Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 4:05pm

HORNETS PICK UP BAYLESS

The New Orleans Hornets acquired combo guard Jerryd Bayless from the Portland Trail Blazers for a conditional future first-round draft pick.

What does it give the New Orleans Pelicans
The Hornets have been in search of a good backup point guard to spell superstar Chris Paul, and they get one here in Bayless. Capable at both guard spots, Bayless still has untapped star potential (if some defensive shortcomings) and is a bit of a steal here for the Hornets. Expect him to play regularly in New Orleans' guard rotation.

What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
Getting a first-rounder here (albeit a conditional one) is a fair swap for the Blazers in return for a talented player. The Blazers have been overloaded at the guard positions for awhile now and got even moreso when they signed Wesley Matthews this past summer. Moving Bayless frees up minutes for Matthews and especially for Rudy Fernandez, who has been openly unhappy with his playing time and role in Portland. Moreover, the promise of rookie guards Elliot Williams and Armon Johnson made Bayless expendable, and they also cut some payroll here.

Fantasy impact