Hats off to your Spurs!

[slowchild25]

I think it will be surprisingly easy to get rid of Mike James contract (it runs out in 2010 the same year Lebron and company become free agents). As for Wells and Anderson do you think anyone out there is going to offer them any thing better than what they got this season? Anderson coming off a 2 year suspension and Wells coming off the suck fest that was this series? He couldn't get paid after "killing" the Spurs a few years ago what's he going to get for "getting killed" by the Spurs this year? I don't think anyone will be beating there doors down if the Hornets want them back they will probably be back.

As for Paul's max deal I may be wrong but wouldn't that not kick in until the 2009-10 season? The only deal I'm worried about is Peja he's getting a ton of money for a 3rd fiddle and he's not going to get any better as he gets older and his deal runs to 2011. The year after Lebron and Company he hit the market so it's not like teams are going to be crazy about trading for "Predrag Stojackovic's expiring contract" to bad Isiah Thomas isn't still around. Quick someone make a call to Chris Wallace. I expect Julian Wright to make a big leap next year, he's fast becoming one of my favorite players. I also hope to god Melvin Ely is not resigned and Scott gives Armstrong some more minutes to see what the Hornets have in him. He could become a decent player (remember David West wasn't exactly destroying the league his first few season and he's blossomed into a pretty good player) but Scott seems to have him on such a short leash we may never know.

[ElNono]

Stay classy New Orleans

[TampaDude]

Spurs played better than the Honrets last night. Congrats...I hope you beat the Lakers.

But, watch out for next year...the Hornets are for real!

Thanks...you guys gave us all we could handle...the Hornets are FOR REAL.

After we (hopefully) get the repeat this year, y'all can rep the West in 2009...maybe...

[Jon1798]

The problem with giving Paul a max contract (12-14 Mil) is there goes your extra cap/luxtax space (extra 9 Mil takes it from 59 to 68) and you didn't sign someone in Pargo or Well's place. Anderson isn't signed for next year (and let's be honest, he is nothing more than a crowd fave who can pull some rebounds against the 2nd units), Armstrong will never be anything special. Wright has potential. Still, with a Paul max contract, you can't sign anyone else and be under the tax. NO is a small market and competes regionally with a very popular Rockets franchise and an Atlanta team also on the rise.
Peja is NOT a playoff performer. He has nice numbers in 1st round series where they are romps, but fails to play well in the clutch games. He's not aggressive enough to create on his own.
The problem with bringing someone in is that you don't have salary room to spare; unless a trade is made or if Shinn wants to go signifigantly over the tax limit, you have what you have - and right now that doesn't include Pargo or Wells. You are about to have you big four 10 Mil players plus 3 players (James, Butler, Peterson) that make a combined 15.463 without doing anything. 7 players that make 63.343, plus Armstong, Wright and Ely make it 68.244. Already over the limit with no Pargo and Wells and Anderson. James and Wells were both brought in specifically for playoff experience. Now NO is stuck with 2 more years of James' 6 Mil + contract and no contract for Wells, who made 2.2+ this year and would likely want at least same. Remember Wells sat out because he didn't get what he wanted before.
Money wise, and personnel wise, NO is in a world of hurt.

You're saying we're in a world of hurt while we're bringing back our whole starting lineup. A lineup dominated by all-stars in their 20's.

You're saying Peja isn't a playoff performer while he was one of the main reasons the Hornets won games 1 and 2 against the Spurs. The only reason he didn't after that is because the Spurs made it priority number one to take him out. And let's be honest, all other teams are not the Spurs nor have Bowen.

We're at about 58 million not including Pargo, so if we don't bring him back, we have about 10 million to add to a bench that includes Mike James, Rasuel Butler, Julian Wright, and Hilton Armstrong. I didn't think Ely was signed past this year, but I could be wrong on that. Regardless, 10 million and a first round pick is plenty to fill a couple of bench spots on a team that people want to play for.

Another note, David West has a contract that actually carries a smaller number as years go on.

I would have thought CP3's contract would kick in after next year as well. That's how we've done it in the past.

