原文出自nola.com http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1109489115171640.xml Hornets want 'star-quality players' GM Bristow says N.O. 'has to address' lack of big names Sunday, February 27, 2005 By Jimmy Smith Staff writer With management having peeled away two-thirds of the Hornets' All-Star identity Thursday, workmen Saturday were stripping away the last vestiges of Baron Davis' bigger-than-life likeness off the side of New Orleans Arena. Make no mistake: The home team is void of superstars, save for All-Star center Jamaal Magloire, who has missed three months with a fractured right ring finger but is expected to return to practice next week. Yet, as the new-look Hornets prepared Saturday for tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony, General Manager Allan Bristow succinctly described his team's most pressing needs. "We need to add some star-quality players," Bristow said after practice at the Alario Center. "I think we have hopefully a perennial All-Star center, potentially (rookie) J.R. (Smith) is going to get better from a star-quality standpoint. "Hopefully we'll get a good player in the draft who'll be a star-quality player and a couple of free agents, and maybe one of those will be star-quality." Bristow feels that duplication at a position at which the Hornets already are stocked with star quality would be redundant, he said, but necessary if that was the only option. "We'd have to address that," Bristow said. "Where you make mistakes -- and I've always felt this -- is that star-quality players are so hard to acquire that you can't afford to bypass when you get an opportunity." Nor should one be discarded without careful deliberation. Which is why after much soul-searching, the Hornets pulled the trigger on the deal that sent Davis to the Golden State Warriors for point guard Speedy Claxton. Coach Byron Scott and Bristow were unified in the decision to unload the enigmatic two-time All-Star, whose tenacity and desire to play were questioned for the last time following the Jan. 16 Achilles injury that sidelined Davis for 17 games. "Obviously the way this trade helps us is (salary) cap room," Scott said. "That's the biggest thing. Now it's just a matter of us getting the right pieces in place with the cap room we have. I agree with Allan. We talked about it before we did the trade that it would knock us down a little bit talent-wise because Baron is without a doubt one of the most talented point guards in this league. "So it hurt us in that aspect. But it enabled us to go out, clear a lot of room and go after free agents." For the past three seasons, the Hornets have made a trading- deadline deal for a point guard, the two previous years for one to back up Davis. Thursday's deal for Claxton, Scott and Bristow said, clears up a muddied picture at the position. The thinking is either Claxton or starter Dan Dickau would be capable. "Coming into training camp next year," Scott said, "obviously that position will be wide open. It'll just be a matter of who plays better. The one fear I don't have is that we'll have a big drop if one guy's in and the other is out. I feel good about both guys." Claxton spent the majority of Saturday's practice watching, at times sitting on the sideline with assistant coach Darrell Walker chattering in one ear, other times standing on the court next to Scott, who busily pointed out the nuances of the Hornets' plays. Having arrived in New Orleans late Friday night, Claxton admits he hasn't had time to digest much of the Hornets' playbook. "I think I'm going to play (tonight). I don't know how comfortable I'll be," Claxton said. "But I think it will take me a while to pick up the offense. There are so many different things that can happen, and it's a lot about reading. So I'll see how it goes. "I just got exposed to five or six plays, what they do the majority of the time. I think I can get a good grasp on those, and I'll be OK. It's definitely not an offense you can pick up right away." Scott said he hopes Claxton can play 15 to 20 minutes, and not necessarily run the Hornets' offense. "The thing I told him was I'd like us to rebound the ball when he's in the game, get the ball in his hands and not really run offense, just really get up and down the floor and see if we can get quick and good shots and get the ball to the basket," Scott said. "That's what he does best. He can push the ball, and we want to be a transition team. He's a guy who can break you down and get it to the basket." Scott continues to be uncertain who'll start in place of departed Rodney Rogers, traded to Philadelphia with injured former All-Star Jamal Mashburn. After the past two days of practice, Scott said, Jackson Vroman, obtained Jan. 21 from Phoenix, might be his choice. "He's done the things I've asked him to do as far as playing with sheer energy and hustle," Scott said. "He'll probably play (tonight)." It's unlikely Dale Davis, obtained with Claxton, will play for New Orleans. Players must be waived by Tuesday to be able to sign with another team and be eligible for the postseason. Bristow said he is allowing Davis and Glenn Robinson, obtained from the Sixers for Rogers and Mashburn, to decide whether to stay with the Hornets or be released. Neither has reported. "We're talking about the future," Bristow said. "As we continue to get some pieces, we'll continue to evaluate. We'll have to see what's available to us, what's there, before we make any decisions." 簡單大略翻譯一下 隊上明星級球員三個走掉兩個後 黃蜂現在目標是在自由球員市場找個明星級球員 缺陣三個月的Magloire預計下個星期會回到場上 最好的情況下 J.R.成長具有明星級身手 選秀進來的新秀同樣有明星潛力 然後自由球員市場再補強其他位置的Superstar Claxton加入後還未熟悉黃蜂的戰術 教頭預計讓他候補上場15-20分鐘 下一季的先發控球後衛未定 要靠他們(還有Dickau)在訓練營的表現而定 教頭很滿意Vroman最近的表現 都有達到教練的要求 所以預計他會取代Rogers走後的先發大前鋒位置 總管說他讓大狗還有D.Davis自己選擇要不要加入黃蜂 反正球隊的目標很簡單 就是放眼未來 . . . . . . . Jimmy Smith can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3814. --

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