July 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Although Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower initially said addressing the team's frontcourt depth was a priority in free agency, one of the first calls he made after midnight Wednesday morning was to guard Jannero Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein. Teams could begin negotiating with free agents at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, but players cannot sign contracts until July 8. "I talked with Jeff, and they remain interested in Jannero," Bartelstein said. "But he said they still have things to work out with their roster." Bower could be working on a trade before any contract offer is extended to a free agent. Multiple league sources said last week the Hornets have been shopping starting center Tyson ..."
July 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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For the third consecutive year since entering the league as a first-round draft choice in 2007, forward Julian Wright will be part of the Hornets' summer-league team that will play this month in Las Vegas. The Hornets' team, scheduled to be coached by team scout Rob Werdann, will play five games against teams from the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. Wright will be joined on New Orleans' summer roster by Darren Collison, this year's first-round choice from UCLA who was selected with the 21st overall choice last Thursday. LSU guard Marcus Thornton, obtained by the Hornets in a draft-night trade with the Miami Heat, ..."
July 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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lthough Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower initially said addressing the team's frontcourt depth was a priority in free agency, one of the first calls he made after midnight Wednesday morning was to guard Jannero Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein. Teams could begin negotiating with free agents at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, but players cannot sign contracts until July 8. "I talked with Jeff, and they remain interested in Jannero," Bartelstein said. "But he said they still have things to work out with their roster." Bower could be working on a trade before any contract offer is extended to a free agent. Multiple league sources said last week the Hornets have been shopping starting center Tyson ..."
July 1
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After addressing his team's backcourt needs through the NBA draft last week, Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower now turns his attention toward landing a quality backup frontcourt player in free agency. Bower was able to begin negotiating with free agents at midnight today. Though teams can negotiate deals for the next seven days, players cannot sign contracts until July 8. With use of mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, the Hornets could spend up to $7.4 million on free agents. But they likely won't spend near that amount. Their payroll has escalated to $77.5 million, well over the expected salary cap. The Hornets could sign one or two free agents using just their mid-level exception, ..."
June 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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It was odd, actually, a career overachiever who parlayed hustle into a long and profitable NBA career against astronomical odds mentoring a group of the top 100 high school basketball stars during a recent camp at the University of Virginia. "If they would have had a top 300 camp, meaning the top 300 kids in the country, I would not have been at that camp when my class was coming out," Hornets forward Ryan Bowen said while he took a break from his duties during the 16th annual National Basketball Players Association's top 100 camp. "I don't know how deep the scouting services go. I'm sure I wasn't listed in the top 200. I might have been in the top 300. "It's kind of funny. I'm trying to ..."
June 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"
It was odd, actually, a career overachiever who parlayed hustle into a long and profitable NBA career against astronomical odds mentoring a group of the top 100 high school basketball stars during a recent camp at the University of Virginia. "If they would have had a top 300 camp, meaning the top 300 kids in the country, I would not have been at that camp when my class was coming out," Hornets forward Ryan Bowen said while he took a break from his duties during the 16th annual National Basketball Players Association's top 100 camp. "I don't know how deep the scouting services go. I'm sure I wasn't listed in the top 200. I might have been in the top 300. "It's kind of funny. I'm trying to ..."
June 28
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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All his life, it seems, Darren Collison has been focused and goal-oriented. The son of two world-class track athletes from Guyana -- his mother, June Griffith, represented her country at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, father Dennis ran in the Pan American Games -- Darren's gene pool was seemingly his equation for success, the roadmap to sport's riches. Problem was, dad was hoping for a sprinter in the mold of his 200-meter career, or mom's 400-meter specialty. "I felt that if you had a double-dose of those genes," Dennis Collison said, "you had to be good at track. I was trying to push him toward track. But he had a love of basketball so bad . . ." This obsessive infatuation was ..."
June 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The draft-night events in which the Hornets added backcourt players Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton doesn't slam the door on the possible return of former New Orleans combo guard Jannero Pargo, Coach Byron Scott said Friday. Pargo, who last was seeking a three-year contract from the Hornets in the neighborhood of $3 million annually, signed with a team in Russia for considerably less. He is now a free agent eligible to negotiate with any NBA team. Pargo was a spectator at the Hornets' predraft workout when Collison and Thornton auditioned at the Alario Center, along with Pargo's younger brother Jeremy, on June 6. Mark Bartelstein, Pargo's agent, is on record saying he has had ..."
