The Vertical Front-Office Insider Bobby Marks, a 20-year executive with the Nets, offers his thoughts on the offseason plans of NBA teams whose seasons have ended.

THE PLAN GOING FORWARD

Prioritize free agency

The advantage for the Hornets in free agency is five of the better free agents are theirs.





The problem is getting each player to fit into the salary-cap puzzle and keeping together a core that won 48 games this season.

Nic Batum, Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee, Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lin each fit into the blueprint of general manager Rich Cho and coach Steve Clifford.

Charlotte, with $48 million in guaranteed contracts and $66 million in free-agent cap holds, will not be able to sign all five players, who will be coveted by teams overflowing with cap space.

Jeremy Lin may be the odd free agent out in Charlotte. (Getty Images) More

The odd man out is likely going to be Lin. With Lin opting out of his contract – and with non-Bird rights – Charlotte will have to use cap space to sign him. To create room, Charlotte would need to address Batum, Jefferson, Lee and Williams before circling back to Lin. The large cap holds have Charlotte over the salary cap.

If Batum is brought back at $20 million and Jefferson at $10 million then Charlotte could have room for Lin. However, that would cost the team Lee and Williams. The issue for Charlotte is that with a weak free-agent point-guard class, Lin could be off the board within the first few days of free agency.

Charlotte could try and find a home for Spencer Hawes and Jeremy Lamb to create additional cap room, but even the $11 million in savings would not be enough to allow the Hornets to bring back all five players.

The next two months will be critical for the Hornets to prioritize their free agents.

Have multiple free-agent options

Portland showed last summer the value of executing a backup plan when it lost LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency.



The Hornets will be walking that same free-agent tightrope.

Leading up to July 1, the Hornets will need to have every free-agent and trade scenario on the table. If they don’t, their success this season will be a distant memory.

What backup free-agent point guard can play with Kemba Walker if Lin leaves? If cap space is needed for Lin, how will it be created? If Batum signs elsewhere, who on the open market can replace him? How many more years will Jefferson produce at a high level? Will Lee’s salary demands be too much? Will Williams become a luxury based on the development of Frank Kaminsky?

Cho and his staff will prepare for every scenario, including the doomsday scenario of being left with $39 million in cap space if a mass exodus of their free agents occurs.

TEAM NEEDS

In a perfect scenario, all five free agents return, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist stays healthy, Charlotte’s first-round pick pays off, and the Hornets build off their success.



However NBA teams do not operate in a perfect world.

The challenge of bringing back Lin could mean Charlotte will be looking for a backup point guard.

The Kidd-Gilchrist injury and the development of Cody Zeller, Lamb and Kaminsky will also affect Charlotte’s decisions.

SUMMER CAP BREAKDOWN

Guaranteed 2016-17 Insider info 1. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $13,000,000 None 2. Kemba Walker $12,000,000 None 3. Jeremy Lamb $6,511,628 None 4. Spencer Hawes $6,348,759 None 5. Cody Zeller $5,318,313 Eligible for rookie extension 6. Frank Kaminsky $2,730,000 None Non/partial 2016-17 Guarantee date 7. Aaron Harrison $874,636 None FA cap holds 2016-17 Free-agent status 8. Al Jefferson $20,250,000 Full Bird rights 9. Nicolas Batum $19,687,959 Full Bird rights 10. Courtney Lee $10,782,500 Full Bird rights 11. Marvin Williams $9,100,000 Early Bird rights 12. Jeremy Lin $2,566,800 Non -Bird rights 13. Troy Daniels $980,431 Restricted/early Bird rights 14. Tyler Hansbrough $980,431 Non -Bird rights 15. Jeffrey Taylor $980,431 16. Jason Maxiell $980,431 First-round hold 2016-17 17. Own pick at No. 22 $1,199,900

CAP PICTURE

Guaranteed $45,908,700 Non/partial $874,636 FA cap holds $66,308,983 First-round holds $1,199,900 Minimum holds $0 Dead money $0 Total $114,292,219 Salary cap $92,000,000 Cap space None ($22,292,219 over cap)

JUNE DRAFT PICKS

First round: Own pick



Second round: To Denver

FUTURE PICKS

First round

Charlotte owns all their its first-round picks.





Key rights to: None

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