[Kstat]

Hornets, Pistons win in Chris Paul trade | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Hornets, Pistons win in Chris Paul trade

BY DREW SHARP • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • May 3, 2009


Joe Dumars should go after New Orleans point guard Chris Paul.
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It's not as outrageous as you might think.

New Orleans remains in worse economic shape than Detroit. The Hornets announced recently that they'll tap into the $175-million line of credit the NBA established to assist teams through these turbulent fiscal waters.

Overall league revenues are falling and the salary cap might drop to the neighborhood of $57 million come July 1. The Hornets are currently $20 million over that figure for next season, according to Hoopshype.com, pushing them beyond the luxury tax threshold unless they pare significant payroll while receiving minimal in return.

Paul is the game's best point guard. He has a four-year, $63.6-million contract extension kicking in next season that the Hornets cannot afford unless they part with most of his high-priced supporting cast -- center Tyson Chandler, perimeter bomber Peja Stojakovic, power forward David West and valuable sixth man James Posey.

But should they part with some of those players for the sake of keeping Paul long-term, then there's no support for a legitimate championship run and the Hornets are dead in the nest.

The Pistons stand in perfect position this summer, with nearly $20 million of salary-cap space, for inheriting another team's contractual millstone through a trade.

It's understandably a longshot for Paul, but why not shoot for the ultimate?

New Orleans was in trouble before Hurricane Katrina blasted it four years ago. Corporate funding remains the life blood of professional sports because it helps keep those stadium and arena luxury suites filled at premium rates. New Orleans was home to only one Fortune 500 corporation before the levees collapsed.

Detroit was home to 15 Fortune 500 corporations in 2005, more than two-thirds directly connected to the domestic automobile industry, explaining why Detroit is currently one of only two cities with four professional teams in four separate facilities.

The Hornets' embarrassing five-game exit from the first round of the playoffs, including an unheard-of 58-point home loss in Game 4, only accentuated the panic within the franchise. They aren't as close to reaching the NBA elite as they thought a year ago, and they're looking at as radical a personnel transformation as the Pistons because the Hornets must cut costs.

Paul and New Orleans might provide Detroit with a basketball bailout.

[Inbetweengame]

If Chris Paul is available then we find a way to make that trade right now! Damn, that'd be exciting.

[Kstat]

The thread title was sarcasm. the article itself is unintentional satire.

Chris Paul is not going anywhere. Sharp does not know what he's talking about.

New Orleans can sell off chandler and west and probably posey too at discount rates. They could easily keep paul around and have a super-cheap budget.

[Inbetweengame]

Like Sharp writes it is a long shot but he's right when he says that the Hornets are unlikely to contend after they sell off their roster. We should make an offer for Chris Paul just to see what comes of it.

[bozo the clown]

He has a point that no matter what they do to try to get their budget under control, they probably won't contend for a lnog time. But they'd be fools to trade Paul. He's so young and will get better. They can rebuild around him.

[Dave Bing]

yeah, Paul, Kobe, LeBron, Dwight Howard... we should trade for one of those guys.

[bozo the clown]

Yeah, why didn't we think of that?

[Lou Stefanic]

With all of the people out of work in Detroit, it boggles my mind that Drew Sharp actually got paid to write that column.

[Mainevent]

Originally Posted by Dave Bing

yeah, Paul, Kobe, LeBron, Dwight Howard... we should trade for one of those guys.

Nah, Kobe's too old, Paul's not big and strong enough, Howard can't pass out of a double team, and we all know about LeBron.

Seriously, do you think his editor laughed when he submitted this article?

[El Axe]

Originally Posted by Mainevent

Nah, Kobe's too old, Paul's not big and strong enough, Howard can't pass out of a double team, and we all know about LeBron.

Seriously, do you think his editor laughed when he submitted this article?

LMAO. Sorry Newman.

[pif]

Who needs Chris Paul? The Pistons already have their non-PG-PG of the future.

[tin mad dog]

Stuckey, Prince, Max and a future first?

