The Charlotte Hornets came up short against the Phoenix Suns, losing 120-113 despite a promising start. Mark Williams was unstoppable in the first half, putting up 22 points and 13 rebounds. However, conditioning concerns and Phoenix’s adjustments stalled his impact in the second half. Doug Branson and Walker Mehl debate whether this game highlights Williams’ potential or exposes areas needing growth.
LaMelo Ball’s three-point shooting continues to be a focal point. With 17 attempts from beyond the arc, his efficiency is under scrutiny as Doug shares a fascinating historical comparison to Michael Jordan’s early Bulls teams. Is LaMelo’s high volume a necessity or a red flag for Charlotte’s roster construction?
Nick Richards has entered the trade rumor mill, with the Phoenix Suns reportedly eyeing him. The duo breaks down possible trade packages, the impact of Yusuf Nurkic’s contract, and whether the Hornets should prioritize keeping Richards or cash in on his value. Plus, how could Grayson Allen or other Phoenix players fit in Charlotte?
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#Hornets #LaMelo #LaMeloBall #CharlotteHornets
The Charlotte Hornets are playing more Competitive basketball but they still End up losing to the Phoenix Suns on the Road this time after a long break Because of the postponed games against The LA squads Mark Williams balls out in The first half against Phoenix what do We make of his season so far that's all To come today on lockon Hornets you are locked on Hornets your Daily Charlotte Hornets podcast part of The locked on podcast Network your team Every day in a minute cuz we [Music] Live it's locked on hornets part of the Locked on podcast Network it's your team Every day thanks for making us your First listen we're free and available Anywhere you get your podcast and that Does include YouTube there's Doug Branson find him on his suback every Hornets boox score.com there you can Find his sub text information he also Host locked on NBA I know you're telling The people that listen to Locked on NBA To make that their first listen so tough Choice Doug what do they make the first What do they what do they make the first Listen you tell the people what you got For them yeah it's interesting you know You just made me think about that I Might have to re find some way to Rephrase that because saying because Locked on NBA now is it's an odd bird
Because we split the show there's locked On NBA that I do we're the flagship show And then there's a locked on NBA game Night which I feel like would be maybe The last listen so maybe we are the First listen I don't know I have to Figure this all out you do that you you You know dealer's Choice honestly you do That I'll still tell you to make us your First listen I'm Walker mail you can Listen to me on WFNZ every weekday from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. make that your midday Listen just do that as long as you join Us in the midday then you're doing a Nice job real quickly want to tell you That this episode is brought to you by Game time Game Time download the game Time app create an account use code Locked on NBA for $20 off your first Purchase thanks again to game time for Helping us out on today's episode plus This episode uh and this podcast we now Have a newsletter introducing the lock On Hornets daily newsletter one stop for Ultimate Team and League coverage Delivered right to your inbox you can Sign up for free right now at locked On.com that's locked on.com start your Day with the all new free lock on Hornets newsletter well after a long Break and unexpected break for a little While the Hornets have their games Against the Lakers and the Clippers on The road postponed due to the
Devastating wildfires it's something Once the Lakers game was postponed we Figured that the Clippers game was going To be postponed as well given one the NFL wild card game that was going to be In Englewood where the Rams play that Game had already been decided that they Were going to play in Glendale and this Was before they were even supposed to Suit up against the Clippers Saturday That game's on Monday so you know it Made sense the the horn Don't have a backto back actually so They play the Phoenix Suns it was Supposed to be the second night of a Back toback but instead they play Phoenix after what is a pretty long Layoff for them they still end up losing 120 to 113 this game was defined by Mark Williams just being an absolute monster Just a monster in the first half he had 20 points over 20 points and he had 13 Rebounds going in to the locker room now He would stall out in the second half Mark Williams only ended up with 24 Points and 16 rebounds overall in this Game lamelo ball had 25 nine of 25 from The field five of 17 from three-point Land but again they end up losing 120 to 113 and the Hornets you talk about Stalling out their offense stalled out In the fourth quarter only scoring 15 Some no calls down low I it feels like We've been having