I wouldn't be surprised if we put a package of Hilton, and our first for a player. I think Hilton is a very good player, but he needs more seasoning. Might be able to get rid of a contract in there as well.

You have to think outside the box, but the fact is the Hornets have the heart of this team together for years to come, and just need to find a couple of good pieces to make it stronger. This was a team with no experience that took the Spurs till the end of a game 7 mind you.

[urunobili]

You guys played us well.

You had us against the ropes for a while.

We won this time, but I'm sure we'll see you guys again in the postseason.

let Deron handle the lil Punk next year...

[Jon1798]

Reasons why the Hornets are in deep doo:

- Paul has a once-in-a-lifetime year and West also had most likely the best year he will ever have.
- Pargo will be gone; he has a player option for 2 mil and he is going to think he can get better $ and be a starting PG (ala Speedy) somewhere else. With Paul only making $4.574 on his rookie contract, they aren't going to re-negotiate with Pargo to get him more cash than Paul, who has 2 years left on his contract.
- Peja makes a whopping $13 mil next year (by far highest on team) to disappear in the playoffs like he always has.
- Unlikely Wells will be back.
- The Hornets were amazingly injury-free this year.
- Byron Scott has never, EVER been a closer as a coach.
- Their bench is amazingly thin already (only 3 bench players played - Pargo, Wells and Ely; 2 of those are likely gone and the other is a Spurs cast-off who only played to foul Duncan).
- They will stand at about 59-60 Mil without Pargo and Wells (under the 67-68 Mil LuxTax)
- Butler makes 3.63 Mil next year; Hilton Armstrong 2.032, Wright 1.869, Mo Peterson 5.784, James 6.049 (by contrast, Jacque Vaughn makes 1.2, Ime Udoka 1.08, Barry 1.26)

The Hornets should ask their football neighbor what happened to them the year after they suprised the world and were their sport's darlings - I anticipate the same for the Hornets.

Also, I read that the projected luxury tax was going to be in the 70.4 million range for next year. That difference could be Bonzi Wells right there.

[roturn]

Reasons why the Hornets are in deep doo:

- Paul has a once-in-a-lifetime year and West also had most likely the best year he will ever have.
- Pargo will be gone; he has a player option for 2 mil and he is going to think he can get better $ and be a starting PG (ala Speedy) somewhere else. With Paul only making $4.574 on his rookie contract, they aren't going to re-negotiate with Pargo to get him more cash than Paul, who has 2 years left on his contract.
- Peja makes a whopping $13 mil next year (by far highest on team) to disappear in the playoffs like he always has.
- Unlikely Wells will be back.
- The Hornets were amazingly injury-free this year.
- Byron Scott has never, EVER been a closer as a coach.
- Their bench is amazingly thin already (only 3 bench players played - Pargo, Wells and Ely; 2 of those are likely gone and the other is a Spurs cast-off who only played to foul Duncan).
- They will stand at about 59-60 Mil without Pargo and Wells (under the 67-68 Mil LuxTax)
- Butler makes 3.63 Mil next year; Hilton Armstrong 2.032, Wright 1.869, Mo Peterson 5.784, James 6.049 (by contrast, Jacque Vaughn makes 1.2, Ime Udoka 1.08, Barry 1.26)

The Hornets should ask their football neighbor what happened to them the year after they suprised the world and were their sport's darlings - I anticipate the same for the Hornets.

Leave it up one person to take the class out a good post series thread.

BTW- I didn't ask your opinion. Take the win with some sportsmanship and move on.

To the rest of the Spus fans..thanks! You are some classy fans, I hope we are the ones to pop your bubble next year...

[MajorMike]

I'm glad you think laying out factual numbers and stats is low on class. It is what it is. Quipping at me shows your lack of sportsmanship and plain knowledge. Class is knowing how to take the truth, even if it may not be what you want to hear. Low on class would have been me saying the Hornets are going to suck eggs like the Aints did after their one year in the sun, however I was nice enough to try to not hurt your feelings anymore by wording it as such. I guess I shouldn't have tried, you were only faking.

BTW - you posted in a Spurs forum; I don't give a damn if you asked for my opinion or not, I gave it to you.