SportsNation Blog Archives
New Orleans Hornets
On Friday, "First Take" debated Jason Smith's hard foul on Blake Griffin. Smith ran into Griffin on the Clippers' star's way to a likely dunk, laying him out on the floor and causing the Hornets crowd to applaud. Stephen A. Smith thinks Jason Smith should be suspended for at least 10 games, while Israel Guitierrez thinks the suspension should be shorter. Skip Bayless actually didn't have a problem with the foul, saying that the Hornets needed to step up against Griffin. What's your take?
Do Clippers have championship combo?
Chris Paul is finally on the move, traded to the Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and a first-round pick. Do he and Blake Griffin represent a championship duo?
Is Chris Paul around for the long haul?
Paul is expected to exercise his player option for 2012-13. But in the summer of 2013, both he and Griffin (restricted) could test free agency.
Changing the worst culture in sports?
You remember Chris Wilcox, Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, right? Are those former Clippers part of the worst legacy in pro sports?
Are Clippers the best game in town?
Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin are still in place, but has the balance of power in Los Angeles shifted with Lamar Odom leaving and Chris Paul arriving?
Did NBA get best deal for Hornets?
Eric Gordon averaged 22.6 points per game a season ago, Chris Kaman is a big body with an expiring contract, and an unprotected Timberwolves pick is always a good thing.
A chapter for David Stern's legacy?
David Stern said this situation wasn't a lot of fun, which is saying something for a guy who just went through a lockout. But how will it affect his legacy?
Chris Paul's first trip to Los Angeles might have been canceled, but it looks like he'll be headed there after all with just a simple change of address for his destination arena. The Clippers and Hornets are closing in on a deal that would send Paul to Los Angeles with no third team involved -- just a straight-up trade of a superstar in his prime for some rebuilding parts. The haul the Hornets would receive seems fair, but would they have gotten a better deal from the Lakers?
- "So CP3 gets to play in the Staples Center, where he is forced to look at the banners and great names in the rafters, and must constantly think about what could have been. " -- SN commenter P-52
- "Chris Paul is now in the Guinness Book of World Records. The first person to request a trade to the LA Clippers." -- SN commenter nickmayhrm911
Which would have been a fairer trade?
The Lakers would have given the Hornets Lamar Odom & Co., but the league intervened. Is this deal better?
Will the trade go through?
One Chris Paul trade has already fallen through. The potential inclusion of Eric Bledsoe could be a snag in this trade.
Better L.A. combo?
There's been talk of bringing Dwight Howard to the Lakers, but would a Howard-Bryant combo beat a Griffin-Paul duo?
Who knew the lockout would be the least contentious part of the NBA year? At least there were only two sides angry in those negotiations. After David Stern's league vetoed a trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers, Pau Gasol to the Rockets and Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a first-round pick to the Hornets, it's tough to keep track of all the angry parties.
- "The funny thing is Chris Paul can go wherever he wants next year. Same thing with Howard. Stern and the owners look pitiful in this move, and it will accomplish nothing." -- SN commenter gatorfan_frank
- "It's absolutely stupid to trade two of our best big men without at least having some kind of deal in place to get D12. I'm glad Stern vetoed this trade. Lakers would have been a mess if they just ended up with CP3 and no frontcourt." -- SN commenter LA_fan32
Why isn't Chris Paul in Los Angeles?
An NBA spokesman said the league "declined to make the trade for basketball reasons." An email from Dan Gilbert suggests otherwise.
Is the NBA's credibility at stake?
The particulars of this saga will lead some to believe the Hornets are pretty much a walking conflict of interest for the league that owns them.
Did the deal help the Hornets?
Led by Kevin Martin (23.4 ppg), the four players who would have headed to New Orleans averaged 63.7 points per game last season.
Is there any hope for small markets?
On a day the big-market Angels gave Albert Pujols more than $250 million to leave the mid-market Cardinals, did the NBA prove it is still a worse place for small-market teams?
Saving the Lakers from themselves?
Looking out for the Lakers presumably wasn't Gilbert's concern, but were the Lakers making a mistake trading away a bulk of their size?
Should we put it to a vote?
Speaking of Gilbert, does the owner of the Cavaliers have a point if the other 29 owners are partly on the hook for the Hornets?
A few days ago, the talk was all about a potential Chris Paul for Rajon Rondo trade. Things can change awful quickly in a few days in the post-lockout NBA, as Paul has indicated that he'd much prefer to go to the Knicks instead. The Knicks would be the latest squad to put all of their eggs in three highly-paid baskets, as Paul would be feeding passes to Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Would New York's latest megateam ever become a reality?
- "Who really cares if Chris Paul goes to the Knicks...I mean, it's not like with the addition of an elite PG they are going to start playing defense...which is what it takes to win." -- SN commenter BSPN04
- "Paul, Dwight, Lebron, Bosh, Melo....all these guys have given their teams at least 6 years to put a decent team around them. How long are they supposed to wait for these GM's to get it together? If these guys want to win, they've gotta make the move & go to teams that have a shot." -- SN commenter _mongo_slade_
The greatest Knick?
If Paul's trade goes through, he'll be a big fish in a much bigger pond, considering the two superstars already on the Knicks.
Heat or Knicks?
The Heat have already proved that a trio of superstars can at least get you to the Finals. Would the Knicks have a better shot with Paul?
Does Paul owe New Orleans?
Chris Paul defines the New Orleans Hornets, but the team has been unable to surround him with the talent necessary to win a championship.
Is Paul the best point guard?
Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams have also been involved in trade and contract talks as of late, but are either of them on Paul's level?