June 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After draft picks Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton were introduced as the Hornets' newest members Friday, they appeared unfazed about having to develop under an accelerated learning curve this coming season. With Coach Byron Scott in the final year of his contract, both rookies are expected to contribute immediately to strengthen the bench, which struggled last season and played a role in the team's first-round playoff elimination. The Hornets selected Collison, a 6-foot, 160-pound point guard from UCLA, as the 21st overall pick in the first round of Thursday night's NBA draft. They acquired LSU's Thornton, a 6-4, 205-pound shooting guard, in a trade after he was was selected by the ..."
June 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The wait -- more than three-and-a-half hours -- was longer than Marcus Thornton, or the Hornets, had expected. The former standout LSU guard wasn't selected in Thursday's NBA draft until the 13th pick of the second round (43rd overall) by the Miami Heat. He was dealt another twist when his home-state Hornets acquired his rights for two second-round picks, one in 2010 and 2012. "We expected him to go sooner," Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower said. "There were some very good players on the board into the second round, and as it unfolded with a pick-by-pick basis, we were watching it and on the phone to try and find a deal if we could while Marcus was still available."
June 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Four months after his trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder was rescinded, trade talks for center Tyson Chandler of the Hornets apparently have resumed. According to multiple league sources, the Hornets were involved in trade talks this week with the Cleveland Cavaliers regarding Chandler, but no agreement was reached. Instead, the Cavaliers reached an agreement with the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night to obtain center Shaquille O'Neal. On Thursday morning, Hornets officials declined to say if they had been in trade discussions with Cleveland, or with the Suns to obtain O'Neal."
June 25
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Ancient history, by NBA standards, tells us that at least one buzz killer has been the 21st overall choice in the annual draft. During his 13-year career, sharp-shooting swingman Michael Finley has buried his fair share of nails into Hornets' coffins over the years, most recently April 15 when Finley's open-look 3-pointer at the end of regulation sent the final regular-season game into overtime before the San Antonio Spurs polished off New Orleans 105-98 to seal the Southwest Division championship, simultaneously dropping the Hornets into fourth place and to the seventh overall seed in the Western Conference. That Finley shot helped contribute to the Hornets' quick playoff demise, ..."
June 25
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Think big. That's not based on any inside information from the Hornets, of course. Team officials are about as likely to give a hint as to whom they really think is sitting at No. 21 in tonight's NBA draft as General Manager Jeff Bower and Coach Byron Scott are to drink a tall glass of nails. Covert operations always are the order of the day when it comes to any draft. But think big anyway, based on one assumption: The Hornets are going to sign free-agent guard Jannero Pargo, which is going to alleviate the need to find a backup for Chris Paul in the draft. They're going to sign Pargo because they want him back, he wants to return and the mutual attraction they publicly won't acknowledge ..."
June 25
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In preparation for tonight's NBA draft, Hornets Coach Byron Scott and General Manager Jeff Bower put in long hours and met daily for three weeks to come up with a consensus for their wish list of prospects they think could be available when theyat No. 21 in the first round. With Scott in the final year of his contract and Bower responsible for reshaping the roster after the Hornets sputtered out of the playoffs in the first round this past season, both admit they cannot miss on selecting a player that can contribute immediately. They are on the hunt for an NBA-ready power forward, point guard or combo guard who can improve their inconsistent bench. "We both understand how important this ..."
June 24
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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As the 2009 NBA draft approaches, LSU guard Marcus Thornton's thoughts drift back to countless hours spent on the playground and in gyms. He thinks about the price he paid, and not just in terms of hard work. "I remember staying out in the hot sun for hours, or at the gym, and then getting whoopings from my mama for staying too late," Thornton said with a laugh. "And always bouncing the ball around the house. It used to drive her crazy. We laugh about it now." Thornton and his mom might be laughing all the way to the bank. The general consensus is in Thursday night's NBA draft Thornton will be a first-round selection, which would earn him a guaranteed contract as a rookie. It's likely ..."
June 22
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The Hornets saw their production in the postconsiderably last season, thanks in part to an injury-plagued Tyson Chandler and the continuing inconsistency of backup Hilton Armstrong. Chandler's point and rebound production dropped to 8.8 and 8.7 last season after 11.8 in both categories the year before. Chandler underwent surgery on his left ankle and big toe (an injury that voided his trade to Oklahoma City in February) just before Memorial Day, and his rehabilitation could take up to four months, which could jeopardize his availability for training camp. Armstrong needs to discover some passion and exhibit that on the floor. Melvin Ely, who becomes a free agent July 1, also struggled ..."
