There's a new
article up on ESPN about Chris Paul trades by Brousard and Stein.
Interesting info:
The Golden State Warriors have effectively withdrawn from the Paul sweepstakes by stressing to the Hornets that they simply won't include star guard Stephen Curry in any deal with New Orleans. And sources told ESPN.com that none of the other teams known to be Paul's most ardent suitors sufficiently sweetened their trade offers Wednesday, despite the fact that it's now an open secret around the league that the Hornets want to move Paul before the season starts Christmas Day
Various executives believe that the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are thus the two most likely landing spots for Paul
The Celtics, sources say, are currently presenting the strongest offer, which features Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green and two first-round picks
Here's the part most relevant to us:
The Hornets' interest in Rondo is lukewarm at best, but one scenario in circulation would involve the Indiana Pacers and route former Hornets point guard Darren Collison back to New Orleans and land Rondo with the Pacers and Paul with the Celtics. Yet several other players would have to be involved to make such a deal work -- with more established talent going to New Orleans -- and there was no indication Wednesday that such a deal was close to completion.
It keeps coming up that the Hornets seem interested in getting Darren Collison back. The trade board often has us giving up all kinds of assets along with Collison (Granger/George/Hibbert/etc...) but these more "official" rumors usually have us giving up scraps.
but buried early on in the article before all the C's and Lakers speculation is this:
sources with knowledge of New Orleans' thinking said late Wednesday that the Hornets are prepared to wait for offers to improve, convinced that they they're getting low-ball proposals at this early stage of the process based on the external belief that they're so motivated to move Paul they will rush into a deal.
I don't get why they wouldn't just prefer Rondo to whatever pieces we'd be sending back in these other rumors. I'd love to get Rondo if it cost us Collison, Hansbrough and pick(s) but I doubt our additions are enough to get that trade done.