The NBA is back, which means instead of talking about collective bargaining we can go back to talking about individual bargaining. Chris Paul is set to enter free agency after this season, meaning if the Hornets can't sign him, they either need to trade him now or enjoy the same sort of drama the Nuggets went through with Carmelo Anthony. The latest rumor? The Celtics are interested in swapping Rajon Rondo for Paul.
- "Rondo is elite, and Paul stays hurt. Check the all-around stats since they both been in the league. I'm keeping Rondo. Remember, Jason Kidd couldn't shoot for years! " -- SN commenter chucklee374
- "Trading a terrible shooter with good defense for a good shooter with great defense … makes sense to me." -- SN commenter twinswin94
Will the Hornets trade Paul?
Chris Paul has played 425 games for the Hornets, his first and only NBA team. But is that marriage coming to an end?
Are Paul and Rondo comparable talents?
Paul averaged a career-low 9.8 assists per game to rank fourth in the NBA last season, two spots behind Rondo. At least Paul edged him for the NBA lead in steals per game.
Are the Celtics hurting their own cause?
The Celtics reportedly wanted to swap Rondo for Russell Westbrook after last season, and now there is this rumor. Will all of it hurt his pride and his game?
Does New Orleans need Paul?
It remains to be seen whether the new labor deal will help small-market franchises, but can pro basketball make it in New Orleans without Paul?
We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.
Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)
Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)
Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)
Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)
LeBron James, just look at what you've started.
Maybe it's not particularly fair to blame King James for the news that Chris Paul may be leaving the New Orleans Hornets, but you can definitely see LeBron's invisible hand at work here. Despite Paul's best efforts, the Hornets aren't making the NBA Finals anytime soon. Why should he waste his prime years getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs every season? It's much more appealing, no doubt, to simply bring one's talents to a team with cap space, or a bevy of young talent, or an established superstar or two. Paul's desires are certainly understandable.
Is this going to happen all the time, however? Will established stars bolt the teams that drafted them if things aren't quite going as planned? If anyone else follows LeBron's lead, we might just see such a practice becoming standard.
“Orlando has the best players to trade, a huge expiring contract included in that, they can take on Posey's contract and fit him in nicely!!! Paul will have a team he can easily contend on and it makes total sense for both teams!!!
” -- openminded43
“CP3 isn't going anywhere. He is the face of the franchise, has two years left on his contract, and did I mention "HE IS THE FRANCHISE." I think someone mentioned the Kobe plan earlier. He's gonna stay put and the Hornets w/ at least $21 mil in expiring contracts, will be VERY ACTIVE players at the trade deadline and free agency.
” -- damanrighthere78
- Rank 'Em: Which teams are most likely to challenge the Lakers?
- Rank 'Em: Are Carmelo Anthony and Tim Duncan the top potential 2011 free agents?
A consolidation of player power in Miami is the talk of the offseason, for obvious reasons. But when do we talk about a diffusion of power in the Western Conference?
Phoenix moves on without Amare Stoudemire but with Hedo Turkoglu. Utah has to hope Al Jefferson and Raja Bell equal the departed Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver. Dallas kept Dirk Nowitzki, no minor feat, but it's hard to envision Tyson Chandler as the missing piece of the puzzle. Will impending free agency distract Carmelo Anthony? Will Yao Ming stay on his feet for an entire season? Should we just let the Lakers skip ahead to the NBA Finals?
In following Horace Greeley's advice, Al Harrington said he picked the Nuggets instead of the Mavericks based on each team's potential (the extra money inherent in suggestions that the Mavs were loathe to give him five years probably didn't hurt). We say if Harrington can judge Western Conference potential, he's a better man than us.
jay (uptown dallas)
are the mavs seeking ant other trade scenerios right now
ESPN Dallas' Jeff Caplan
Jay, Donnie Nelson says the team will be as active as ever. They'll continue to probe New Orleans about Chris Paul. the Hornets just fired GM Jeff Bowers, so things are in flux there and Paul is getting increasingly uneasy about the direction of the franchise. Otherwise, the Mavs will keep calling clubs for trades, kicking around Carmelo, as if that's going to happen, but yes, they will be looking for trades, particularly a blockbuster to land a star to pair with Dirk. I think the percentages are low. Full transcript
“Great signing by Denver. Al Harrington was the only bright spot on a horrible Knicks team. He's young and from NJ so you know he has energy and toughness.
” -- mcbrinkosu
- Rank 'Em: Would Chris Paul go No. 1 if teams got a 2005 draft mulligan? | Best PG?
- Vote: Will the Hornets trade Paul before the start of the 2010-11 season?
As if we needed more offseason intrigue on the eve of the draft, a week away from free agency and while awaiting word on the future plans of the most successful coach in league history, now we have Chris Paul saying he's open to a trade.
We're not sure what to make of Paul's words or all the rumors that the Hornets might be listening to, if not outright soliciting, offers for their star point guard. We don't know what kind of financial trouble the Hornets might be in. We don't know if landing Paul might help the Nets sign LeBron James -- and if that might make for a better combination than LeBron and Dwyane Wade.
What we can say with some degree of confidence is Marvin Williams won't be the centerpiece of any trade for Paul. One of three players picked ahead of Paul in 2005, Williams averaged fewer points per game last season than Esran Ilyasova. It's not quite Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan, but would the Hawks take a mulligan?
“CP58 just wants to be blown out by another team in the playoffs. Let him go.
” -- JTRMS45
“You know what, Chris Paul is a top five player still, even with the injury he sustained midway through the season but I'm not scared to say it, Chris Paul is TRADEABLE. I mean, you got a guy like Collison in the backcourt, who isn't Paul but he's good enough. You can't reached the playoff anymore because you can't get guys on the team i.e. the Okafor trade last year messed up the team since he's salary is so high.
” -- mmohamed004
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