<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OKLAHOMA CITY - The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard Moochie Norris and cash considerations from Houston in exchange for center Maciej Lampe. ?The acquisition of Moochie gives us a solid veteran at the third point guard spot,? said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. ?With the recent injuries to Chris Paul and Speedy Claxton, we felt it was important to bring in a player who had experience at running a team as extra insurance.? Norris had averaged 2.2 points and 1.0 assists in 29 games with the Rockets this season prior to the trade. The eight-year veteran has averaged 5.2 points and 2.8 assists in 429 career games, including stints with the Grizzlies, Sonics, Knicks and Rockets. His best NBA season came in 2001-02 when he averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 assists in 82 games with Houston. Lampe had played in just two games with the Hornets this season, averaging 2.0 rebounds. He was originally acquired by the Hornets from Phoenix along with Casey Jacobsen and Jackson Vroman in exchange for Jim Jackson and a 2005 second round pick on Jan. 21, 2005. Lampe averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 21 games for the Hornets last season.</div> http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/norris_trade060213.html
This deal makes no sense to me. I know he hasn't shown much since he's entered the league in the 2003 draft, but he's still very young and has pretty good skills for someone his size. I liked him in preseason when he was with the Knicks. I love Moochie (got his autograph a couple of years ago), but he's almost 33 and really doesn't have much of a future other than a third-string point guard on most basketball teams. At least Lampe is 21 and has ample time to improve. I know Chris Paul has been injured, but knowing him, he won't be out for long; maybe another game or two. So, this deal ends up being a waste for the Hornets, while Houston gets a big man soaked with potential able to learn from an all-star big man in Yao Ming and a Hall of Fame bound big man in Patrick Ewing. What's up with the Hornets and trading all of a sudden? First they want Aaron Williams, then Steven Hunter (rescinded), and now Moochie?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">This deal makes no sense to me. I know he hasn't shown much since he's entered the league in the 2003 draft, but he's still very young and has pretty good skills for someone his size. I liked him in preseason when he was with the Knicks. I love Moochie (got his autograph a couple of years ago), but he's almost 33 and really doesn't have much of a future other than a third-string point guard on most basketball teams. At least Lampe is 21 and has ample time to improve. I know Chris Paul has been injured, but knowing him, he won't be out for long; maybe another game or two. So, this deal ends up being a waste for the Hornets, while Houston gets a big man soaked with potential able to learn from an all-star big man in Yao Ming and a Hall of Fame bound big man in Patrick Ewing. What's up with the Hornets and trading all of a sudden? First they want Aaron Williams, then Steven Hunter (rescinded), and now Moochie?</div> The Hornets want to make a run at the post-season and with a very young group, they need some veterans to accomplish the late season push. Moochie Norris can get them mentally prepared for what to expect. He can also allow B. Scott to rest Paul a little more, he hasn't hit the rookie wall yet, but eventually he will. Lampe is never going to crack the rotation with West and Mason on this team. I do like Lampe, but he never really fit into Scott's offensive or defensive systems. Scott likes an uptempo, athletic team and is quickly building this team the way he did with the Nets. You have your floor general Paul/Kidd and then athletic players on the wing Mason/Jefferson.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> What's up with the Hornets and trading all of a sudden? First they want Aaron Williams, then Steven Hunter (rescinded), and now Moochie?</div> As shapecity said, they're a young team who will need a few solid veterans if they want to continue their playoff run. Lampe held absolutely no value to them and now they've got a solid veteran PG who can back up CP3 and Speedy, and is decent insurance should CP3 continue to get banged up. Good luck with Lampe, there is talent there, but i think your sudden expectations are totally unrealistic given his career to date.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jerry West:</div><div class="quote_post">As shapecity said, they're a young team who will need a few solid veterans if they want to continue their playoff run. Lampe held absolutely no value to them and now they've got a solid veteran PG who can back up CP3 and Speedy, and is decent insurance should CP3 continue to get banged up. Good luck with Lampe, there is talent there, but i think your sudden expectations are totally unrealistic given his career to date.</div> Moochie isn't the type of experienced player to help with the playoff push. He's never played in a playoff game before. Even if the Hornets needed another point guard they are others available who are better than Norris. Considering his salary and his skills, he's not much of an upgrade if any at all. I'm not expecting anything from Lampe, actually. I think he'll be a great project for Ewing and Yao to work with. He's young and has some pretty good skills for his size. His salary is also better than Norris' and has the potential to be better than him. I'm all for the Hornets player push, I just think other players would have been better than Moochie Norris.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">Moochie isn't the type of experienced player to help with the playoff push. He's never played in a playoff game before. Even if the Hornets needed another point guard they are others available who are better than Norris. Considering his salary and his skills, he's not much of an upgrade if any at all. I'm not expecting anything from Lampe, actually. I think he'll be a great project for Ewing and Yao to work with. He's young and has some pretty good skills for his size. His salary is also better than Norris' and has the potential to be better than him. I'm all for the Hornets player push, I just think other players would have been better than Moochie Norris.</div> Moochie was on the playoff team last year in Houston. He didn't play any significant minutes, but he understands the preparation and mindset you need to have in the post-season. He's not going to make or break their chances, but he's a nice insurance policy for now and allows them to rest Speedy & Paul.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">Moochie isn't the type of experienced player to help with the playoff push. He's never played in a playoff game before. </div> He played in the playoffs for youur team just last year. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> Even if the Hornets needed another point guard they are others available who are better than Norris. </div> Such as? Memphis spent a month looking for a PG and the best available was Chucky Freakin' Atkins. There isn't much out there, especially when you've not got a lot of talent or salary to work with in the first place. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> Considering his salary and his skills, he's not much of an upgrade if any at all. </div> Upgrade? They're not trying to upgrade as such, they're simply trying to get a third point guard as insurance, and Moochie is a good third PG for emergencies. He's barely going to play, only chances will come in junktime or if Paul is hurt. Hardly need to be a star for that role.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jerry West:</div><div class="quote_post">He played in the playoffs for youur team just last year.</div> 3.5 minutes in 2 games where he did absolutely nothing doesn't count. And the Rockets aren't my team. Does my sig look like a Rockets one? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Such as?</div> Maybe someone like Earl Watson I see what you're saying I just think the Grizzlies could have gotten more for Lampe. Maybe a second rounder?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">3.5 minutes in 2 games where he did absolutely nothing doesn't count. </div> Of course it counts. You said he'd not played in the playoffs which is clearly incorrect. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> And the Rockets aren't my team. Does my sig look like a Rockets one? </div> My mistake <div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> I see what you're saying I just think the Grizzlies could have gotten more for Lampe. </div> Your mistake <div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post"> Maybe someone like Earl Watson</div> A) Denver have made it nearly impossible to get Watson hence why he's not been traded Earl earns $6M per and has $27M odd left on his deal C) As if Earl would want to go to another team where he'd be the third option. That's the whole reason he wants out of Denver
