So he's turning down a chance to play with a better superstar in Durant for the "bright lights". GTFO! And I thought he was different than the other superstars.
Call me crazy, but I actually think Amare, Melo, CP3 is a better designed team than Lebron, Wade, Bosh.
This is the new reality in the NBA. Superstars want to play with other superstars, preferably in glamorous cities. Dream teams in dream cities. This is why Morey's plan is outdated. The summer of 2010 changed everything, and if the Rockets want to lure a star, they will need use another star as bait. This is a catch 22, to get a star you need a star, so the obvious conclusion is that you tank for your first star and then use him to recruit a friend. So the sooner the Rockets start collecting ping pong balls the better.
In the NEW NBA we should just cut all the other cities Houston would barely make it. I'm really disappointed in CP3. I would have thought going to somewhere like OKC would have been a dynasty or going to even Orlando would have given him and Dwight a fighting chance. but no we gotta go to NYC and two more ball hogging idiots
There is thing called defense- Amare, Melo and CP3 don't do that. Also: let's see how the knees of Amare and Chris Paul hold up. The Miami big three will win a couple of titles.
they probably are a bit better offensively, but there's no way any team can win an nba title with two defensive liabilities of that magnitude.
I think all 3 of those guys could play very good D together if they weren't coached by D'Antoni. However, they would still need a legit center.
Broussard is used heavily with "the big four" agents who use him to send messages through the media. More than likely, CP3 and Dwights agents are sending a message to the GM's or New Orleans and Orlando to get a deal done when free agency starts Dec 9th. -With CP3, they are basically telling New Orleans, trade me now or lose me for nothing this summer to the Knicks. -With Dwight, they are telling Orlando, I want to go where I can be matched up with another great player. If you send me to the Clippers, Blake Griffin better still be there. Its better for these teams to wait it out till the all-star break as the offers will get dramatically better, but obviously these soon to be free agents are wanting to push for a deal before the season begins.
Everyone puts it that way but its not just the "bright lights". I mean when you go to NY and are even a somewhat star you get tons of media attention, publicity, and all the off court deals that make you much more long term than a signing with the OKC Thunder. Look at Jordan, he would never be able to buy an NBA team for the chump change the Bulls paid him, all his off court money made that happen. If you think the Heat are over-polarized imagine what three black super/stars can do in a city like NY.
I think OKC should trade for him and take the chance of him leaving for nothing. I think the salary benefit of staying in OKC plus the greater basketball success would persuade Paul to stay in town. Being a NY hero would be great and all, but it's a somewhat dysfunctional franchise that isn't really going to contend even with an Amare/Melo/Paul core. OKC is built to win. And, if he walks anyway, that's fine by me -- it'd serve them right for betraying Seattle.
If Westbrook does not get signed to an extension before the trade deadline, I would not be surprised if Westbrook was shipped out for assets. But, I do not see Presti trading for Paul Even if he agreed to a contract extension before the trade. I haven't looked at a trade machine to know how that trade would even work.
Sucks for him. He would have an actual team around him in OKC and they would win now. New York won't have the D to beat Miami, plus Amar'e will probably be injured every year.
Nothing has changed. The only difference is guys now decide where they want to play when their contracts are up. But the teams will be no more stacked than they were in the past.
The Clippers make the most sense for Paul, as the Hornets could be compensated with some good, young, (cheap) talent, and Paul would be a good fit on the court with Griffin. I still see Howard ending up with the Lakers via Bynum trade, but I'm not sure how the new CBA affects them. NY doesn't look to have the assets to trade or the cap space to give CP3 a legit contract.
