gard 1-4. Most people think he’s our second best defender but I could credibly argue he’s the best defender we have. He also developed a shot. I just really hope ownership wil pay up to keep him.
Dang well he could be a prime candidate for us but I doubt out FO goes do a sign and trade. If that’s even allowed in the new CBA.
Very good defender but guards down better than up (guys bigger than him).
Bam
Heat aren’t trading bam to us lol. But that would be great. I just feel like heat would move him last.
Probably not lol, but you do have a LOT of tradeable picks. I know the Heat are reportedly ‘whale hunting’ for the 100th year in a row, but if that fails for the 100th year in a row, I think they have to blow it up. Doing this play in thing every year is just malpractice.
Scottie Barnes would be perfect. The price might be to high though
There’s literally no reasonable price that the hornets would offer that the raptors would find sufficient
What if we developed a technology to pull the DNA of your guys ancestors out of amethyst, reconstitute them, and then set up a nice little “park” on an island that’s really just an all you can eat human buffet?
He’d be pretty decent. I like him a lot but his fit off the ball next to Lamelo is less than ideal. I also wonder how he’d play with a guy like Lamelo and Brandon on the ball.
Just not sure if the fit concerns make him worth the high price for us.
Idk the defense he would bring would be huge. I feel like you can fit anyone next to 3 great shooters.
Sort of, you can get away with more but you don’t wanna take away from the offense either. I’m not sure if Scottie is quite the off ball threat the team would want to replace bridges. He’s best used on the ball.
If the Cavs needed to dump one of their 4 you could go for Allen. Ditto for iHart if OKC can’t keep him. Not gonna pretend I have seen enough Moose to say if he is yall starting center of the future.
who the hell would want a domestic abuser on their team
NBA Execs: I can excuse domestic abuse but I draw the line at 33% volume 3pt shooting.
If KPJ can find a team I promise you Bridges will have suitors
He literally starts on a team right now. His team. These guys are so naive lol
Well yeah, but I think he meant that Charlotte is stuck with him.
they want the picks he would come along with
You still think the NBA cares?
This is the NBA, any team will take him for the most part. It’s not like he gambled on himself or anything.
Clippers and Bucks off the top of my head.
gestures broadly at professional sports
You guys
You care, I care, lots of people care
Zero people in the league care. Zero. 0
Time to log off Reddit and enter real life my friend! If you drop 15 PPG, the NBA don’t care what you do off the court
exactly…
Agreed. If the right guy came available and they could get away with trading only one of their 3 young guys then it would be worth considering.
But aside from that small chance, I think it’s best to find quality depth to build around their core 3 guys, especially since Kon still has several years on his rookie deal.
I hope they get rid of Bridges. He’s the only thing that makes it hard for me to root for them rn
DJJ at the 4
“they have 7 first round picks over the next 7 years”
wow great insight you fucking muppet
That is a pretty good amount of draft capital for a team who is looking like will begin to rise into contention in the next few years. Most contenders had to sacrifice those assets to build their team. What exactly is your issue here?
its conveying zero information. not even “they have all their own picks”, its just saying “the draft exists and they are in it”
you new to the NBA?
What?
Most top level teams (which the Hornets are looking like they will become) don’t have this much draft capital. The Hornets having this many picks is abnormal for their situation, and therefore notable/interesting information.
What part of this confuses you?
having one first round draft pick per draft is abnormal?
do you have a brain injury
For a contending team, yes it is, couple that with the amount of second rounders and it is even more impressive. The Spurs, Thunder, and Pistons are relative outliers, who have built their teams by having a remarkably hit rate in the draft.
Look at all the other top teams over the last 10 years, and then look at how much draft capital they have. The Hornets having this much draft capital while already having built a competitive team is impressive.
I’d be happy to explain this in another way if you still do not understand.
i would love to hear your explanation of how being at a +/- of zero in first round picks is “much”
its like saying “look how much fingers and toes this baby has”
This is getting to the point where it feels like you are being intentionally obtuse. I will try and break this down in the simplest possible terms for you so that you can understand.
Historically, Most top level teams have significantly less draft capital than what the Hornets have. Them having this much draft capital is significant, because it is much more than what teams in their position typically have.
Bro they are a PLAY IN team not the reigning champs, average seed with average number of picks
You realize ESPN is for people casually watching sports, right? It’s for people who don’t keep track of picks and trades.
You fucking muppet.
Muppet here. im offended. and there’s a hand up my asshole.
The starter park network for sports enjoyers
Yeah right? Who doesn’t have 7 frp’s the next 7 years 😅.
Pretty sure we have 10 first round picks. 7 own first and 3 in the the next two drafts from trades.
Jeff is the roster space for the 5 FRPs over the next 2 drafts in the room with us?