Like the Hornets have always been Accused of never getting the call right Like the officials are going to give the Other stars their star calls and there's Going to be you know no fouls called Against uh the Hornets and that's going To frustrate us it feels like we've been Getting that a little more this season In my opinion than we even had the last Couple but some some controversial no Calls here at the end of the game as Well what do you make of this game with The Hornets lost to the Phoenix Suns dog Uh yeah I don't think it was the Officiating I think uh there were some Execution issues by the Charlotte Hornet At the end of the game I think you're Right you're dead on that Mark Williams Stalled out I thought he ran out of gas Um you know I thought he gave I mean Yeah huge performance in the first half And really propelled the Hornets and Helped helped them get a lead uh but Then in the second half 12 minutes of Play two points 0 of two shooting three Rebounds one assist and then I thought He just generally looked a step slower Particularly there was a I mean he let He let igodo get a dunk on him and then He was supposed to rotate over to Royce O'Neal in the corner off of a KD double Team that was happening up top and he Was just he was a solid like second and A half slow to that rotation Royce
O'Neal hit a couple of big Corner shots But that one was particularly Devastating so so it's tough you know I Mean you you love 22 points 13 rebounds Three assists in the first half but I Think to win games consistently they're Going to need Mark Williams to be just As good in the first quarter as he is in The fourth quarter and so yeah clutch Clutch possessions they were turning it Over it wasn't it wasn't just Mark Williams although he did have a turnover It was lamelo ball and Miles Bridges as Well so yeah I mean look this is a team That has to do everything right I mean You look at the that that first Phoenix Win they and I said it they did Everything right they they played a Lee Ball down to a science and in this one They just let it slip in the last couple Of minutes and they don't have the Talent necessary to win games when you Let four minutes go by and play that Badly Phoenix does like that's what Phoenix played badly for well not played Badly but didn't play their best for Three quarters but they had Kevin Durant And Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter Particularly in that clutch time was Good enough well and one thing for me Look if it wasn't Mark Williams or miles Bridges hitting shots then it was going To be really tough to come by made shots I mean lamelo did not have a good
Shooting night Brandon Miller did not Have a good shooting night you go to the Bench I mean it was real tough sleding For them meic went two of two Nick Richards was two of four but even still Like you're talking about the most made Field goals coming from Nick Smith Jr With three made field goals but that Came on 10 attempts and so the bench you See they're plus minus all of them in The minus and all of them really in the Minus double figures outside of tjon Salon who just picked up six minutes in This contest so the bench they did not Play very well overall I would say Whatsoever and it was tough because you Only had two guys that were making shots At a high clip and then here we are Talking about one of the guys that made Shots at a high clip in Mark Williams Not being nearly as involved in the Second half I think they worked to take Him out a lot more I think the second Half of this game against Phoenix looked A lot more like the first overall game Against Phoenix at the Spectrum Center Where they were really working to take The big guy out of the offense entirely But you're right I do think we're still Talking about Mark just not having Enough conditioning under his belt Because it makes sense to me that the First half after a pretty long break Mark comes out like a bad out of hell
And then in the second half he's a Little bit of a step slow this goes back To lower body injury dude that already Put on weight and is still not ready for 48 minutes of NBA conditioning all that Makes sense to me given the injuries Given the conditioning given the Position and size in which he plays and Is in the NBA so the Hornets they end up Dropping this one in what was a winnable Game and again talking about stalling Out right no mark But 15 points in the Fourth quarter that's just obviously It's going to be really tough to win Games when in clutch time you're only Scoring 15 and we've seen these quarters Pop up way too frequently uh especially With what you see with their offensive Numbers Advanced metrics even just good Old fashioned did you put the ball in The DAR hoop 15 points in the fourth no Okay it's going to be tough to win on The road yeah they couldn't do it and And In fairness to Mark Williams I think You're right conditioning was a factor I Think that they were throwing three or Four guys at him in the paint at the They were not Going those hard roles and generally They were more physical and Charles Lee Mentioned this after the game they were More physical up top they were more pH Physical with Mark Williams underneath They were just getting hands on players
