Slings and arrows.... but would you?

I don't know about it. Very different eras. I think Thomas would have looked just as awesome in an era where there is a "no hand checking" rule.

The game is very different for quick guards in this regard - and I think it is showing in the stats sheet for CP3. Thomas went much further than Paul did at the college level (including winning it all once) and he was the best player on 2 NBA championship teams.

I think that we forget how much nastier and physical the game was back at the time - and how much harder it would have been for the smaller players to dominate.

 

How would Kevin Pritchard be looked at if he seriously considered the deal? The fans in here are support of it. But what about Rip City as a whole? Could Kevin Pritchard even embrace the idea of trading Brandon without a whole lot of fans calling for his head?

 

So you don't see an uprising then?

 

Here, I can play the same game. Tell me (in the last three decades) when a superstar in his prime has ever been traded for expiring contracts and young talent. Besides, Minstrel already explained this. If that's all it takes to get Paul, Portland won't be the only team in the league that will be trying to nab him. That will inevitable drive his price up.

The economy isn't that bad in New Orleans. It's actually easier to find a job there than say in Portland. In any case, you're basing your opinion on a lot of assumptions. The Hornets would probably move to a different city if the economy became depressing. (As opposed to trading Paul)

Well for one, taking Okafor's long bloated contract shows they aren't in as much financial trouble as you think they are in. Even if we assume New Orleans is a team on the decline, the last person they need to trade is their young superstar point guard. If they were rebuilding, I don't see how they could possibly obtain a better player or prospect than Paul.

 

Roy > Paul, so no.

I'd like Paul, but we can get someone who will fit better than him with patience.

 

So you think Paul's roughly on Jordan's level, then?

He's clearly surpassed Magic, who's career best PER is 27. So why even compare him there?

 

Vince Carter.

Kevin Garnett.

Pau Gasol.

want more?

 

Carter wanted out because of his relationship with the team. He didn't want to be there anymore.

Garnett was out of his prime.

Gasol is the only one who was traded for expirings and talent, but I would argue that he isn't even close to super-star level.

 

Paul is not, now will he ever be close to being, anything like Magic. That's just crazy talk.

 

Another good data point.

The change in the rules have really made PER comparison across these eras questionable.

 

Doesn't matter that Carter didn't want to be there. He was a superstar traded in his prime for rebuilding purposes for a team on the decline.

Garnett was still in prime shape. He won DPOY and made the all-star team and did play quite well. Sure, he didn't put up the same numbers, but that's because he wasn't on the romper squad.

Gasol was still the Grizzlies franchise player. Traded for financial reasons because they weren't going anywhere.

 

I'd try for a Oden, Rudy, Bayless, Joel for Paul package first.

A Paul- Roy-Aldridge trio would be best in the league.

 

Roy, for all of his physical talent, seems to be missing the final x factor to push him into superstardom.

Whereas Paul definitely has that x factor with his killer instinct. I think this roster needs that.

As much a I love Roy, I'd do that trade yesterday. . .

 

How is Roy lacking killer instinct?

 

This is all going on B-Roy's "Enemies list".