I think we’re gonna see some significant bench turnover in the off season. Gonna have to pay Brandon and Coby, salary prolly comin from vets on the bench, collect some more seconds/exemptions, make room for TJ Liam and incoming rookies
7 first round picks in 7 yesrs….thats just normal right? Lol
We def have two next year so it’s a weird makeup
Agree. The team’s vibes are rocking. Why risk it and its draft picks. Wait for more team development and key piece to drop before making a big move.
Shams gotta switch to the black leather jacket if he really wants to pull off the all out Grease look, considering what he’s done with his hair.
Its literally how most of the top teams were/are being constructed. Draft, develop, trade for missing pieces.
Seems like the superteam era has ended.
We need a player who can attack the basket and either score or draw some free throws.
SGA maybe?
Eh… they should aim higher
Embiid
OKC would need Paul George in return.
If we’re going to go after an injury prone player give me Zion.
Didn’t he play most of this season tho? He’s new and reborn man trust me
Who would you trade for Mathurin
Post MJ era is starting to look good
what a concept
This is how teams used to be built before the superstar era brought in by the Celtics and heat.
Big markets acquiring talent through trades and free agency has been a thing since the 60s
Lakers also tried it twice and didnt work. same thing for the raptors people just dont care about those since they failed
Raptors just put all their eggs on two borderline superstars that couldn’t carry a team in the playoffs.
Lakers just have piss poor management and are bailed out by their history and market. Same as the knicks, but the lakers won a ring.
Raptors now probably have a much better future than the raptors of old.
look when u have a chance to get bradley beal on a supermax no trade clause u fking do it ok?
no questions asked
As they should. Trading your future for stars doesn’t seem to be the move anymore. I’m happy for Hornets fans.
“Organic acceleration.” Dawg they’re still a 9th seed.
Yeah, thought I was going crazy. Pacers will be back next year thus dropping the hornets even further… they overachieved in a down year for the east, idk how sustainable their production is.
Our o/u win total was 27.5 pre season
All of the 60+ win teams this season built their teams almost entirely through drafting. The only star trade was De’Aaron Fox who the Spurs got for a low price.
Can’t believe it, but the Superteam era is finally long gone. It was fun for a while tho. Guess you just can’t put your favorite players on a team and expect it to work!
This strategy works until it doesn’t. They’ll need to trade for someone eventually just not this summer.
I get it. It’s not easy to find all-organic, grass-fed, and ethically sourced players
Smart. When I heard someone say the Hornets I thought great, I want them to tear down their 30 year rebuilding process in one fell swoop. If you’re a Hornets fan and you want Giannus, you don’t know ball…general management
Idk Kawhi would transform them at a cheap price
Kawhi would probably retire before leaving LA
chams needs a new haircut
Who’s the woman sitting beside him?
This is how the best team’s are built, draft young talent & build via the draft, only make trades for smaller roles or vets. Examples?
OKC, SA, DEN, DET, BOS, IND, MIN, CHA, HOU
Any team wanting to trade their cores for some mega star is welcoming a recipe for disaster.
OKC pt 2
Worked for Oklahoma.
Derrick Jones Jr or Obi Toppin at the 4
That hair is worth two FRP
Why does Shams look like a wax caricature that wished to become a real person?
They also have immaculate vibes, I am with this rebuild
they’re in such a good spot for years to come
As a team that keeps trying the ‘win-now’ method. No, if you got the time, build.
Hornest always chose bad picks
This team has a good future (hopefully) with the way they’re playing now.
It’s no accident that Jordan leaving ownership was an inflection point
Obviously anything can happen and lots of teams that are ‘destined for greatness’ never make it, but man things are looking positive in Charlotte these days. Hope this is only the beginning of something truly special for them, those fans really deserve it.
Jeff Peterson was a fantastic assistant GM during his time in Brooklyn, a well deserved GM position in the league.
They also struck gold in Knueppel.
7 first round picks (over the next 7 years) lmao
Yo is that kash Patel’s cousin 🤔
Organic acceleration in Denver is when you think the gummies didn’t hit, take more and right as you swallow the second round, the first one clocks in.
Could try to upgrade from Bridges and Diabate.
Bro are you freaking kidding? Bridges and Diabate are currently part of the best line-up in the league. Not to mention they’re both on team friendly deals and are advanced stat monsters
Bridges is certainly a monster…no debate there
Which stat? Diabete looks pretty good, bridges is a .6 epm and 7th on the team. At least by epm they can give more credit to every other starter for the lineup being the best
Knecht for Diabete
How about Luka for Xavier Tillman
Mark Williams or no deal
Diabate is one of the best rebounders and versatile defenders in the league lol Bridges, yeah, they can upgrade from but no rush yet.
Yeah, Diabate’s only knock is his size but he’s so good at rebounding and defense as long as he isn’t facing a big like Embiid or Jokic that can bully him with their size.
Diabate is a backup C who happens to be a phenomenal fit with our other 4 starters. Someone gonna pay him and regret it. Really hope it ain’t us
Get Zion