June 17
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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He might have been a fill-in player to flesh out the numbers of Tuesday's Hornets pre-draft workout, but Xavier guard Shaun Dumas was fully aware of his school's NBA legacy. And the young New Orleanian who prepped at St. Augustine, another school with a bit of big-league history, left the Alario Center hoping to add his name to a list of noteworthy alums of both institutions who've made their mark on professional basketball. At 5 feet 11, 170 pounds, Dumas' slight build might make it difficult for him to make a draft-day impact next week, but what he did Tuesday opened the eyes of Hornets Coach Byron Scott, who foresees Dumas perhaps getting a free-agent shot with someone."
June 17
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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At the All-Star break in 2008, the Hornets were the up-and-coming team in the Western Conference with a better record than the Los Angeles Lakers. They were the talk of the league with the emergence Chris Paul's playmaking and David West's midrange shooting that led to a Western Conference-leading 36-15 record at the break. It appeared the Lakers had a new rival on their hands, capable of ending their championship dreams. The Hornets were young, athletic and eager to retain their status as an elite team after finishing the 2007-08 season a game behind the Lakers for the best record in the conference at 56-26."
June 16
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Although several mock drafts have the Hornets selecting Virginia Commonwealth point guard Eric Maynor in next week's draft, the team has not ruled out the possibility it could be enticed to trade its first-round pick. Hornets Coach Byron Scott said General Manager Jeff Bower is exploring all options. The Hornets have the 21st pick in the first round and if they don't trade the pick, they are looking to take the best available player regardless of position. "I think if somebody comes with an unbelievable offer or tries to buy the pick from us, then obviously we have to take a look at that," Scott said. Bower said he has not had any serious conversations with any teams, but predicts more ..."
June 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The Hornets announced Thursday that they will host their annual Summer Hoops basketball clinics at 10 locations throughout south Louisiana during July. The clinics are open to boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 and include three hours of basketball instruction and fundamentals, appearances by Hornets forward Rasual Butler and Hugo the Hornet, giveaways, contests and more. The registration fee is $10 per child. "Our Summer Hoops clinics allow us to interact with our younger fans and provide a fun, interactive way to learn the game of basketball," Hornets Executive Officer of the Board Chad Shinn said. Space for each clinic is limited, so those wishing to participate must ..."
June 10
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets Coach Byron Scott is considering New Orleans natives Randy Livingston and Robert Pack for one of the two vacant spots on his coaching staff. Scott invited both to observe and help work out draft prospects this week with assistant coaches Paul Pressey and Charlie Parker. They passed the ball to Arizona's Chase Budinger, Pittsburgh's Sam Young, UNO's Kyndall Dykes and Texas A"
June 9
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets Coach Byron Scott had seen Marcus Thornton's game before Monday. He had witnessed Thornton, last season's Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at LSU, swish 3-pointers and make acrobatic layups. But Monday he got an up-close-and-personal view. Thornton was one of six draft prospects -- all guards -- who worked out for the Hornets at the team's Alario Center practice facility in Westwego. And it was Thornton who made the biggest impression on Scott. "We wanted to see the whole package, and I think he showed us that," Scott said. "He can post up, as well. He's pretty good with the ball in his hands. . . . He has a confidence about himself too that's very impressive. But ..."
June 9
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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While the six draft-eligible backcourt players worked up a sweat for the Hornets on Monday, an exercise that included a full-court, three-on-three game and an old-school suicide run (three of them, to be completed in two minutes or less), the guard the Hornets really want and need sat in the bleachers and watched in a white T-shirt and jeans. The feeling is mutual. Now, Jannero Pargo didn't directly say those words. He's a free agent and, really, it wouldn't be all that smart for him publicly to declare a preference before he officially can be courted and signed. It'd be a good way for him to erase whatever market there might be for his skills and no good businessman -- or his agent -- ..."
June 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Chris Paul is well aware of two things -- the Hornets are in the NBA business to win championships, and his team is sitting home watching the NBA Finals. So the star Hornets point guard anticipates some potential personnel changes this offseason, waiting for the answers to what the draft holds and how free agency plays out. "In this league, you never know what's going to happen," Paul said Saturday morning outside the New Orleans Arena, where he and his family handed out hurricane preparedness kits as part of the CP3 Foundation. "It's a business. Contracts are up and different things like that. "It's going to be interesting to see what happens. . . . We obviously didn't win a ..."
