In what was something of a predictable move--at least on New Orleans' end--the Hornets have agreed to send Hilton Armstrong to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for a "future second round pick." This is the NBA equivalent of "just pay me back five bucks and we'll call it even." New Orleans has been hemorrhaging money for years, and with a team that's underachieving yet again, the ownership seems determined to at least avoid the luxury tax this year.
***Salary Dump 2010!*** New Orleans Trades C Hilton Armstrong To Sacramento
From Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnaroswki, who broke the news:
The Hornets have traded forward Hilton Armstrong and cash to Sacramento for a future conditional second rounder, sources tell Y! Sports. Obviously, the move is a salary dump on Armstrong's $2.8 million salary. This gets Hornets within $500K of luxury tax threshold.
As for Sacramento, the acquistion of Armstrong helps shore the front line. Though he’s widely been considered a disappointment since entering the league as a lottery pick out of UCONN, it seems Sacramento is betting the a change of scenery might prompt a change of fortunes for the 6’11 big man.
He's got good size and decent athleticism, so perhaps pairing him with Sacramento big men like Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, and Jon Brockman, could help spark the young big man. But really, at $2.8 million, with an exciting team, it makes sense for the Kings to take a gamble on a young big man, hoping to get lucky.
And at $2.8 million, with an expensive roster plodding toward the lottery, it makes sense for New Orleans to give up on Armstrong and try to at least salvage some financial dignity.
The NBA: Where these transparent contract dumps are the only kind of trade we know anymore.
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