That they weren't doing in the first Half that allowed Charlotte to get off To that great start plus Charlotte was Like super rested they came out with the Right energy to start this game and then Just couldn't finish it and Nick Richards and Nick Smith Jr the two Knicks were really important in that First win their performances and and They fell off and I thought Nick Smith Jr had a couple of plays that showed his Youth and Inexperience um a particularly awful Pass that led to a turnover and then Nick Richards um who is you know Currently we we'll talk about this in a Minute currently embroiled in trade Rumors to the Phoenix Suns this might be His new team in in a week or so um you Know he didn't play fantastic at all so Yeah it's it's going to be difficult Because when the bench plays that Poorly it results in I think some of the Interesting shot selection that we saw From lamelo ball in this game a few of Those that you go I guess that's is that A good shot I don't there was no one Under the basket there was plenty of Time on the shot clock I don't know if That's a good I've seen him make that Shot before I don't know if that's a Good shot well I'm I was going to bring It up in the next segment just like as a Stat tease but since you brought it up
It's too perfect to just mention here Real quickly before we go to the next Segment but you see the 17 three-point Field goal attempts in this game from Lamelo that would have been a career High dug coming into this year but this Year it's just the norm I mean he's had Two games back to back where he had 18 Field goal attempts from distance he had A 17 field goal attempt from distance Game against Milwaukee on the road 20 Against Miami that's his career high 18 Against Washington and then against Phoenix it says 16 on basketball Reference it says 17 on Espn.com even so lots of shots from Three-point land and just not enough Makes from him not enough makes from Other players outside of Mark certainly If you consider his first half and Miles Bridges who again I continue to give Some credit to for the way that he Competes and the way that he's actually Been somewhat of a rock for this team on The floor in terms of consistency Uh there's an even crazier stat for Lamelo ball that I will uh reveal in the Next segment but I just want to back you Up on the not making enough because I Put this in the every Hornets box score Uh uh Game notes for this game he's Shooting 32.4% from three in his last Five and he's shooting 31.7% in his last 10 like that's yeah
There this is a complicated thing where Like you can look at that and you can Immediately blame lamelo for for some of These close losses or you can zoom out And say what else was he supposed to do Except take some of these tough jump Shots I I think um he's an avatar right Now for whatever you want to think about The Hornets so but yeah but look I mean That's those aren't great percentages no Let's let's get to that coming up next On the lock down hornets Podcast be everywhere yeah I think what What's still to come is a lamelo Conversation revolving the stats Doug And I just mentioned and also a mark Williams conversation that's still to Come here on [Music] Looh this episode is brought to you by Ultimate college basketball HC I want to Take a moment to introduce you to a Brand new mobile game that I'm really Excited about again it's ultimate College basketball head coach or HC for Search engine purposes if you've ever Dreamed of being a college basketball Head coach this is your chance to step Into those shoes in Ultimate college Basketball HC you control every detail Your program from recruiting players Hiring the coaching staff to overseeing Training camps handling nil deals Managing scholarships all of it it's all
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Create an account redeem code l c k d o N NBA locked on NBA for $20 off download Game time today what time is it game Time more lock on Hornets [Music] Ahead let's do the lamelo conversation You mentioned some of the percentages Here with lamelo they are down from uh Distance you mentioned he's in the low 30s for both the last five games and and Since what was the other Mark that you Had with that second stat that you Mentioned it was it the last 10 games Yeah he's 32.4% in his last five from Three and 31.7% this last 10 but I have Another crazy stat when you're ready Let's hear it no I'm I'm ready let's Hear it what you got okay so uh he is Taking the most shots per minute since Wilt Chamberlain in 1965 he's fifth all time right now in Shots per minute uh he's tied actually He's tied for fifth with guess who Former I guess still part owner of the Charlotte Hornets Michael Jordan in the 1985 86 bull season um if you don't Remember the 8586 bull season um how Dare you uh but they there's a Similarity to uh the Hornets um they're They're not very good although if let me Look at this so do they make the Playoffs and 30 wins that's crazy no That can't be right let me check this no 30 and 52 they finished fourth in the