June 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets Coach Byron Scott, facing reporters for the first time since his team was eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs April 29, said Friday he views his one-year contract status this coming season as "a challenge," just as it was two years ago when the team won its only division championship. Scott said the decision not to extend the contract of assistant coach Kenny Gattison, who is leaving the team, was mutual. Scott also added that surgery revealed center Tyson Chandler's injured ankle was worse than thought, and Chandler's rehabilitation could take four months, close to the beginning of training camp in October. Scott oversaw the first of the Hornets' predraft workouts ..."
June 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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On his way to becoming the most prolific scorer in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference, North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough saw his share of multiple defenders. "I've had three people guarding me in college," Hansbrough said Friday after the first of the Hornets' predraft workouts of eligible prospects at the Alario Center. "I doubt there will be three people guarding me in the NBA. I'm happy to move on and see what happens." Hansbrough -- a two-time first-team All-American, the College Player of the Year in 2008 and the ACC's all-time leading scorer (2,836) -- was one of six players who worked out for the Hornets on Friday. Also auditioning were Arizona State forward Jeff ..."
June 5
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets reserve guard Devin Brown has exercised his player option for next season, meaning he likely will return to the team. Brown earned $998,398 last season, and his salary escalates to $1.1 million next season, as per terms of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement. Brown's decision to exercise his option gives the Hornets 11 players under contract with a total salary of $77.5 million. No other Hornets are believed to have player options for next season. Brown averaged 5.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 13.8 minutes per game last season, his second stint with the Hornets. He was a member of the San Antonio Spurs when they won the NBA championship in 2005 and also has played with the ..."
May 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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At some point last season, Hornets forward James Posey tore the meniscus cartilage in his right knee, which was repaired last week in Miami by arthroscopic surgery, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein. Bartelstein also said he has spoken to Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower about free-agent guard Jannero Pargo's possible return, and the interest in that possibility was "mutual." There were times during the year when Posey was limited in practice because of knee soreness, but the injury wasn't discovered until a postseason MRI was performed. Posey didn't miss game time because of the injury, but he did sit out six games with a sprained left elbow. "It was a small tear (in the ..."
May 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The agent for former New Orleans Hornets guard Jannero Pargo, a free agent, continues to speak with the Hornets about a possible return to the team. "Jeff (Bower, Hornets general manager) and I spoke (Tuesday) about a bunch of things and Jannero was something we discussed and we'll take it a step at a time and see where it goes," Mark Bartelstein said. "There's nothing new to talk about now, but we'll look at it and see what happens. "I think you could say there's mutual interest. That's fair to say." Pargo, despite an offer from the Hornets last summer, signed instead with Dynamo Moscow, a one-year deal worth $3.8 million in the Russian Super League. Pargo secured a buyout from Dynamo ..."
May 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets center Tyson Chandler underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle and left big toe late last week in New York in an attempt to lessen inflammation and irritation that hampered him throughout last season, and forward James Posey had a corrective procedure performed on his right knee, the team announced Tuesday night. Chandler missed 29 regular season games and the team's last postseason game because of the ankle injury, and a midseason trade to Oklahoma City was rescinded by the Thunder because of concerns surrounding the repair of his left toe in 2006. Chandler averaged 8.8 points a game and 8.7 rebounds this season, after averaging 11.8 points and 11.7 rebounds in 2007-08."
May 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"
It was plainly evident during the Hornets' first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets that the winning team had the stronger, deeper bench. And it was equally obvious that New Orleans couldn't rely on youngsters Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright to provide consistency in reserve, not only in the playoffs but during the regular season. Armstrong, who just finished his third NBA season, made 29 starts last season in place of injured center Tyson Chandler. However, for every game in which Armstrong appeared to be making a breakthrough, there were a handful of others in which he seemed to play passively and erratically."
May 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Despite a first-round exit from the playoffs that included a 58-point loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets, the Hornets have had 80 percent of their season-ticket holders renew for next season, team officials said. The team's encouraging numbers are despite a recession that has caused some NBA teams to experience a decline in renewals and trim staff. The team said it has no plans to lay off workers, as the Miami Heat did recently. "Our fan support has been outstanding," said Bill Bailey, the Hornets' vice president of ticket sales and services. "They see that especially ownership, Mr. (George) Shinn, is putting a successful product on the court." The Hornets rank among the top five teams ..."
