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Charlotte Hornets: Making a Run at Steph Curry in 2017?

By Horran Cameron

Dec 2, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) walks out to the court before the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) walks out to the court before the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Steph Curry will be a free agent next off season. He should be the number one target of his hometown Charlotte Hornets.

This summer has been a smorgasbord of free agent transactions for the NBA. Many players have switched teams. The biggest news of this summer was when Kevin Durant accepted a deal from the Golden State Warriors to join Steph Curry.

Prior to his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, hometown hero Derrick Rose was traded from the Chicago Bulls to the New York Knicks. Bulls teammate Joakim Noah joined Rose in New York as a member of the New York Knicks. New York City is Noah’s hometown.

Rajon Rondo will join Chicago’s other hometown hero Dwyane Wade as new members of the Chicago Bulls. Pau Gasol left the Bulls and joined the San Antonio Spurs.

Al Horford left Atlanta and became a member of the Boston Celtics. Al Jefferson left Buzz City to join the Indiana Pacers. Pau Gasol. In addition, Dwight Howard opted out of his contract with the Houston Rockets to join his hometown Atlanta Hawks.

The common theme illustrated here is ‘going back home.’ This was illustrated best by LeBron James. During the summer of 2014, he decided to go back to Ohio to play his home state Cleveland Cavaliers. A few weeks ago, James accomplished his goal of winning a championship for Cleveland, referred to as ‘The Land’ by James and other Ohioians.

This theme became a phenomenon this summer, noted in the transactions involving Howard, Noah and Wade. Chicago traded one hometown sensation in Rose and picked up another one in Wade. LaMarcus Aldridge went back to his home state Texas during the summer of 2015 when he left the Portland Trailblazers and signed with the Spurs.

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    • Next summer will be an interesting summer as well for free agents, most notably Steph Curry. Curry was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended high school in Charlotte and played for Charlotte Christian School. Curry attended Davidson College, which is located in, you guessed right, Charlotte, NC. Curry led Davidson to the elite in 2008, which marked their first trip there since 1968 and 1969. Curry was an all-American during his sophomore and junior years at Davidson.

    Unlike James and Rose, Curry was not drafted by his hometown NBA team. In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors drafted Curry as the overall number seven pick. The Charlotte Bobcats (changed the name back to the Charlotte Hornets in 2014) had the overall 12th pick, where they selected Duke’s Gerald Henderson.

    On June 4th, 2009, Curry worked out for the Bobcats. His father, Dell Curry was in attendance. Dell Curry was working as a color commentator for the Bobcats. Currently, Dell maintains this position for Charlotte’s franchise. Curry impressed the Hornets during his workout. In addition to Curry, other players who participated in the workout were Henderson, Danny Green, Garrett Temple, Toney Douglas and K.C. Rivers.

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    Fast forward to the summer of 2017. Curry will become a free agent. It is possible that Steph Curry could become a member of the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets are quietly making a run at Curry. Think about it. Jefferson left the team and went to Indiana. The Hornets signed Roy Hibbert to a one-year five million dollar contract.

    Also, they brought back Ramon Sessions for a two-year deal for $12.3 million. Sessions was a fan favorite for the Hornets a few years ago. He is from nearby Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Likewise, the Hornets brought Brian Roberts back to Buzz City and signed him to a one-year $1.05 million dollar deal.

    Moreover, the Hornets did a draft day deal when they traded the No. 22 overall pick for Sacramento’s Marco Belinelli. Belinelli’s contract with the Kings was a three-year $19 million deal. He will receive $6.33 million during in 2016-17 and 2017-18 while playing for the Hornets.

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    • Many people criticized the Hornets for this transaction on draft night, but they were thinking ahead to the 2017. Charlotte is getting an early head start on the Steph Curry sweepstakes. The Hornets have a great deal of flexibility in preparation for the summer of 2017.