Central Division the AI was trying to Get me their basketball reference has Them at 30 and 52 um that was not a good Michael Jordan Bulls team they had not Evolved into the Titan that they were Going to be Rod Higgins was on that team Sorry oh my God I'm getting lost B ref Hole no you're good uh no but it it Happens to the best of them it happens To me but yeah so here we are talking About lamelo taken so many field goal Attempts a lot of this has to do with The injuries because I'm looking at the Game logs as well on basketball Reference hopefully I don't go down the Same rabbit hole that Doug did but I Think the the point that I wanted to Make talking about lamelo putting up all These shots Doug I think having somebody Else to handle the basketball alongside Him that can create off the dribble I Think that's a big deal to rely on Because I don't think Brandon Miller is Showing you that I think things got real Wonky anytime Brandon would try to Dribble into the paint against this Phoenix Suns team who I think Defensively Doug like over the last two Games that we've seen these squads play Against one another They do make it really hard to put the Ball down on the floor in the paint like They they come in and they foul you Whether it's fouling whether they're
Just you know giving you active hands Like they they don't really give up a Lot to you easily at least they have it Against the Hornets not that I've been Watching a lot of Sun's basketball this Year but against Charlotte they've made It real hard I also think we don't have Enough of the requisite talent to beat That type of strategy from Phoenix and I Think Brandon Miller is struggling when He puts the ball on the floor if you Look at when Trey man went out okay Somebody that can break you off of the Dribble and get to his spots Trey Man's Last game was against Detroit on November 21st well it just so happens When you look at the uptick in lamelo's Shot attempts he shot only 13 field goal Attempts in that game against Brooklyn On November 19th which remember I think That was the game that we talked about Lamelo getting benched in the fourth Quarter but then November 21st 27 field Goal attempts 38 against Milwaukee 30 Against Orlando 35 oh my God against Miami and then he got hurt and didn't Play for a little while I I do think That Because this team is trying to find ways To beat guys off of the dribble and Again they just don't have enough talent To do it I think somebody like a Trey Man actually is going to really help Lamelo not have to take as many shots
But also just even having their talent Here too right because now they have Brandon Miller they have Mark Williams They have miles Bridges you're seeing The field goal attempts go down for the Most part in the last six games that He's played which has been a little back And forth with him um being in and out Of the lineup you're looking at 15 32 Against Washington 18 27 2028 it's still A lot but it's not as much is what we Were talking about a little bit earlier In the season no and I and I do want to Go back to this comparison to this these Bulls these early Bulls teams that Michael Jordan was a part of now in this Season that I mentioned 85 86 he Actually only played 18 games Uh due to what I assume was injury but Just you you read the roster of this Team that he was on with the bulls Jean Banks Ron Brewer Tony Brown Dave Corine George gerin Rod Higgins cydney green uh George gerin like 13 years Experience the ice man he was he needed He needed the ice bath by that point the Ice bath man that was I was trying to Think of something I don't think I'm Going to be able to be ice bath man That's good uh rookie Charles Oakley so Like there was nobody on this team and I Think we're going to look back other Than Brandon Miller um I don't know who The Brandon Miller on this team maybe
John Paxton I don't know that's no I Can't I can't make John Paxton the Comparison there he's got Brandon Miller But we're gonna look back on this team And go who who who like if if if Jeff Peterson is able to deliver in in a way That that Krauss was able and that that Crew was able to deliver the the Ownership and the general management There were're able to deliver for uh Michael Jordan you know we're going to Look back on this team and go yeah That's obvious why was taking a ton of Shots cuz he didn't have a lot of talent Around him yeah I mean it's interesting Because here we are we're mentioning Brandon Miller a couple times do you do You want to just move on to mark because I I feel like there's something there With Brandon but maybe we have a Conversation about him tomorrow or some Other day this week well I think I said Everything that I wanted to say about Mark this it's obviously conditioning Issue uh I'm just kind of in a waitand Seee mode with him and also but I also Will point out when you talk about that Dominant first half is that you're Dealing with a team in Phoenix That was playing Kevin Durant at Center If if igod I mean plumbley was getting Dominated they they they shelf plumbley In the second half go to igodo they're Not playing Yousef nurkic anymore they
