NBA Trade Deal Proposals for the Utah Jazz
By Drew Mackay
Raul Neto to the Charlotte Hornets
Here is Dan’s quote on trading Neto to the Hornets:
"Signing Ramon Sessions and bringing back Brian Roberts seemed like a good idea for the Charlotte Hornets. They lost Jeremy Lin in free agency and needed more options at point guard behind Kemba Walker. Neither Sessions nor Roberts has been very good, though. The former is shooting under 25 percent from deep, and the latter doesn’t get playing time. Charlotte’s offense craters whenever one of them is on the floor. Raul Neto has canned 40.0 percent of his three-pointers since entering the NBA last year but can’t find spin with the Utah Jazz. Dante Exum and (for some reason) Shelvin Mack are in front of him. George Hill’s starter minutes are too valuable to trim when he’s healthy. Though the Hornets don’t have much to offer, the Jazz won’t need a ton to part with Neto—their depth chart is stacked top to bottom. Roberts and a second-round pick could get a deal done. Neto doesn’t break the bank, but he’s signed through next season, and Utah will approach luxury-tax territory if it extends Derrick Favors and then re-signs Gordon Hayward and Hill. If the Jazz finally start using Neto over Mack, the Hornets shouldn’t shy from chasing the latter."
Again, from the prospective of the Utah Jazz, this is another trade that doesn’t do much for the improvement of the Jazz. Just off the top, outside of All-Star talent i.e LeBron, I’m not a fan of trading 24-year-old prospects for 31-year-old journeymen.
While Neto has seen his playing time slashed with the addition of George Hill, he is a known commodity and as Dan points out he is a knock down 3-point shooter. On the season he is shooing 71 percent! Fine, it’s a super small sample size as he’s averaging five minutes a game but he’s great at shooting from range.
Neto has shown flashes of being a solid backup point guard, and even a capable spot starter when needed, and the Hornets would do well if they could acquire him as a back up to probable All-Star Kemba Walker. But it will cost them more than a second round pick and a career 41 percent shooter if they are serious.
Besides, rule number 1 in trading players in the NBA. Never give up the best looking player in the trade.