David Folse II

How to fix your Hornets

People have spent their whole lives trying to solve problems.

The crisis in the Middle East, Social Security and so on. It seems that when the problem in confronted, more pop up as a result of trying to fix it.

This sportswriter will take on the problem that is the New Orleans Hornets and how to turn them into a winner. However, I will come up with reasonable solutions for this problem and if anyone in the Hornets organization is reading this, make the check out to David Folse or just CASH.

Hold on to your seats because here we go:

1. Tell Jamal Mashburn to not let the door hit him on the way out. The never healthy forward is just a salary cap eater and hasn’t really contributed for the Hornets in the past two seasons. Getting Mashburn’s salary off your books at least allows you the opportunity to sign a contributor.

2. Trade Jamaal Magloire. A solid player, Magloire can possibly nab a first-round draft pick. Here’s the problem with Magloire if you are the Hornets. You are in the Western Conference and he is not a center. He is however the protypical power forward, especially in the East. Add to the fact that he is young and under contract for several more years, he would be a hot commodity.

3. As much as it pains me to say this, you have to part ways with your franchise player in Baron Davis. Without a doubt, Davis is your best player and would be a huge void, but how much longer can you try and stay a competitive team in the Western Conference when your star point guard will only play 40-50 games a year.

What can you get for Davis? It may happen this year. After proving to other teams that he is healthy, you can get a starter plus a high draft pick or a pair of young starters. This allows you to rebuild.

Byron Scott is in this for the long haul. Rebuilding a team around a J.R. Smith, quality young players and then making a big splash in the free agent market could get the Hornets back into the race for the Western Conference playoffs as soon as next year.

Hypothetically, let’s look at this. If all these things were to happen that I mentioned above, you would have a core of J.R. Smith, P.J. Brown, possibly the top pick in the draft this year thanks to the poor 2004-05 season and two other first round picks. That’s a solid foundation to build upon.

New Orleans needs to get younger and they need to get more athletic. If these steps are followed, not exactly but relatively close, you do get younger and more athletic.

Fans familar with the NBA might say, “Why are you suggesting taking the Bulls route. Didn’t you see what they had to go through.”

I’m not suggesting going that young, but you a younger, faster and more athletic team will put butts in the seats and that is what George Shinn really wants to see.

Wins wont’ hurt that much either!