Moved him to the bench and then dmped Him and now he's in trade rumors with Nick Richards that we can talk about Next as well but like there's no Center Play for Phoenix I need to see him do 22 And 13 and a half against a team that Has like a legitimate uh you know Interior defense that's what I want to See and that's fair but also like we we We should I mean just we focused a lot On the second half we should just take a Step back and realize oh my God 22 and 13 and a half of basketball we can just Only say good things about that too like We we can just take a little moment to Set up camp and say okay you give me 22 13 and three and a block maybe we just Say good things about that performance And then also as we have give context to What happened in the second half but Maybe we just set up camp for a moment And say oh my God 22 and 13 as Eric Collins said on the broadcast that's a Great game already go going into the Locker room hell he went to the bench With like five minutes and then he came Back at the very end of that half and Actually got a couple of free throw Attempts we can also just set up camp And say oh my God yeah the stat line Looks amazing thank you for your service Sir we can do that uh got to do it in The fourth quarter yeah got to got to do In the playoffs really once we get play
He did it on the road at least for a Half you got to do it on the you got to Do it in the fourth quarter and then you Have to do it in the playoffs and people Were wanting the big people were wanting The big dub hat after that first Phoenix Win and I said got to keep the standards High got to do it on the road Hornets Couldn't do it on the road yeah get a Ring Mark then we'll celebrate you uh Coming up next on the lockdown Hornets Podcast be everywhere yeah we we can Move on so other rapid fire observations Plus we got to get to the Nick Richards Conversation too Nick Richards a part of Some try talks Shocker the guy that is Going to be a part of trade rumors every Single offseason and really every single Deadline we'll get to him in just a Moment here on lockdown [Music] Hornets before we get to Nick Richards I Want to tell you this episode is brought To you by open phone running a small Business means you're wearing a lot of Hats and your personal phone becomes Your business phone before you know it You're juggling customer calls all day And night and as your team grows it Becomes impossible to manage everything With just your personal number that's Where open phone comes in it's the Number one business phone system Designed to help you keep your work and
Personal life separate for just $15 a Month the cost of a few coffees that's It you get complete transparency and Visibility into everything happening With your business phone number open Phone works through an app on your phone Or computer and it integrates it with Tools like HubSpot and hundreds of Others it also uses AI powered call Transcripts and summaries so you'll have A rundown of your calls and action items The second you hang up and if you miss a Call no problem automated messages are Sent directly to your customer ensuring You never miss an opportunity to engage Right now open phone is offering 20% off Your first 6 months wow it's a long time When you go to open phone.com lockon NBA That's OPN P NE e open phone.com lockon NBA for 20% off for 6 whole months open Phone.com lockon NBA and if you have Existing numbers with another service Openphone will Port them over at no Extra charge more lockdown Hornets [Music] Ahead Nick Richards we got some news About him even heading into this game Against Phoenix Doug Mark Stein the Stein line he used to be a ESPN he's one Of the better insiders that we've had Over quite some time here's what Stein Line reports he says that the Suns have Three tradable second round picks in Addition to a 2031 first to try to
Convince a team like Charlotte to take Yousef nurkic's contract for a package Headlined by in demand Nick Richards That's the caveat he used in demand Nick Richards but how many of those three Picks would it cost them to go get a guy Like Nick Richards so let's hit the Highlights again the Suns have three Tradable second round picks to try to Get n contract off of the books and they Want Nick Richards the in demand Nick Richards what do you make of the sty Line Report yeah not only that but then John Gambadoro who is a sports radio guy uh Said on Twitter that they are discussing This not have discussed it are Discussing it and I believe that I Believe there are conversations around Nick Richards not only with the Phoenix Suns but I think there are probably Discussions if you're in demand I think There are probably multiple teams Calling about the avail ility of Nick Richards and how many second round picks It would take now nurkic's contract is 18 and change this season 19 in change Next season so if you do the math there Nick Richards doesn't get the deal done I think you've got to throw in a seven And a half plus million dollar deal I Think maybe meic and Richards gets it Done uh or Cody Martin I mean you just Got to throw something in their contract
