OT: Paul asking out of NO?

[erudite23]

The Hornets are not trading a CP3 with two years left on his deal for the poo poo platter. If he goes, a team will have to send back a lot of value in the form of 1) cap relief, 2) young quality players on rookie deals and 3) draft picks. NY cannot put together a package like that unless they are willing to trade Gallinari, Chandler and their 2014 1st rounder unprotected along with Curry's expiring deal and Raymond Felton. That's the best they can offer, and that is a ridiculously bad deal for them.

The best package that can be put together by any one of those teams is Orlando packaging Jameer Nelson, Marcin Gortat, Ryan Anderson two future 1st rounders and taking on one of their bad deals (Posey or Okafor, probably). The Mavs don't have much in the way of young talent, and the Lakers don't have anything in the way of young talent unless they are willing to part with Bynum (might be worth it, but they would have to retool the roster to make that work).

Maybe if Portland will throw Oden into the mix (what they SHOULD do is offer Brandon Roy straight up for him and Marcus Thornton, but that will never happen) they can become a real player, but all their "young talent" has either regressed to the point that they are no longer of significant value (Rudy, Bayless), moved on (Outlaw, Webster), gotten lucrative deals that make them not as valuable as before (Roy, LMA...could also include Wes here), or become an extreme injury risk (Oden). Really, Nicolas Batum is the best young chip they have, and--despite Blazer fans' insane over estimation of his worth--he is not that nice of a piece. He's the 5th best player on a championship team who can provide perimeter D, floor spacing and finishing ability in transition. Good player, but not anywhere near the value necessary to be the centerpiece of a trade for a player like CP3. At least not when the said player has 2 years left on his deal and has no leverage for at least 12 months. If Portland offered Oden and Batum and expiring deals to erase Okafor and Posey off NO's payroll, that would probably get the job done by the trade deadline this year. I just don't see any way he moves before the season.

[babyjax13]

If I were New Orleans I would be trying to move him just because of the fact that he can bolt in two years. Paul for Batum/Oden/Bayless would be looking pretty good to me.

[GP]

Cp3 in a run and gun offense would be a thing of beauty.

[DelaneyRudd]

If I were New Orleans I would be trying to move him just because of the fact that he can bolt in two years. Paul for Batum/Oden/Bayless would be looking pretty good to me.

Not his year. The other teams will be just as hot to throw their second best players at the Hornets one year from now.

[babyjax13]

You never get as much return for an expiring superstar. If they want to move him the time is now.

[erudite23]

Cp3 in a run and gun offense would be a thing of beauty.

It would be interesting to watch, but not necessarily the best way to maximize his skills. In a system designed entirely around him, giving him the freedom to do whatever made him most comfortable, his team ended up going with a slow-it-down, dribble the shot clock out and walk the ball up the court, type offense. I think his raws stats would likely stay about the same or take a small hit, but his per possession numbers would plummet. However, I agree, I think his actual impact on a team would increase and allow him to make others better to a far greater degree than he has with the Hornets. I want him to go to NY sooooo much.

[DelaneyRudd]

You never get as much return for an expiring superstar. If they want to move him the time is now.

If you don't get much back, why trade now? Why not draft night?

[outerspacefella]

Amazing... going from LePussJane to ChristinePaul

[DelaneyRudd]

Maverick Carter is the real enemy.

[Sloanfeld]

I hope he does go to LA for Bynum. That would help us but unfortunately they would still have tall ass Odom.

[kerplunk]

He'll be a nice backup to Deron in a Jazz uni.

[HammerDunk]

Why would LA change their team that drastically? They are the champs, and probably will be again. He is going nowhere.

[The59Sound]

Chris Paul has always been a whiny little bitch, so this doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Hope he goes to New York and proceeds to miss the playoffs for the rest of his vastly overrated career.

[carrottop12]

Wouldnt you guys want out of the Hornets sinking ship to go to Lakers or even the rebuilding Knicks. A BBall player has a limited amount of time in their careers and they dont want to be wasting on a team not trying to make itself better. Unlike KOC and the Millers this summer, what do the Hornets have going for themselve? They have over-paid over-rated playes on their roster because of bad management. Cant blame him for being upset!!!

A man is only as good as his word Toledo. When you sign a contract you are making a promise that is recognized by the highest authorities in our country. What Paul is ignoring is that the New Orleans Hornets owe him absolutely nothing more than to pay him the money they agreed to pay him when he signed his contract. There is nowhere in his contract that says they guarantee that they will keep him in the playoffs, or keep all-stars around, or trade him if he doesn't like the direction of the organization.

Now of course, Paul isn't the only player that has done this, it happens every year on multiple teams. However rarely are the players that do this the face of their franchise, and he cannot be allowed to try to suggest what team he would like to play for.

Doing what LeBron did in free agency is one thing, he honored his contract to the best of his ability, and then left under terms that were agreed on by both the players association and the owners in the league. What Paul is doing by having his people make these requests publicly is compromising the equal strength of the contract agreed on in the last CBA. This kind of business practice is extremely distasteful and horrible for the NBA as a business. He is placing his own desires over the sanctity of the NBA product, and that is wrong.

[Spre_4_3]

If Fisher became a part of the deal to bring Paul to the Lakers I would laugh. After all the loyalty Fish showed Kobe and the Lakers I bet they wouldn't think twice about replacing him with Chris Paul.

[StockBroome]

I don't think they can trade Fisher until Dec 15th or something like that so they would have to wait if they were going to trade him away.

[finnegan]

I don't believe any of it.

I think that it is 100% the machinations of the New York media at work!

[carrottop12]

I don't believe any of it.

I think that it is 100% the machinations of the New York media at work!

Knowing that Paul works with LRMR now my guess is these rumors are true. And usually these rumors don't grow to this size unless there is some legit backing to them. All the major outlets are backing this story so it definitely has feet.