[THE PISTONS]

Honestly all of the Suns should trade Amare Stoudemire rumors make about as much sense as this Chris Paul article. Amare is one of their youngest good players along with Barbosa.

They could rebuild around those 2.

Instead of trading Amare, the Suns should get rid of their 35/36/37 year olds in Nash, Hill, and Shaq.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by tin mad dog

Stuckey, Prince, Max and a future first?

Hypothetically, IF the Hornets were going to deal Paul, then they wouldn't take back salary equal to Pauls. The would likely dump a bunch of bad contracts along with Paul. We would be able to absorb some of those, plus give them quality talent.

[bozo the clown]

Exactly. So if they were fool enouh to do it, they wouldn't even want all those players.

[Kstat]

the trade would look like this:

Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler for Amir Johnson and Kwame Brown.

$7 million in expiring contracts going their way for $93 million in guaranteed money going to Chandler and Paul coming back to us.

[Jangul]

The trade idea is ridiculous on its face so it's kid of silly for me to amend it, but there's no way it would even hypothetically get done without us handing over Stuckey or Bynum, maybe both, well before they take Amir. Oh, and they'd demand , and get, a mess load of future draft picks. We're under the cap, so they wouldn't feel compelled to take any non-useful slugs back like Kwame or Amir , not even ones who expire this year.

And absolutely no trade ever ever goes down for a franchise player without the explicit demand of said disgruntled top tier superstar to be traded AND the threat of an imminent free agent defection. That's why Bosh and Boozer are on the table and that's why Amare and Kobe were on the table. Paul's not on the table. Sharp is an idiot.

[Kstat]

First off, you're missing the point. This is a joke scenario where they are looking to dump salary at all costs. Stop taking this seriously.

Second, you don't have a grasp of the Pistons current salary structure. We are not far enough under the cap to take $24 million back in 2010 salary. We would have to trade them expiring contracts to make up the difference.

[fredsue]

yeah this is quite the joke.

Paul is the player you keep and build around because people will come to see him. After all this is an entertainment business.

Now the pistons can use teamthat are inthis position to get some good players.

We have tools...two low level contracts expiring on players that can play (somewhat) out their contract....very useful players on decent nonoutrageous contracts....draft picks....most importantly we can absorb large contracts because of being under the cap.

[GC_STONES]

As I said last week.

If this were ever to happen it would be Stuckey + a 1st for Paul.

Hornets need to shed salary and need a cheap, effective, potential-type player to replace Paul. Well, Chicago ain't trading Rose for Paul; Rondo ain't leaving Boston; and the majority of the rest of the young and talented PG/combo guards aren't on rookie deals. This all hinges on the Hornets getting desperate and moving Paul. They would get a $10+ million cut off their cap but also have a cheap starting caliber PG that has been the playoffs.

[tin mad dog]

Is Paul still on his rookie contract?

[Medz]

Originally Posted by Kstat

First off, you're missing the point. This is a joke scenario where they are looking to dump salary at all costs. Stop taking this seriously.

Second, you don't have a grasp of the Pistons current salary structure. We are not far enough under the cap to take $24 million back in 2010 salary. We would have to trade them expiring contracts to make up the difference.

They would be taking $8.2 million back, not $7 million, something you should be accurate about if you're going to accuse people of not having a grasp of the salary structure.

[THE PISTONS]

To shed salary, you get rid of Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, James Posey, or even David West.

You don't get rid of a top 5 player in the league.

[bozo the clown]

Originally Posted by THE PISTONS

To shed salary, you get rid of Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, James Posey, or even David West.

You don't get rid of a top 5 player in the league.

And we really want none of those people, except maybe Posey. The funny thing is that the Hornets could get rid of all those people and bring in a couple tough cookies and they could actually get BETTER.

[Stefan S]

I doubt that Hornets would trade CP#, for I doubt that anyone would trade away a top-5 player in the league and already one of the few best guards in the league (if not the very best).

If they are willing to do it, I hope Joe will find the way.

[bozo the clown]

It's a silly fantasy, but stranger things have happened in this league.