Wise a few guys but I think that they Should I think they should keep the Demands high for the second round picks I think it should I would be thrilled With three I would be okay with two but You can't just come back with one pick And and nurkic who I don't know what ner I mean obviously he would slot in as a Backup center but I don't know what the Future of nurkic and Charlotte really is In terms of next season so nurkic is Making $ 18.1 million this year he's Making $19.3 million $19.4 million next Year so he would have a year and a half Left on the books talking about an Expiring contract next year at again Over $19 million I wonder if what people Have been rolling with on Twitter at Least on my Timeline does this turn into the miles Bridges trade with Nick Richards as Somewhat of a sweetener which he's not Even a sweetener honestly I mean he's Been talked about so much to where I I Headline seems a little too much to say Uh how to describe a Nick Richards trade But it clearly becomes the miles Bridges Trade if he's involved in one of these Things remember Phoenix is one of those Teams last year that was rumored Interested in bringing miles bridges on Whether it be at the trade deadline or Whether it be in the offseason so is This something where you go to Phoenix
Who is trying to shake some things up They lost to Charlotte on the road they Almost maybe even should have but they Certainly lost to uh or they almost lost To Charlotte at home we know that this Is a squad that clearly has championship Aspirations and they do not have the Championship type record so do they want To switch it up so much I don't know if Going to the Hornets well is the way to Do it but if they take among the more Talented players on the roster here in Charlotte is that the way to do it and Is Miles Bridge is a real part of this Conversation given their interest Previously I would say probably not I Think their aspirations are more uh Focused on Jimmy Butler right now I Think now if the Jimmy Butler stuff if That just becomes fin finally impossible Then maybe they do turn their attention To Miles Bridges as a backup plan but Then again what are they then it's less About second round picks and are you Getting a player back that makes any Sense more sense than nurkic would Although nkit can attempt and Occasionally make a three is not a great Three-point shooter but he will toss it Up there it gives them an aspect to Their censor game that they don't Currently possess um so then you're Talking about Phoenix having to a little Bit more back in that situation maybe a
First round pick I don't know I feel Like yeah they don't have they don't Have a first round pick until 2031 uh which I think is part of the Problem with them getting the Jimmy Butler deal things get so complicated See the Nick Richard's swap would be Less complicated for the Suns than Anything that they've been you know Rumored to do with with Jimmy Butler Once you throw miles bridges in there I Think it gets much more complicated for Them yeah and so I'm looking at more More of the the contracts I think There's honestly some interesting stuff That you can do with Phoenix one name That would be interesting to me is Grayson Allen you know one of the Examples I constantly went to with Charles Lee I I hear you but one of the Examples I went to with Grayson Allen or With Charles Lee I should say quite a Bit was when we would hear Charles do Some of the team Media stuff with Milwaukee one of his bigger success Stories was turning Grayson Allen into Uh more than just a three-point shooter Like getting to the Lane really working With him quite a bit Is that something you'd be interested in Even with his struggles this year like I Get Grayson has not been the same player As what landed him that contract but I Just wonder like bringing in trying to
