Where Will Sam Cassell Be Playing in May?

In fourteen season in the NBA, Sam Cassell has played in the playoffs ten times. Although at this point in his career, he can only be expected to play twenty minutes a night, he has great value to a team looking to add another piece for a playoff run. Unfortunately, his current team, the Clippers, are ten games under .500 right now and it appears that they will not be participating in the playoffs in the 2007-08 season.

With a favorable contract of $6,150,000 this season, the Clippers will likely look to move him to a contender in order to pick up some more assets that can be beneficial as the reload. Cassell's contract expires after this season, which may likely be his final year in the NBA.

Five teams currently in competition to make the playoffs could certainly use Cassell. Here is a look at those five ranked by how the need of Cassell and the likelihood of a trade working out:

1.) Orlando Magic
With only Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling available behind Jameer Nelson, the Magic could desperately use some backcourt punch. This trade is likely because the Magic currently have a handful of players with expiring contracts, plus young players that the Clippers may want to take a look at. An exchange of Cassell for Pat Garrity ($3,818,750), James Augustine ($687,456), and J.J. Redick ($2,000,160) would allow the trade to work. At the end of this season, Redick's contract has a team option, so the Clippers would get a good look at him before deciding whether to bring him back or not. Garrity likely would be released when this trade would be made.

2.) Golden State Warriors
With Troy Hudson likely out for the season, Don Nelson and the Warriors need a backup point guard to Baron Davis. With trade exceptions, multiple expiring contracts, and a collection of underused young players, the Warriors would have several ways to go about acquiring Cassell.

3.) Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta is a team that has missed a quality, veteran point guard going back to the days of Mookie Blaylock. Though they may not have the experience to advance in the playoffs this season, they still should make a push for Cassell. A swap of Tyronn Lue ($3,500,000), Lorenzen Wright ($3,250,000) and either Salim Stoudamire ($783,000) or a future draft pick would allow the Hawks to bring in the veteran point guard. Unlike with the teams previously mentioned, Cassell would likely get the chance to start at point guard over incumbents Anthony Johnson, Acie Law, and Speedy Claxton.

4.) Los Angeles Lakers
A trade for Cassell would make a great deal of sense for the Lakers. With young players such as Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, and Javaris Crittenton playing behind starting point guard Derek Fisher, Cassell would bring a veteran prescence of the bench that is currently not there. The difficulty with this trade is that it would take some creativeness for it to work. Chris Mihm ($2,500,000) and Sasha Vujacic ($1,756,951) are the two most likely players the Lakers would include in a trade whose contracts expire at year end. However, Kwame Brown ($9,075,000) would also be a contestant to move to the Clippers in a trade netting Cassell. Brown has battled injury all year and appears to have completely fallen out of favor with the team. Adding Cassell to a group of smalls that include Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Farmar, and Trevor Ariza would make sense for the Lakers in their playoff pursuit.

5.) New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Led by the league's best young point guard in Chris Paul, the Hornets are an exciting team that could give anyone a tough run in the postseason. Beyond Chris Paul, Bobby Jackson, and Morris Peterson, the Hornets are very thin at the guard spots. The Hornets could put together a package of expiring contracts (Ryan Bowen, Melvin Ely, Bernard Robinson, Marcus Vinicius) or inexpensive young players (Adam Haluska, Hilton Armstrong) to acquire Cassell. He certainly would bring a big-shot type player to the squad.

Hornets Plan to Look the Same for Years to Come

Article originally written on November 3, 2006.

This summer the Hornets made a splash adding Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo, Peja Stojakovic, Tyson Chandler, Cedric Simmons, and Hilton Armstrong to the mix. This splash pretty much guaranteed that their roster will look the same way for the next several years to come.

Player Name..06/07..07/08.. 08/09....09/10
P. Stojakovic...10.8.... 11.9......13.......... 14.2
T. Chandler.....9.........10.........11............12
D. Mason........8.1.......F/A....F/A..........F/A
M. Jackson....4.9.......F/A.....F/A.........F/A
B. Jackson.....4 5.......6.0.......F/A.........F/A
C. Paul...........3.4.......3.6.........4.5..........6.1
R. Butler.......3.0.......3.3.........3.6..........4.0
A. Macijauskas..2.5..2.5........F/A........F/A
D. West.........2.1.......7.0...........8.0..........9.0
H. Armstrong..1.8....1.9..........2.0.........2.8
C. Simmons....1.5.....1.6...........1.7.........2.7
J. Pargo........1.0........1.1........F/A........F/A
B. Bass.......650k......F/A.......F/A........F/A

06/07 Salaries
$54 million
Free Agents at season’s end: D.Mason, M.Jackson, B. Bass
Total of just under $14 million coming off the cap at end of season.
Mason will demand a contract of about $20 million over 4 years.

07/08 Salaries
$49 million
Free Agents at season’s end: Arvydas Macijauskas, Jannero Pargo
H. Armstrong and C. Simmons have a team option at season’s end.
Total of just over $3.5 million coming off the cap at end of season.

08/09 Salaries
$51 million
Free Agents at season’s end: Bobby Jackson
Chris Paul will be eligible for a contract extension at season’s end.
H. Armstrong and C. Simmons have a team option at season’s end.

09/10 Salaries
$51 million
Free Agents at season’s end: Rasual Butler

Analysis:
With a total of just under fourteen million dollars coming off the cap at the end of the season, it may be the only chance for them to make a significant move in the next four years. This cap relief will come at the expense of Desmond Mason, Marc Jackson, Brandon Bass. Although there is little chance that the team brings back Jackson or Bass, they may return athletic wingman, Desmond Mason, at a reasonable contract. However, if they do not they resign him, they will have money to bring in a player like Gerald Wallace, Morris Peterson, Primoz Brezec, or Darko Milicic. Beyond this, the Hornets personnel will be the same for years to come. Although they will once again receive cap relief after the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, this money will be saved to extend the contracts of potentially Chris Paul, Cedric Simmons, and Hilton Armstrong. Therefore, Hornets fans better hope that Tyson Chandler lives up to his potential, Peja Stojakovic benefits from a change of scenery, David West continues to work hard after receiving his contract extension, and Bobby Jackson gels well with Chris Paul.