    The NBA salary cap will reportedly increase over $100 million for the first time. With their series of one-year deals and not offering extensions to players who moved on, the Hornets place themselves in a great position to make a serious run at Curry.

    The Hornets may be able to offer Curry a maximum deal next summer (whatever that will be). There could possibly be a backcourt of Kemba Walker and Steph Curry if Charlotte chooses to go small in the backcourt.

    The Hornets could trade Walker for a younger player who Curry could groom, such as Duke’s Harry Giles III or Jayson Tatum, or N.C. State’s Dennis Smith, Jr. Better yet, the Hornets could trade Walker for another veteran player. The options Charlotte will have are infinite.

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    • Curry is the perfect player to be the cornerstone for the Hornets franchise. In Golden State, he proved that he is star in the league. Curry led them to back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2015 and 2016. Likewise, Curry won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in those same years. With the recent acquisition of Kevin Durant, Golden State will boast a ‘Big Four’ of Curry, Klay Thompson, Durant and Draymond Green.

    In addition to Curry being a homegrown hometown product, Golden State may not be able to afford Curry next offseason. As ESPN has reported, the lower salary cap could handicap Golden State’s ability to keep Curry on their roster. Durant’s deal, a reported two-year maximum worth $54.3 million will likely prohibit Golden State from re-signing Curry.

    Golden State’s Andre Igoudala will be a free agent, also. With the signing of Durant, Golden State may have to free up as much as $35 million to keep Curry. This amount could be higher.

    Moreover, Curry is the fourth highest paid player on the Warriors whereas he is the two-time MVP. Curry is one of the most humble NBA players in the league today. His character is second to none in the NBA. However, this is about business not morals or character. The bottom line is that Golden State may not be able to afford him unless they trade a player or two; or let someone walk like Andre’ Igoudala, who is also a free agent.

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    • Curry has done a great deal for the Warriors’ franchise. He literally resurrected Golden State to NBA relevance in several seasons.

    If Curry left the Warriors, they would have a pretty good team without him. Heck, in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, Golden State played without Curry for six games. Golden State were 3-1 against the Houston Rockets and 2-1 against the Portland Trailblazers during Curry’s absence. In those two losses, Houston defeated Golden State 97-96 and Portland defeated Golden State 120-108.

    The Hornets have placed themselves in a position where they may be able to offer more money to Curry than the Warriors.

    Moreover, Hornets’ brass can play the ‘hometown’ angle and use Curry’s father in the process. Keep in mind that Steph Curry’s actual name is Wardell Stephen Curry II. Yep, that’s right. Steph is a second, not to be confused with a junior. Steph’s father shortens Wardell and uses the nickname ‘Dell.’ Steph shortens their middle name and goes by ‘Steph.’

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    Do not underestimate Dell’s power of persuasion as Steph’s father. This is not Star Wars. Darth Vader could not persuade Luke Skywalker to come to the Dark Side. The Curry’s are the good guys. Unlike Skywalker, Steph respects and loves his father. Steph wears the No. 30, just like Dell did. Dell taught Steph how to play basketball. Is it difficult to fathom the idea that Steph would want to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for their hometown Charlotte Hornets? Remember that ‘blood is thicker than water.’

    The Hornets could steal a page out of the ‘Celtics’ book of wooing free agents’ by using an NFL player such as the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton, who is a good friend of Curry’s. Imagine that. Best friends playing in the same city for their respective pro teams.

    If the Warriors lose Curry to the Hornets, they are still a top team with Durant, Green and Thompson. The bench still has solid players in Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala.

    Say it ain’t so, but this can definitely happen. LeBron James brought a championship to Cleveland, their first title in any professional sport  in 52 years. Curry may have the opportunity to do the same for the state of North Carolina whose only professional championship was in 2006 with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.

    Next: 1976 USA Basketball Team by UNC's Dean Smith

    A year from now, we will see if my fortune-telling has any merit. Until then, let the quiet Steph Curry sweepstakes begin!

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