Resurrect some type of three-point crazy Shooting with the experience that he Already has with Charles Lee I just Wonder if that's the name that might be Thrown out in all of this I will say if You manage to bring back Grayson Allen And Yousef nurkic you will have greatly Increased your son of a bleep Factor Right I mean those D nage has already Been suspended for swinging on someone And Grayson Allen doesn't purposefully Get into fights but he plays Mortal Kombat out there like sweeping the leg You Know the sure yeah like I mean Grayson Allen plays Mortal Kombat so you you Would become one of the more annoying Teams to play almost automatically and And instantly and they don't have a lot Of that particularly since Grant Williams Grant Williams was that guy for Them uh that would dust it up Occasionally and just be annoying to Play against not dirty but just annoying To play against and he of course tore His ACL so he goes out but you know There aren't a lot of guy you're seeing Uh guys like Devin Booker who also play Like that get into lamelo's head and There's no one else on the team that is Really willing to step up and be that Guy that sort of like enforcer that you Can afford to lose uh for like an Ejection like they don't have that guy
And nurkic and Allen to a certain extent Will play some of that role and by the Way I should just clean this up a little Bit but before this latest injury where Grayson was inactive for a little while He was shooting like 37% from three Which isn't bad it's just not the crazy Like 47% 43 that he shot last year Something ridiculous uh but now he's Shooting above 40 because he's going on A tear these last few games so I I just Wonder what the Charles Lee connection Is that something he'd be pounding the Table for or is Phoenix even interested In giving up a guy they just gave a Amount of money to and he opens up Driving lanes for guys that also like to Take a lot of mid-range jumpers and Devin Booker and Kevin Durant I look I The only reason I bring his name up is Because of the link between head coach And Grayson but and and also the money Is something where you can match with a Miles uh deal but yeah I mean it Probably would not happen well not only Head coach and Grayson but ownership Group and Duke they love Duke they they Took Camp to Duke this year they you Know so maybe they they acquire great They draft Cooper flag and this and this Becomes hilariously the ownership change Becomes the the meme switches from they Always take Carolina players which Wasn't really that true they always took
Kentucky players but then it switches to Now the Charlotte Hornets only take Duke Players yeah so so like Nick Richards You know Nick Richards miles Bridges With you know miles making 27 this year Nick making five for I don't know you Like go with gra Allen making 15 and you Go nurkic who's making 18 that gets it Done like that that's that that's pretty Damn perfect it's like 32 33 million a Pop for both of those players um so yeah I mean you just you just ruined it you Ruined it by saying it because once you Say the deal it just never h I've never Once voiced a deal that even came close To happening I'm not talking about Nailed it exactly just once I just speak The deal into I speak it out of Existence I can't speak it into Existence maybe you can maybe you have Powers that I don't have but typically Once these things get voiced or written About they just never happen by the way You'd be getting picks back if you're Charlotte because you're getting rid of Miles who I I think is the better player Of all of them so I mean with Grayson Maybe you value the shooting more but You'd be getting picks back it wouldn't Just be straight up salary match two Players for two players like you'd be Getting some picks here from Phoenix Just to just to clear that up for Everybody and and any players they get
Back I'm I'm cool with the team taking Bad money uh for if money goes out you Know I'm fine with taking a couple of Years I I don't know if Grayson Allen And nkit are the exact players that I Want but in terms of like if you were Asking me what kind of players do you Want I'm not even looking for Necessarily like well this type of Forward who plays this certain way I Think I think they can make those more Significant moves in this upcoming off Season and and in the draft too but like I I think they should be targeting Players that play with an attitude that Play more physical cuz that's what They're missing most it's not like I Mean shooting as well but like that to Me you go and find those son of a bleeps And the two guys that you just mentioned Definitely fall into that category yeah And nkit would be the bad contract that Just warrants the picks as well like no You know you're you're you're bringing Picks back if you're welcoming nage to Your roster all right that'll do it for Lockon Hornets thanks for making us your First listen we're free we're available Anywhere you get your podcast that does Include YouTube we'll get some sicko Satchel stuff tomorrow maybe a Brandon Miller discussion um some draft talk we Almost have tomorrow's show already Planned baby so I'm excited about that
One you should be too again make us your First listen anywhere you get your Podcast that includes YouTube and make Sure you check out Dougs substack every Hornet boox score.com also listen to Locked on NBA I'm Walker mail listen to Me on WFNZ every weekday from 12:00 to 3: p.m. have a great rest of your day We'll be back with you tomorrow [Music]