David West opts out of Hornets contract, becomes free agent

[Hondo]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6707803

Where do you think the best landing spot for West is? I think he'd be great beside Dwight, but they don't have the resources to land him.

New Jersey has been one of his rumored landing spots, but I don't think they need to take on a player with West's salary range after they botched up and signed Outlaw last year.

Denver would be a good fit, but it'd need to be a sign and trade. Indiana would work really well. Actually, they'd be almost ideal. Milwaukee would work fit wise, but I don't see anyone wanting to go to that mess of a team, and it'd have to be a sign and trade. San Antonio would be another great fit, but again, it'd need to be a sign and trade.

[kumquat]

The title of this thread should be "End of New Orleans Hornets". Paul won't re-sign now, the league won't want to own a dead duck team. Then Charlotte will probably change back to the hornets.

[The-Legend-24]

Lakers?

[Hondo]

The title of this thread should be "End of New Orleans Hornets". Paul won't re-sign now, the league won't want to own a dead duck team. Then Charlotte will probably change back to the hornets.

The league really needs to relocate the Hornets to Seattle, and call them the Sonics. And then like you said, the Bobcats become the Hornets.
So,
New Orleans Hornets become Seattle Sonics
Charlotte Bobcats become Charlotte Hornets

Also, I think the Pacers should sign West, and let him completely heal before playing him, they have two capable power forwards already for the short term. I also think they should trade Hibbert in a S&T for Greg Oden, and let him heal completely. They should try re-sign Dunleavy Jr and Foster for peanuts, while waiving (or buying-out) D. Jones and Ford.
PG: Collison/ Hill/ Price
SG: George/ Rush/ Stephenson
SF: Granger/ Dunleavy Jr./ Posey
PF: West/ Hansborough/ McRoberts
CT: Oden/ Foster/ S. Jones

That's a 4 seed right there (assuming they keep good health)

[talkingconch]

I think this is the first sign

Are we setting ourselves up for a CP3-headed-to-the-lakers?

[Clutch]

I think this is the first sign

Are we setting ourselves up for a CP3-headed-to-the-knicks?

fixed

[Hondo]

fixed

What are the Knicks going to offer? Billups, Shumpert and Fields? LOL! Turrible.

If he goes anywhere, it's to the Rockets (youngsters), Lakers (Bynum or Gasol), Celtics (Rondo) or someone similar with a good player/s to give back. Main part of the trade in (brackets)

[Rowe]

Wow.

This is really a questionable decision considering that West is coming off of major knee surgery to repair his ACL/MCL, is already 30, and has basically suggested hes worth more than the $8 Million hes been paid.

Honestly, I think the best case scenario for him is to hope he can work out a longterm deal with the Hornets. The only problem is that with the NBA owning them, David West having a longterm deal along with Okafor will actually make the franchise look less attractive to a buyer.

This is without a doubt a sign of the end if New Orleans cant bring him back, I know they like Carl Landry but West is a better & more consistent player.

[Bigsmoke]

What are the Knicks going to offer? Billups, Shumpert and Fields? LOL! Turrible.

If he goes anywhere, it's to the Rockets (youngsters), Lakers (Bynum or Gasol), Celtics (Rondo) or someone similar with a good player/s to give back. Main part of the trade in (brackets)

I don't see why the Lakers want him

[Rowe]

I don't see why the Lakers want him

True.

I honestly dont see them trading Bynum for CP3. Bynum is more important to their team as CP3 could be due to the fact he is their starting Center with an upside.

If anything Bynum gets moved for Howard, if not then he stays a Laker.

[Rowe]

Looking around the league, I cant really think of a starting fit for a team under the cap.

If hes willing to take the MLE then he must be willing to be trying to win titles.

[Hondo]

Looking around the league, I cant really think of a starting fit for a team under the cap.

Pacers

[InspiredLebowski]

I like West, but not even taking the injury and any potential recovery problems into account, I just dunno. He'll be 31 by the time any season starts, he probably wants something starting at at least ~9 mil. He's just an average defender, not an elite rebounder, doesn't protect the rim.

Could do a lot worse than him, but he's a bit too old to go with the core guys and doesn't provide the frontline defense and rebounding that we'd ideally get from a guy we're spending that kind of money on. And yeah, he just shredded his knee.

I could maybe be talked into it, there're worse fits, but I'm not a big fan of chasing him.

[R.I.P.]

Stupid decision, even without his injury.

[Bigsmoke]

I like West, but not even taking the injury and any potential recovery problems into account, I just dunno. He'll be 31 by the time any season starts, he probably wants something starting at at least ~9 mil. He's just an average defender, not an elite rebounder, doesn't protect the rim.

Could do a lot worse than him, but he's a bit too old to go with the core guys and doesn't provide the frontline defense and rebounding that we'd ideally get from a guy we're spending that kind of money on. And yeah, he just shredded his knee.

I could maybe be talked into it, there're worse fits, but I'm not a big fan of chasing him.

this is 100% correct.

David West isnt really that good anyway. He was rocking with CP3 in his 2 All Star appearances. He's just an undersized jump shooting PF that doesnt really do anything else for you other than that. And to add on to the fact that he's coming back from a season ending injury in his 30's.

.... he would be a nice piece for the Pacers though