mcley_Ma

@Hornets, Fightin' Texas Aggies @12thMan

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@jacob_hud @KYproBasketball I guess you are right. However, unless they have a different contract structure with White, Reid is the highest paid player in 26-27 season and over the length of the current contract. I also recommend checking Spotrac website or supporting other Hornets content creators.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

Feel like an era comes to an end. Still remember I praised Hornets for taking SGA first and forcing Clippers to do a trade... I'll update again on June 30th, when the new season cap numbers drop.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@KYproBasketball You mean making them in descending order? The highest paid player (Reid) is at the top.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@0wenwatterson Thank you. Appreciate your support!

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@richierandall I kind of understand it since he is a MSU Spartan.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

If Hornets expand the Josh Green and LaMelo trade, how much more salary they can receive without sending out more? about $46 million. If Hornets want to acquire a larger contract, they can re-route Reid to another team or add Grant Williams. Math is simple, negotiations are not.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@djdotmp4 For your 4th point, the main reason Hornets held the position to acquire a talented player, is they got a #3 draft pick via the lottery process. The rest is history, and history sometimes repeats.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@djdotmp4 Well said. It is difficult to sell at the peak value. I would wait and see the details on those draft pick swaps. Perhaps the value that they aim to add is the potential to get a top 1 or top 5 pick, not merely a first round pick.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

Hornets are actually at the salary floor if they opt-in Connaughton's team option (or they make White's contract descending, sign Connaughton back for vet min.). Do they have the guts to hold the $40.7 million TE into the season? Could they keep it until 2027 free agency begins?

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@QCTaliban @jokicfanisaac @djdotmp4 Right. We can keep our picks. Or we can include our picks in the swaps, like, we only keep the least favorite of those picks.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@djdotmp4 @richierandall Young players probably don’t like this structure. $24.6 million per year might look better.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

With a 8% raise, the starting salary would be about $22.8 million. Higher than I thought, but reasonably fair especially after the trade.

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Free agent guard Coby White intends to sign a three-year, $74 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. White was a major priority for the Hornets and now steps into a new starting role in the backcourt.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@djdotmp4 Yea. The return isn't good. Just a long shot at the No.1 pick in 2030.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

I'm taking a long look at the Hornets #1 jersey...

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

Josh Green's salary can match Reid's salary to make it a 1-for-1 deal. LaMelo Ball's salary would reach the max salary because of the trade bonus (can't exceed it). Hornets would pay the money but much less comparing to the full 15% amount.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

Re: the trade. Since it has to be done in July, they technically can't discuss it now. NBA can revise lottery after the current CBA expires which would be 2030, but I expect they opt-out in 2029. So we don't really know what that 2030 swap and 2033 1st round pick would turn.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

TEs can be used to do a sign-and-trade deal. This definitely is a way to get a good free agent player. Looks like they will combine this trade with that Wolves-Bulls-Nets trade. The timing would be intriguing because it determines when the huge TE expires (1 year from the trade).

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

The LaMelo trade has to be done in July, so I'll jump to 26-27. There would be more details on how the trade will be structed. Because of the huge TE and other benefits for staying over the cap, I fully expect Hornets would operate above the cap. More to come.

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

@djdotmp4 I’m getting to my computer… Definitely over the cap. The deal will be done in July. $40.7M TE, wow…

[mcley_Ma @mcley]

Random notes: Now the "Apron Room" is a number to watch instead of "Tax Room". It shows how much more salary Hornets can take back if a trade is done before July. With current salary-matching rules, Hornets definitely can trade for a player even with max salary.