2007-2008
Finish: 40-42

What went…
Way back in 2006-07, the New Orleans Hornets were the little team that could. They barely sneaked into the playoffs and then proceeded to quash Phoenix in the first round and gave future champs Dallas a scare in the second round before going down four games to three. So everyone had high hopes for 2007-08. Unfortunately, the Hornets couldn’t repeat the magic. Part of it has to do with key players jumping for bigger contracts in the offseason. Desmond Mason, Morris Peterson and James Posey all said sayonara. Even though the Hornets brought a plethora of free agents, none of these players had the chops to replace the big three that left. So, the Hornets didn’t even make the playoffs this time around. But before all of that…..the team went a little….TRADE CRAZY!

2nd-Rounder for Stromile Swift- Something for nothing, right? Stro only stuck around for 21 games, so it’s hard to evaluate this deal. Something else big brewing, Daved?
Lamar Odom, Jake Voskuhl, Andrew Bogut and Rodney Carney for Kevin Garnett and Michael Finley – Now we’re talking, Daved! Get rid of the rest of your depth for salary anchor KG. Yeah, Odom wasn’t going to have a good season but you traded youth to compensate the win-it-now mindset. As we all know, this deal did not turn out for the best and Daved ended up feeling stuck with KG.

Jason Collins for Adrian Griffin and Tyronn Lue – The best part of this deal is the Hornets got to drop Collins. Though he didn’t get much in return, Daved did get some cap space. Now some poor other sucker is paying off Collins’ thankless salary. Nice one, NO! Griffin would be waived a week later.

Bobby Jackson for Etan Thomas – But then they do this. I guess the team was thinking long term because they waived Thomas as well. On second thought, getting rid of Jackson’s contract was a smart thing to do!

Eric Piatkowski, Kevin Garnett and Dwayne Jones for Erick Dampier, Marcus Camby, Andre Iguodala, Dorell Wright and Marcus E Williams – One of the best things about the NLL is the cavalier attitude we take when shopping superstars (I’m being facetious). KG moves onto his third team of the season and the Hornets clean up in this deal. They get one of the most exciting young players in the league in Iguodala and one of the best defenseman ever. So while another team now has mortgaged its future for KG (who would be moved AGAIN), the Hornets now have something tangible to work around.

Stromile Swift and Ike Diogu for Antonio McDyess and Tyronn Lue – Wait? Don’t the Hornets already have Lue? OH! They waived him and then traded back for him. Hmmmm. They get class here in McDyess and dump malcontent Swift and potential bust Diogu. Camby and McDyess make a formidable front line.

Dikembe Mutombo for Robert Swift – An old guy for a guy that never plays. Up to you who won here.