Charlotte Hornets: Trade for Marco Belinelli?
With the 22nd pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select…nobody, having traded the pick to the Sacramento Kings.
The mystery of how the Charlotte Hornets would handle the NBA Draft is almost over. The answer is that they wanted no part of it. Instead of picking a player, the Hornets have traded their pick to the Sacramento Kings according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical.
It was the obvious play all along, and it was hinted at through the Hornets’ predraft workouts and the quality of the draft. The Hornets also had a need to save money. If Malik Beasley had been there at 22, things might have been different, but he was not there having been picked by the Denver Nuggets at 19.
The reason the Beasley absence made the difference was made clear by who the Hornets got for their pick. They got veteran shooting guard Marco Belinelli from the Kings. The pick was used to draft Malachi Richardson, another shooting guard.
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Now here is where things are less clear. The whole point of trading out of the draft is to save the money that you would spent to a first round pick. Acquiring Belinelli is still taking on a six million dollar salary for next year. He could be insurance in case Batum walks, but he is not worth the expense by himself.
Belinelli is historically a three point shooter who plays no defense. Last year he was not even a replacement level shooter from the arc. In his career he is a 38% three point shooter but last season saw his percentage dip to 31%. Hopefully this was the result of some injury.
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Also Belinelli makes a little less money than Jeremy Lamb does and in theory would do the same things that Lamb does. His deal does not expire this season, but does end sooner that Lamb’s extension. It is this relation to Lamb that I think reveals the Hornets’ intentions.
The Hornets are operating like this-
- Hornets sign Batum to max deal for five years
Until Batum is signed, the Hornets have to keep hold of both Belinelli and Lamb. Once Batum is under contract, then the two guard position is settled.
- The Hornets trade Lamb (more likely), Belinelli (less likely), or both (least likely).
Without trading Lamb or Belinelli, the Hornets do not gain the primary objective of trading out of the draft – saving money. If Lamb is traded then the Hornets will have saved $8 million dollars. If not then the Hornets will have tied their hands in bringing back other players from last season.