The Hornets let 27-year old shooting guard Sasha Pavlovic’s 10-day contract run out without offering him another one.  He played in 4 games (1 start) for the Hornets this year and he averaged 12.5 minutes, 1.0 point, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.  Pavlovic didn’t shoot a lick for the Hornets as he was 2 of 11 (18.2%) from the floor and 0 for 5 from three point range.  When Trevor Ariza returned to action that pretty much doomed Pavlovic who wasn’t playing well for the Hornets.

The New Orleans Hornets have inked 27-year old small forward Sasha Pavlovic.  Pavlovic played in 10 games (6 starts) earlier this year for the Mavericks in which he averaged 16.3 minutes, 4.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.  Pavlovic has now played in 462 games (133 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 16.5 minutes, 5.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Due to Trevor Ariza’s injury, the Hornets will likely rush Pavlovic into some serious P.T. right of the bat.

The New Orleans Hornets will be without starting small forward Trevor Ariza for the next couple of weeks due to a severe ankle sprain.  Ariza has played in 50 games (all starts) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 34.7 minutes, 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  The will miss Ariza’s defense but they won’t miss his awful shooting as he has hit only 39.4% of his shots from the floor and 29.4% from three point range so far this year.  22-year old rookie Quincy Pondexter will likely get the first shot to start in Ariza’s spot while he is out of action.  Pondexter has played in 42 games (1 start) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 10.4 minutes, 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  Pondexter is hitting 42.9% of his shots from three point range so far this year so he might be an asset with more P.T.

The Hornets will be without starting center Emeka Okafor for the next 1-3 weeks due to a left oblique strain.  Okafor has played in 49 games (all starts) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 32.4 minutes, 11.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game.  The Hornets will likely be able to replace Okafor’s points but not his defense and rebounding so they hope he heals up soon.  Jason Smith will likely be the starting center until Okafor is ready to return to action.  Smith has played in 49 games (1 start) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 15.4 minutes, 4.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  David Andersen & D.J. Mbenga are also in line for a bump in P.T.  Andersen has played in 15 games (0 starts) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 6.4 minutes, 1.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.  He’s a better player than he has shown for the Hornets so far.  Mbenga has played in 31 games (0 starts) for the Hornets so far this year and he is averaging 8.1 minutes, 1.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.  Losing Okafor is really going to hurt the Hornets.

The Hornets have traded 22-year old point guard Jerryd Bayless and 33-year old small forward Peja Stojakovic to the Raptors for 27-year old SG/PG Jarrett Jack, 30-year old center David Andersen and 29-year old point guard Marcus Banks. Jack’s versatility will be welcome as he can handle both guard slots. Jack played in 13 games (all starts) for the Raptors this year and he averaged 26.7 minutes, 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He has now played in 417 games (208 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 28.3 minutes, 10.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. David Andersen gives the Hornets another big body to help out inside. Andersen played in 11 games (0 starts) this season for the Raptors and he averaged 13.6 minutes, 5.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. In his first two years in the NBA, Andersen has played in 74 games (0 starts) in which he has averaged 14.1 minutes, 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Marcus Banks gives the Hornets a #3 point guard. Banks played in 3 games (0 starts) for the Raptors this year and he has averaged 7.3 minutes, 2.0 points, 0.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He has now played in 348 games (37 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.0 minutes, 5.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Banks was likely just added to this deal to even out the money. Jerryd Bayless just wasn’t the type of point guard the Hornets needed behind Paul. He played in 11 games (0 starts) this year for the Hornets and he averaged 13.5 minutes, 5.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. The Hornets have to be elated about finally being able to deal Peja Stojakovic. He played in 6 games (0 starts) for the Hornets this year and he averaged 14.8 minutes, 7.5 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.0 assist per game.

The Hornets have acquired 22-year old point guard Jerryd Bayless from the Trailblazers for a conditional future first round pick. The draft pick is protected if it’s in the first 7 picks in 2011 or the first 8 picks in either 2012, 2013 or 2014. Bayless played in 74 games (11 starts) for the Blazers last season and he averaged 17.6 minutes, 8.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He has now played in 127 games (11 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he has averaged 15.4 minutes, 6.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Bayless will be the #2 guy at point guard behind Chris Paul for the Hornets this year.

The Hornets have acquired 23-year old point guard Curtis Jerrells from the Spurs for a future 2nd round pick. Jerrells played in 50 games (all starts) for the Austin Toros of the D-League last season in which he averaged 40.2 minutes, 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Jerrells will be the #3 point guard on the Hornets this year behind Chris Paul and Willie Green. The Hornets have released Mustafa Shakur to make room for Jerrells on the roster.

UPDATE: (10/26/2010) – The Hornets have released Curtis Jerrells.

The Hornets have signed 29-year old center D.J. Mbenga. Mbenga played in 49 games (2 starts) for the Lakers last season and he averaged 7.2 minutes, 2.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. He has now played in 193 games (4 starts) in his NBA career so far and he has averaged 6.4 minutes, 1.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Mbenga gives the Hornets another big man as he is 7’0″, 245 pounds so I always like this kind of signing.

The Hornets have signed 30-year old PG/SG Jannero Pargo.  Pargo played in 63 games (5 starts) for the Bulls last year and he averaged 13.1 minutes, 5.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.  He only shot 34.6% from the floor last season so the Hornets might want to limit his shots when he is on the court.  Pargo has now played in 378 games (18 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 15.8 minutes, 6.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. 

UPDATE: (10/5/2010) – The Hornets have released Jannero Pargo.

The Hornets have acquired 29-year old SG Willie Green and 24-year old power forward Jason Smith from the 76ers for 32-year old power forward Darius Songaila and 22-year old rookie power forward Craig Brackins. Green played in 73 games (18 starts) for the 76ers last season and he averaged 21.3 minutes, 8.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He has now played in 422 games (211 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 21.8 minutes, 9.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Green will likely swing between guard spots this year for the Hornets but he’s not a natural point guard. Jason Smith is a big guy at 7’0″, 240 pounds. He played in 56 games (2 starts) for the Sixers last season and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 3.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Smith has now played in 132 games (3 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 13.4 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Smith has never gotten much of a chance to show what he can do in the NBA and the Hornets will give him bench minutes behind David West this year.

Darius Songaila played in 75 games (1 start) for the Hornets last year and he averaged 18.8 minutes, 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. It was his only season with the Hornets. Craig Brackins was a first round pick of the Hornets this past June. This was a trade made with winning this year in mind so I like it for the Hornets.