Chris Paul hopes to represent New Orleans "for many years to come"

Represent New Orleans for many years to come??

He has 2 years left and then he can and WILL opt out so don't kid yourself.

Also does Paul know the team will probably not be in New Orleans much longer at this rate.

This sounds like total damage control to help still sell season tickets and try to get best offers.

 

I called this one. Not even slightly surprised.

 

New Orleans has no need to hurry to deal him, unless someone actually give them an offer they absolutely can't refuse. If they are smart, they'd just hold on to Paul for another season and see what happens then.

 

He'll be gone by the trade deadline.

 

If their goal is to have a shot at a title - I think it is pretty obvious that they currently aren't even close to that. So unless they know they will acquire players within the next few months that will put them over the hump, why would they force him to stay if they know they would lose him in two years anyway?

That's also how I understand the situation.

 

maybe the hornets calmed cp3 down by telling him they are after carmelo

 

This.

I don't see Paul being dealt before the season starts. I really don't think he'll be dealt before the trade deadline either. This time next year is when I see him being dealt.

He definitely is not happy in NO, but he doesn't really have a say whether he can be moved or not. I don't think he is childish enough to where he will not report to training camp just to get a trade. Since he wont do this, he has no leverage. He may have spoken out to be traded but when camp starts, he will be there and be ready to play.

And it looks like no team can offer the Hornets something they feel worthy of CP3 right now.

 

Chris Mannix:

 

this is the Hornets saying: "we're in control, thanks."

 

Like I said yesterday. Keep Brooks forget Chris Paul. This guys gonna leave them high and dry when they cant get anything like Lebron and Bosh did. Let these teams continue to be horrible through nad management. They actually want more than a 19 points a game person to replace their guy and draft picks, and a young powerforward, and veteran depth, and expirings? These guys are not operating with a full deck of cards. Might as well keep our players and find a better deal from some reasonable teams. Paul can leave them in two years for New York and we can watch the Decision on ESPN.

 

Hornets have nothing to offer in return. They're a lame duck franchise for at least one more season. Unless the Hornets are willing to take on Brand's contract to get Iggy and the Sixers are happy with only expiring contracts.

 

And they are....at least this year.

DD

 

Hornets are rediculous franchise. Their are alot of team destroying GMs out there. Toronto, Cleveland, and the Hornets. We have to realize these guys dont know what good deals are. Thats why their teams are constantly horrible. They pass up good deals to lettheir guys leave for nothing and have empty stadiums year after year. Raptors could have tried a little harder to let Chris Bosh give them a good player in replacement for a sNT and Cleveland could have already done so too. Paul is just another guy who is gonna pull a Amare. Phoenix and Amare had these same things happen. They felt it was better to stick it out instead of getting something for him of value. They got nothing pretty much. That kind of thinking is rampant in the NBA these days. GMs too afraid to do deals and end up hurting franchises or getting less by holding out till later? Why? Every is holding out later to get a better deal so they out waite each other and end up getting very little in return than they would have in earlier deals.

 

They are getting a new GM, and ownership group, right?

Why on earth would they want to come in and blow up the team without seeing what they have first.

They may indeed trade him at some point, but their GM is going to want to find out what they "NEED" in a trade before actually doing it.

DD

 

I don't agree with this. If New Orleans knows he wants to go, they would stand to get a lot more assets for him NOW then next year.

The Hornets stand to get maximum value for Paul by having more bidders for his service. If they wait until next year, there will be less bidders because the perception is he is a "rental". Teams aren't willing to give up as much for that....and of course we saw the poop teams got for sign and trades with big names FAs this year. Basically the longer they wait, the less value they are going to get for him AND the harder it will be to rid themselves of one of their awful contracts(like Okafor).

Paul wants to win and the Hornets have to wait until they unload themselves of some big contracts before they can think about signing someone will make a difference. Peja's contract comes off the books at the end of this year, but they are going to have to resign all of their young guys at the end of the year too (Collison, Thornton, and Wright) and decide what they want to do about Songaila. That will likely leave them just enough to sign someone for around the MLE(they might even have less and will have to renounce their cap space to use the MLE funds). So conceivably, the Hornets next year would be in the same precarious cap position only they will have replaced Peja with an MLE pickup which isn't much of an upgrade and then they won't have space again for a while when you figure in they will be likely try to resign Paul and West in two years in a "let's a keep a contender for Paul" scenario. So in short, this team is not going to be able to get significantly better any time soon and the economy in New Orleans won't support a team well into the luxury tax so the Hornets are stuck and Paul likely knows this.

...I agree they aren't going to be in a hurry to move Paul right now(before the season starts), but I'm sure they are trying to find takers for Emeka or Posey or even West right now for the right deal. If they can't find a good trade partner, then they have to move Paul+Okafor for young cheap talent NOW or risk getting less for him and likely getting stuck with Okafor in a year or worse yet, nothing for him in two years and probably either overpaying for David West or losing him too. Make no mistake, New Orleans is "on the clock" and needs to asses the situation now because the longer they wait, the worse it's going to get for them.

 

I disagree, I think the new Coach, GM, and ownership group will want to see how everyone on the roster plays before even thinking about moving him.

DD

 

I'm fine either way, and really looking forward to the season. But talent-wise, I think he could put us over the hump.

 

Which means less trade partners and the deals go down in size. The more time he doesnthave on his contract the less valuable he is to everyone else. They are not doing the right thing as evidence with about every single move over the last few years. Of which netting nothing. Amare, Bosh, Lebron, just about every team that waits. Good luck Hornets GM.

 

Let's hope he does represent them for many years to come.