A Look at the Hornets Offseason

With the Los Angeles Lakers capturing their 15th title, the 2008-09 NBA season official came to an end. Now teams are in full offseason mode and the new league year will get underway next week with the NBA Draft.

There are lots of rumors going around involving the New Orleans Hornets. The team is over the salary cap and fans may be disappointed to hear that the team may sell their 1st round pick again. Last year, the team selected Darrell Arthur and then traded him to Portland for cash. Arthur eventually landed in Memphis. Fans won't like seeing the team trade another 1st round pick for money, but with the salary situation, the team may decide that's the best option.

But there may be other moves that change the face of the Hornets. Former Hornet PF Jennero Pargo may be on his way back and the team would love to move players with huge salaries like Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler, if they can find any takers. To make a trade work though, the team may have to include a valuable player like David West in the deal.

The Hornets have brought in three groups of prospects for work outs recently. The players included 1st round prospects like LSU's Marcus Thornton and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough and some late round/free agent types like Xavier's Shaun Dumas and LSU's Terry Martin.

Here's a look at who a few mock drafts have the Hornets taking at pick #21:

• SI.com: Tyler Hansbrough, PF, UNC
• Draft Express: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU
• Walter Football: DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown
• Court Vision: Marcus Thornton, SG, LSU
• Portland Tribune: Marcus Thornton, SG, LSU
• Draft Party: Terrence Williams, SG, Louisville
• NBA-Draft.com: Chase Budinger, SF, Arizona
• NBA Draft Press: Tyler Hansbrough, PF, UNC
• Draft Tek: Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest
• Cippon Sports: Marcus Thornton, SG, LSU
• NBA Draft.net: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU
• My NBA Draft: James Johnson, PF, Wake Forest