[Dave Bing]

Wilt got traded. Shaq got traded. It doesn't happen much but it happens.

[Stefan S]

Kareem got traded, too.

...and, of course, Chauncey Billups...

[Medz]

Kwame got traded for Caron Butler and again for Pau Gasol.

[fredsue]

we got kwame to be our star magnet....

[bozo the clown]

Yeah, we're there. the third time is the charm. This time it will be Chris Paul

[THE PISTONS]

If CP3 were under a contract that was expiring soon then maybe the trade would be more likely. He is young enough that they could dump all of the players that I mentioned above and rebuild around him still.

[THE PISTONS]

Really a trade of something like Amir and a couple draft picks for Bosh is more realistic at this stage of the game.

Bosh doesn't make us a title contender, but if we could then add Boozer to play beside him then maybe we are.

[fredsue]

I agree bosh by himself does not make us a contender BUT he is the type of level 2 player that you can build with and make a great team.

A geoup of twos may not be the best way to go but that is the way you buid until you find that star. Then build around that one.

Getting bosh would be great...but putting him next to boozer would not be a good idea in my mind. plus that is alot of dough to commit to two PF basically.

[GC_STONES]

I want Birdman in FA. I think he may be better than David Lee; will be much cheaper and is a true center.

[fredsue]

He does get alot out of the skill he has but he is really pretty small. He only plays like 20 minutes per game. He is small for a PF.

[bozo the clown]

I don't think Birdman is a true center, or better than Lee overall. But he is a hustle player and defender. Kind of like Max on a good day.

[Money23]

I'd much rather have David Lee, hard working and consistent. Oh, and not insane.

[esther kim]

Birdman and Hermann together on one team? I wouldn't know who's hair to root for...I think Birdman might be only slightly insane...you have to admit he's got spirit. He can blocks shots and cleans up garbage at the rim.

[bozo the clown]

We need some junkyard dog type guys off the bench if they are consistent. Max is just too erratic.

[Whisper]

I could get onboard for the Birdman. He's unrestricted, too.

[mn3]

Yeah, he'd be fine for us. Maxiell is overrated, IMO, because he's inconsistent.

[your name here]

What drug was he busted for?

[GC_STONES]

I thought just coke, but checked Wiki

"The drugs for which he tested positive included methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, heroin, codeine, morphine and PCP."

[Jangul]

Far be it from me to doubt Wiki as a source, but he tested for all those drugs on the same test? And it wasn't an autopsy? C'mon, man. I'm pretty sure the NBA never released those results to the public.

[GC_STONES]

From the January 2006 article when the story broke

Hornets' Andersen kicked out of NBA for drug use - NBA - ESPN

NEW YORK -- New Orleans Hornets forward Chris Andersen was dismissed and disqualified from the NBA on Friday for violating the league's drug policy.

The "Birdman" was the first NBA player banned for drug violations since 1999.

Andersen must wait two years before he can apply for reinstatement, the league said.

According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for "drugs of abuse."

The drugs on that list are amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP.

Andersen has not previously been suspended for steroid use.

so I think you're right, Jangul, for some reason I think it was cocaine

[fredsue]

I like his hustle but he is undersized and is inconsistent as well. I fyou can get him for 2 mil or less a year...(which more than double his money this year.) ok...

[Whisper]

He surely is worth more than 2 mil.. He's a big and he's an impact player.

[Jangul]

I think he's highly underrated right now. Most agressive shotblocker in the league,and he does it without fouling which is the key stat that separates the great shotblockers form the detritus. You give him the minutes, he leads the league in blocks and gives you 10 rebounds a game. He could really help cover the deficiencies of a Cat like Boozer. I'm upgrading his rating to" Buy".

[fredsue]

He is 6' 10" and less than 230. he may be a big but he is not big. He blocks shots but gets less than 7 points and 7 rebounds a game.


He has never been more than a rotational player avg more than 20 minuts. This is the first season he has blown up with blocks...

He is getting under a mil this year...