I know the availability concerns are alarming considering the squad that we have but if this is truly a transition year and seemingly the last one where wins aren’t the end all be all, having a guy who’s whole identity is intensity and 1-5 versatile defense would do wonders.

Jarred Vanderbilt guards all five positions effectively, and I think he brings the defensive consistency and reliability that will open up the game for Brandon and Kon especially. I see people comparing Kon to Klay who was a great defender and the expectation is for Brandon to be a high level two way guy.

But Klay had Iggy and Draymond to often rely on as a major backbone. I think people underrate how much being a good defender is heightened by being around other all world defenders. Vanderbilt’s disruption, the return of Grant, and the integration of Moussa into the starting lineup can be the start of the Hornets truly having a defensive identity to support their pace.

Most importantly to me, Vando creates a lot of chaos and disruption to other teams sets, that chaos generates turnovers!! Turnovers create fast breaks! LaMelo and Charlotte’s offense thrives with pace. Pacers last year, Kings 2023, Borrego Hornets. If the team wants to get the best of their point guard they have to acquire personnel that can create chaos, so that pace can be implemented intentionally starting from the defensive side of the ball.

I feel like this is an underrated acquisition that can change the season and the team would only have to give up Miles and maybe take back a bad Laker player to money match. And to quell the worries about his availability, he’s only got this season and next on his contract. Charlotte wouldn’t be commuting longterm so it would be a very low risk high reward kind of signing.

17 comments

  2. Vando has not been good this year. He’s a fine defender 2-4 with horrible offense. He fell out of the Lakers rotation and they’re desperate for any defense they can find

    Id give miles away for nothing so I don’t really care about the return but no one should expect vando to be any good

  3. vanderbilt is awful. The majority of my friends are Lakers fans so I watch them a lot to troll.

    We would literally be better off just starting Tidjane than wasting assets for him.

  4. It’s prob a better idea to get 2 of their expirings and have a good amount of cap space next offseason. Sure, if they attach a random first for us to take on Vando, why not lol.

  5. This doesn’t seem like the most credible source and nothing in the bridges piece of that article sounded like anything more than pure speculation.

  6. Why would the hornets trade with lakers after what they pulled with Mark Williams.  We should look for better value than Vanderbilt.

  7. I wouldn’t hate Rui but we would need to get some type of pick compensation back. Not to mention it would probably piss lamelo off to trade his buddy for peanuts

  8. Lol trade with the lakers so they can change their minds and back out of the trade after it was agreed upon again? Fuck the lakers.

  11. This means nothing really. Klutch wanting the lakers to trade for a client is a story you hear every year. At the end of the day lakers need to want him and hornets need to get something they want in return. What Klutch wants means basically nothing considering how Lebron is a bit of an afterthought with Luka there.

  12. Would rather do Gabe & Maxi Kleber so we could have cap space this offseason. Really would like Hachimura on this team but I imagine LA wouldn’t give him up.

  13. Fuck no! Vandy ay provide defense but literally provides nothing on offense. Need a 2-way player that isn’t immediately taken off the court whenever points are needed

  14. for Vando? nah. Bridges not getting traded unless getting a really great return like a stretch 5 and a pick.

  15. This trade idea is awful and the source is sketchy at best. Trading with “that team” who are blatantly unprofessional would be laughable right now especially when they used the media to tey and ruin us.

    Unless they want to trade for Ayton then “that other team” can fuck right off.

  16. Trading Bridges is more about giving the keys to our core 3 LaMelo/Kon/Miller.

    Bridges also is a undersized pf. We need to go more traditional up front.

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