http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2010/07/chris_paul_to_new_orleans_horn.html Looks like he wants out to me.
I don't know what N.O. could do to make Paul happy this offseason. They just don't have much to work with. I could imagine that once the season starts the situation could boil over and Paul may ask for a trade at the deadline. Of course, the ownership situation may very well come into play as well. Either way, the Blazers need to be ready if/when Paul wants out.
Well considering the last couple of years the Blazers have been kicked in the nuts continually, I imagine he is used to it.
I think Monty took the job knowing very well that he may not be coaching CP. He's far from stupid. I know he specifically mentioned wanting to work with Paul as the reason he took the job, but he's had excellent intelligence on Paul from the Blazers over the years, and he knows he took on a rebuilding job. Anyone could see they were going to have to part with at least one of their PGs, and Paul is much more valuable that Collison in terms of market value. I wouldn't be surprised if we encouraged Monty to seek the Hornets job and give him the best possible recommendation with the idea that we would make a move for Paul. Coaches like familiarity, and we could make Monty quite comfortable in NO with many of his former players.
So I want to get this straight. You think we encouraged monty to take the job there and gave him glowing recommendations knowing down the road we would pull off the trade of the year to get paul, and that monty would end up with a bunch of players he was comfortable with? Um o.k. That seems like an unusual theory for someone who does not have a lot of nice things to say about the blazers organization right now. I am pretty sure no one is going to agree with that theory.
What if we're making the deal I suggested in another thread of the proposed Blazer package (per Chad Ford) for Paul and Posey? Paul/?/Johnson Roy/Rudy Posey/Babbitt/Dante LMA/Howard/Camby Oden/Camby/Howard/Pendergraph We would still need a backup PG (I don't want to see 40 minutes of Chris Paul being ruined by 8 minutes of some scrub) and a better SF. I think Babitt could be the core piece of a trade for a more established SF, but I'm still not sure how, or we could use the MLE on a SF, but then we wouldn't have it to use on a backup PG. Maybe Babbitt for a backup PG and the MLE on a SF?
I think Larry Miller has had long and regular contact with Chris Paul's people. I think we knew Monty was going to get a chance to be a head coach. I think we preferred that he take the New Orleans' job. We knew Shinn was going to sell the team and we knew the Hornets were going to have to rebuild. The smart move for NO is to move Paul because he has the highest value and much of it can be replaced by Collison. It doesn't have to be a master plan for it to occur. It can just be our preference. I think we preferred Monty ended up in NO rather than PHI and our recommendation was likely much more vigorous to the Hornets than the Sixers.
This is THE move: http://www.realgm.com/src_tradechecker/3/ Portland trades: AMEC JPEC Bayless Rudy Batum Camby Picks + Cash + Any Euros wanted New Orleans trades CP3, Posey and Okafor. Hallelujah! Camby costs more then Posey but is bigger relief when he expires and a contributor provides relief two years running. Gives them a servicable Center and starting PG to mentor Collison, Gives them a replacement for Peja (Rudy/Bayless) and a tremendous young wing Batum. NOH: PG Miller/Collison SG Bayless/Rudy SF Batum PF West C Camby That's better then their current team IMO + cash for Shinn and picks to reload. Portland: PG Paul/Johnson SG Roy/Williams SF Wesley Matthews (MLE)/Cunningham/Posey/Babbit PF LMA/Pendergraph/Okafor C Oden/Okafor
Who knows if this is "THE" move, but I do think it's moderately fair ... I just have to wonder if some team couldn't better that deal.
I really dont like the idea of camby being involved in a trade for cp3. I think Oden is going to benefit a ton this season playing along side him.
Well, we've got 1) expiring contracts, 2) young talent on rookie contracts, and 3) talent that their head coach is already familiar with. And with a deal reportedly that almost got done last week, this is looking better and better! Hopefully the media keeps driving up CP3's discontent with NO.
I really feel like Portland's offer would be tough to top. NO just has to want to trade him now. Makes it easier having Collison ready to step in.
