Hornets’ coach Byron Scott said his team needs a player who can help now, not three or four years from now.
"We're looking for guys who can help us have a better season than we had last year and go a little further than we did last year," said Scott. "We're not in a situation any longer which we have been in the last couple of years -- saying, 'This guy can help us down the road.' Well, down the road for us is now. It's not three or four years from now."
The Hornets worked our 40 players, but there wasn't a Chris Paul in this draft, not at the 27th pick, which they sold to Portland. The Hornets wanted to find someone who could help them right away. At 27, they didn't see that guy.
The coach and general manager Jeff Bower have targeted the players they are seeking in free agency.
"Jeff and I have talked about a list of guys that we would like," said Scott. "We put them in the order that we would to pursue them. They are guys we feel can help us right away and give us another piece of the puzzle."
Scott and Bower have prioritized their needs in free agency.
"We know what we feel is the biggest need for us as a team, said the coach. "But we feel there are three positions that can really help us. We feel like we can have a more athletic swingman, another backup point guard, and another big guy. A lot of things we are looking at are guys that can come off the bench and help us. You know how I felt about the bench last season -- they weren't very consistent. Our five starters are pretty solid. Off the bench, if Julian Wright and Hilton Armstrong can play the way I think they can play, and we get a free agent we want, I think we're going to be a big time player again."
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: Joe Horn a Cowboy? The Cowboys are still at an impasse with receiver Terry Glenn regarding whether the veteran with the rickety knee will accept a significant pay cut if the knee implodes, their backup plan could be to swing a deal for disgruntled Falcons receiver Joe Horn, who has made it clear wants to be traded out of Atlanta, but Horns hasn't racked up more than 1,000 yards receiving since 2004...Alabama linebacker Jimmy Johns has been arrested and charged with selling cocaine and ecstasy pills, bringing to 10 the number of Tide players who have been arrested the past year. Nick Saban said the player will no longer be a part of the program...A loose shoe could have been Big Brown's demise in the Triple Crown. Bloodline.com has a series of 12 photos that show Guadalcanal stepping on Big Brown's right rear foot, possibly dislodging his show. Photos show Big Brown running the race with a loose shoe that was separated from the hoof...Tony Dungy's book "Quiet Strength," the principles, practices and priorities of a winning life, is a good read. It made No. 1 on the New York Times' best-seller list...
Michael McCrary had known Edward Giannasca for half a decade, and, until the former Raven realized that he'd been cheated out of millions, he thought of the longtime developer as a standup guy, according to the Baltimore Sun. McCrary trusted Giannasca so much that, with few questions asked, he handed him a $3 million check three years ago for a real estate project that would convert a building in New Orleans into condominiums. Giannasca, though, betrayed that loyalty, pocketing along with his other partners about $12 million in insurance money after Katrina spoiled he deal and telling McCray that the insurance claim they'd filed had been denied, a Baltimore circuit judge ruled last week. The judge ordered Giannasca and others to pay $33 million in damages to McCray, who said he'll use his experience as a cautionary tale for current and former NFL players...
Because rumors of a kidney ailment went unanswered, it cost Kansas forward Darrell Arthur at least $1 million in the NBA draft. Instead of going as high as 15th, the rumors
caused him to go 27th, the pick the Hornets had before selling it to Portland for $3 million. "Apparently somebody dropped the ball, and that's really disappointing, because it's going to cost the family a lot of money,: said Kansas coach Bill Self. But persistent concerns of the unspecified kidney issue apparently scared everyone off, until, finally, the Hornets took him 27th. Like so many other of the draftees on a wild night in New York, Arthur's rights were traded and he'll wind up in Memphis. "It's so sad for the family," said the Kansas coach. "But Memphis got a really good player. It's not very often that you can have a pick at 27 that might have a chance to start in the NBA as a rookie, and I believe that to be the case for Darrell."...
LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri met with his players before their summer exits and said reported one transfer: Rene Escobar, who is considering going to Lewis-Clark where he can play more. He only played in seven games for the Tigers and hit .121...Chad Jones' status is uncertain. Jones who played safety and special teams for the Tigers football team last season, left the baseball team in midseason. "His status is uncertain," said Mainieri. "He dropped below being a full time student in the spring, and it made him ineligible to play. I've had no communication with him the the past two months. But you can bet football coach Les Miles has so he'll be eligible for football season...Jared Mitchell, another Tigers footballer, joined LSU teammates Sean Ochinko and Anthony Ranaudo early this week with the Yarmotuh-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League. Mitchell's stay at the Cape will be short because he had to be back or football in the second week of July. Mainieri said it's possible pitcher Louis Coleman will go to the Cape if he can find an open roster spot. "Louis wants to go to the Cape," said the coach. "He's still negotiating with Washington (MLB). "I'd say it's 50-50 he'll comeback for his senior season...Two members of LSU's recruiting class has signed contracts, but the other four signees who were drafted will probably enroll at LSU...
Real sports celebrities like to boast about their identities with the use of vanity license plates. Of course, they have things they don't want to boast about, but we'd still like to see them on the rear of their expensive autos/I've got a few and you probably do to:
CP3 -- Chris Paul
TRADE-ME -- Joe Horn
GLBL-WMR -- Al Gore
GOT2WIN or BUM-KNEE -- Tiger Woods
NBA-KILL -- Boston Celtics
BACKIN08 -- Saints
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell agrees with just about everybody in the league when he says the money given to untested rookies is ridiculous. "There's something wrong about the system," said the commissioner. "The money should go to the players who perform. A top draft pick doesn't have to play a down and has already has enough money to live on the rest of his years. "Now, with the economics the way they are, the consequences if you don't evaluate that player, you can lose a significant amount of money," said Goodwell. He wants the issue addressed in contract talks. My time is up. Ed Staton can be reached at edcoachstaton@yahoo.com.
