Exec says Hornets committed to improving

[Copperhead]

Weber says team willling to pay salary tax to stay competitive

By Nakia Hogan
Staff writer
In a wide-ranging interview about the state of the Hornets on Thursday, team president Hugh Weber confirmed the team will retain Coach Byron Scott and General Manager Jeff Bower.

Weber also said the Hornets are prepared to pay the NBA's imposed luxury tax, if need be.

Weber, who spoke to the media along with Hornets executive Chad Shinn, the son of team owner George Shinn, said the team's management sat down with Scott and the players for exit interviews after the Hornets' 4-1 ouster by Denver in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

After those meetings, Weber said he and George Shinn decided it was best for the team to retain Scott, who is entering the final year of his contract next season. Scott's name had surfaced in connection with the vacancy in Sacramento, but Weber said the Kings had not asked for permission to talk to Scott about filling their vacancy.

Weber also said he doesn't believe Scott's contract status will hinder the team in free agency.

"At that time a week ago, when Byron and I and George spoke, we shared what he was disappointed with, what he felt he could have done better, what George and the team felt we could have done better," Weber said. "And really kind of taking a pause and looking back and saying what are the things we need to do moving toward the future.

Link

[idizzle]

The Hornets are impressed with Marcus Thornton. The SG from LSU.


http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/200...ornton_im.html

He could be a good pick up in the draft.

[Copperhead]

I might not mind Thornton. I might not mind Collison either. They've been talking about a possibility of Pargo returning so if he returns, they may go big in the draft. Heavens knows they need both big and guards. They need someone to do better than Antonio Daniels in giving CP a break and they need someone to spell West and possibly Chandler if he's still a Hornet.