May 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Despite a first-round exit from the playoffs that included a 58-point loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets, the Hornets have had 80 percent of their season-ticket holders renew for next season, team officials said. The team's encouraging numbers are despite a recession that has caused some NBA teams to experience a decline in renewals and trim staff. The team said it has no plans to lay off workers, as the Miami Heat did recently. "Our fan support has been outstanding," said Bill Bailey, the Hornets' vice president of ticket sales and services. "They see that especially ownership, Mr. (George) Shinn, is putting a successful product on the court." The Hornets rank among the top five teams ..."
May 16
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Before Denver had the good sense/fortune two games into this season to trade for four-time All-Star Chauncey Billups, who helped Detroit advance to the Eastern Conference finals six consecutive years and was NBA Finals MVP in 2004, the Nuggets hadn't won a playoff series since 1994. Today, Denver is poised to play in the Western Conference finals. Before Boston had the good sense/fortune before last season to trade for 12-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, who had lifted Minnesota into the playoffs eight times and was chosen NBA MVP in 2004, the Celtics hadn't won an NBA title since 1986. Today, without an injured Garnett but perhaps partially because of his presence and passion, Boston is one ..."
May 10
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In two of the previous three years, Chris Paul didn't have a respite after the grind of an 82-game regular season, plus two playoff series last season, before participating in tough international competition. Despite the extended work, Paul helped the United States Olympic team win a gold medal in Beijing last August, then returned to New Orleans a month later for the start of the Hornets' training camp. This summer, Paul can finally enjoy an offseason of rest. After the Hornets were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round last month, it appeared as if he could use it. During the series, Paul required treatment for a sore right knee and elbow and played a team-high 40.2 ..."
May 8
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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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 ..."
May 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
columnist John DeShazier
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The term is "lame duck," and it's what Hornets Coach Byron Scott officially has become, now that majority owner George Shinn's offseason evaluation is complete, and part of the result is that Scott will be back for the final year of his contract. Whether Scott earned the distinction by not winning enough or Shinn pushed him into it by knee-jerking after the recently completed season is a matter of debate. What isn't is that by not giving Scott an extension, and allowing him to enter the final year of his contract and "evaluating" him all season (which is a nice way of saying he'll be on a short leash and probably will be fired at the first sign of trouble), Scott is little more than a ..."
May 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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A source close to Hornets Coach Byron Scott said he will return next season to fulfill the final year of his two-year contract, but whether he is offered an extension will be based on evaluations by team executives that will occur throughout next season. Until Wednesday, Scott remained in limbo after Hornets owner George Shinn said he planned to meet with his brain trust to evaluate his coach's performance after the team's quick ouster in the playoffs. If the Hornets had fired Scott, they would've remained on the hook for his $5.5 million salary next season on top of paying a new coach. With the team facing the prospect of having to pay a luxury-tax penalty because player payroll is ..."
May 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul didn't get a great deal of love from a media panel of MVP voters, but NBA coaches thought enough of his play toPaul to the All-Defensive first team Wednesday. It's the first time in franchise history a Hornets player has been on the first team. Paul was on the All-Defensive second team last season. Paul joined Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic's center, along with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett on the first team. Paul received 15 first-team votes and six second-team votes for a total of 36 points. Two points were awarded for a first-team ..."
May 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"
First, let me say I'll be more than slightly surprised if Byron Scott is not back coaching the Hornets next season. The other day, watching the Denver Nuggets set a league record in dishing out postseason embarrassment, you realized, as the scoreboard kept clicking away at the New Orleans Arena, it was the kind of flat-out nightmare that could cost a head coach his job. Your team gets whacked by 58, on its home court, and yes, a coach of the year one season can become a candidate for the gallows the next. Just like that, the man who guided the Hornets to a franchise-record 56 victories in 2007-08, in the eyes of some, now was going one-on-one with the hangman. Just like that, a 121-63 ..."
May 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Based on what David West expects next season, changes are imminent. It could involve him, but West says he believes he will be back playing alongside Chris Paul. With the Hornets having to pay the luxury tax this summer, they could shop West to draw interest from a number of teams. It has been speculated New Orleans might take that option if it cannot attract enough interest for center Tyson Chandler, who struggled with injuries throughout the season. In February, the Hornets traded Chandler to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the deal was rescinded after he failed their physical examination because of a previous toe injury that required surgery in April 2006. West has two years remaining ..."