Chris Kaman of the New Orleans Hornets did not attend Friday night’s stunning 93-67 trouncing of the Orlando Magic, and general manager Dell Demps released a statement saying the team is actively trying to trade the 7-foot center with an expiring $14.03 million contract.
“We had a conversation with Chris and expressed that the Hornets are going to go in a different direction. We mutually decided for a number of reasons that we are not going to play Chris as we pursue a trade,” Demps said. “Chris has been the ultimate professional during this process and we thank him for the way he has handled the situation.”
Any eventual trade will have to pass muster with the league office, which owns the Hornets and wants to make the franchise as attractive as possible for a potential buyer.
That means the Hornets will be seeking at least one draft pick, a player on an expiring contract and a young prospect.
Here are three trades that would make sense for both teams:
Kaman to the Houston Rockets for Hasheem Thabeet, Johnny Flynn, Patrick Patterson, Jordan Hill and the New York Knicks’ 2012 first-round draft pick. When the Chris-Paul to the Lakers trade was still alive, the league office was insisting that the Rockets include Patterson in the deal. The Rockets did not want to surrender four top-tier players to acquire Pau Gasol, and the trade died. But Patterson is a spare part, Thabeet is an uberbust, Hill is superfluous and Flynn is a former Top 5 pick. The real prize in this deal is the Knicks’ pick, which could be a lottery pick if New York’s freefall continues. Adding Kaman would give the Rockets a big man rotation of Samuel Dalembert, Kaman, Luis Scola and rookie Chandler Parsons. Play those guys along with Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin and Chase Budinger, and that ain’t a bad team.
Kaman to the San Antonio Spurs for Richard Jefferson, Danny Green, James Anderson, $3 million and the Spurs’ No. 1 pick in 2012. Jefferson is owed $21 million for the next two seasons, and the Hornets could not amnesty him. Green is this year’s version of George Hill but could be replaced in the rotation by rookie Cory Joseph (a 41 percent 3-point shooter in college) and/or rookie Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs would take a luxury tax hit, but owner Peter Holt has paid it in the past and won’t have to worry about it next year with Tim Duncan’s $21.3 million salary coming off the cap.
Kaman to the New Jersey Nets for Mehmet Okur, Damion James, $3 million, Houston’s 2012 first-round draft pick and the Nets’ own 2013 pick (lottery protected). The Nets are not going to give up any of their young assets (e.g. MarShon Brooks), but the Rockets’ pick (top 14 protected through 2016) could give the Hornets three first-rounders (their own, the Timberwolves’ and the Houston’s), and the Hornets would take a chance on James recovering from a season-ending foot surgery and being a contributor next year (he will be a restricted free agent in the summer). Kaman could make the Nets a true playoff contender, now that they have moved within just one game of eighth place in the East. Since he comes off the cap at the end of the year, the Nets could still pursue their dream scenario of signing Dwight Howard to play with Deron Williams, Brooks and Lopez (and the Nets’ own 2012 No. 1 pick) when the franchise moves to Brooklyn next season.
Im surprised there isnt talk about the Hawks going after him. They’ve always needed a good center, especially now with Horford out
CS, I love you and your site, but I’m pretty positive you are giving Kaman way too much value. Hornets are DESPERATE to get rid of him no way other teams give up that much value. My gut feeling says the Bucks are the front-runner now that bogut is out.
Dumb, there’s no way in hell that the Rockets give up both the NY pick and Patrick Patterson for Kaman.
I have to agree…I like your site and your writing, but doubt any team is going to give up much for Kaman’s expiring contract, especially2 first round picks
As a spurs fan, I’d jump at the opportunity to get Kaman while off loading Jefferson. I’m not sure Spurs would enjoy offloading Green and JA (I believe they didn’t extend JA because of Green).
This would leave the spurs leaner at the 2/3 spot. Who would the spurs get to back up Leonard at the 3?
How about a Eric Gordon & Chris Kaman to GOLDEN STATE for Monta Ellis & Andris Biedrins deal? New Orleans knows (or at least should know by now) Gordon’s price on the open market will be too much for them to match so package him up for a player who’s salary is already set in stone at a reasonable price. Golden State is dying to do something and overpay somebody so give em Gordon. All the deals listed above bring back trash and no team is about to overpay for Chris Effing Kaman; you gotta package him with your underpaid star player if NO wants some true value. You already know Stern’s gonna rig them the #1 pick plus Minny’s choice plus Ellis, Jack & Okafor so NO would come up big.
No, the max any team could offer Gordon is only about $5 million more than the Hornets already offered him. So, they can pretty much match any offer he gets.
GS wishes they could not only get gordon for ellis, but then dump terrible and overpaid biedrins for kaman.
He is averaging 9 points, over 6.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and half a steal in only 23 minutes a game. The picks from NJ both 1 from Rockets, and there own would be lottery protected so it only be if they are above a certain pick. I think the Rockets might be the best option to deal with. But I like Chris Kaman. I wish the Clippers had kept him for the season we need a back up C. Heck how about with the million PG’s we have offer Mo Williams + Ryan Gomes + 2nd round picks for Kaman. We will have Eric Bledsoe back from his injury and don’t need a million good guards. And we need a center.
#1 – Kaman is in no way worth that knicks first, especially if it means going through the trouble of a 4 for 1 trade.
#2 – It’ll be Armageddon if the league actually approved a trade where the Hornets had to eat Jefferson’s contract after their stance on the cp3/LAL/HOU deal.
#3 – Two first rounders for Kaman? no way.
Kamen is way past the 20/10 guy he used to be. NO will be lucky to get another expiring contract and a 2nd rounder. No way in hell they get a top 20 1st rounder, let alone two!
Rockets look like the only team who can give the Hornets what they want by why bother. Kaman’s $14mill doesn’t help many teams as most teams are in good financial position (cap speaking). Teams generally only take on big expiring to get under the cap and ship out (a) smaller contract(s) they no longer want. E.g. Pistons wanting rid of Gordon/Villenueva.
I don’t see that there is as much desire for these expiring contracts any more so Hornets will struggle to get even close to what they want. Rockets Patterson + 3 rejects is about going rate if Stern thinks he can do any better it’s final proof he has no understanding of what GM’s do. And after his previous bulls ups with the Lakers/Rockets and the low balling of Eric Gordon other suiters are going to low ball him because now they are in the weakest position.
Gordon<Ellis Kaman<Biedrins. Just a dumb dumb dumb trade proposal, as the Hornets have the cap space to resign Gordon. Do some research.
What about Kaman for Blatche and Ronny Turiaf? New Orleans get a talented, albeit a bit of a headcase in Blatche who is signed for 3 more years after this year will make $7, $7.7. and $8.4 million over those years. Not that much for a quality big. And Turiaf’s deal is expiring. Meanwhile Washington gets rid of a guy who doesn’t seem to fit in well with the rest of his teammates and they save cap space for next year. Then Washington can use that cap space and overspend on Eric Gordon.
Come on Chris.. NJ isn’t going to trade 2 1st rd draft picks they would use in a Dwight trade for Chris Kamen..
I don’t see anyone giving up anything close what you just described. Take out the draft picks from NJ and Damion Jones and you probably have a deal there somewhere.
I don’t think Chris has actually seen any Hornets games. Kaman has been beyond awful. I don’t know if he was sulking or what, but there is no way he’s going to net the haul of players and picks you are suggesting here. Definitely not a lottery pick. Look for a “potential” guy burried on the bench, an expiring, and a pick in the low first round.
The Hornets won’t be allowed to Amnesty Jefferson