Chris Paul wants out of N.O.

[metro]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/n...is-paul-072210

Any chance we could afford him? I bet we could be a black knight behind the scenes and Paul would be open to coming to OKC to play with Durant.

[Kerry]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/n...is-paul-072210

Any chance we could afford him? I bet we could be a black knight behind the scenes and Paul would be open to coming to OKC to play with Durant.

We already have a really good point guard. Besides, he wants a new contract before the salaries go down next year, so if someone wants him they are going to have to pay a lot.

[MonkeesFan]

I pray he comes to the Magic! He said he rather go to the Knicks, Lakers, or Magic. GO MAGIC!

[Easy180]

Don't need him now...Much rather have Russell at this point in their careers

[geterdone]

This salary cap is so confusing, how in the world would Orlando be able to afford him we that are already at 90 million.

[Laramie]

Chris Paul may still have ties with Aubrey McClendon (PBC owner); if he would have made his feelings known before now, the Thunder would have definitely been in the bidding.

It's far too late for including Chris Paul in with the Thunder. His love for OKC (first city in which he played) is still there. It's very unfortunate what has occurred in New Orleans. George Shinn is a poor man millionaire and doesn't have the capital to compete with the deep pocket owners and that's why he is in the selling process!

[HOT ROD]

I agree, it is just too unfortunate for CP3 that the Hornets returned to New Orleans AND OKC got the Sonics and Presti's very sound moves. Sure OKC is CP3's first team and love, and Im sure he'd jump at the chance to come home and play with Durant; but should we break up a DEFINITIVE rising team to get CP3 home? Durant, Westbrook, Hardin, and company.....

If there's some way we could make it work - I'd be all for it. But what would we do with Westbrook if we got CP3?

[jstaylor62]

Chris Paul is starting to sound like he is in it for Chris Paul. That goes against what OKC has built as a team first organization. Contrary to what Jim Traber's moronic arse thinks, Russel Westbrook is a excellent NBA point guard!

But, I do see the possibility that veteran players might come to OKC just to have the chance to play with Kevin Durant.

[TaoMaas]

Chris Paul is starting to sound like he is in it for Chris Paul.

Yep. It probably shouldn't be surprising, though, since I think LeBron and his crew are advising him these days.

[Laramie]

We need to let Presti do his job and that is to continue to build this team through the draft because we are a small market city and just maybe somewhere down the line when the team needs to bring in a bona-fide free agent, we can negotiate from there.

If CP3 became the point guard then Westbrook would become the shooting guard--where Tabo is now; what would we do with Eric Maynor? Would Westbrook be as effective defensively as a shooting guard?

I will admit that this does have possibilities; however, let Sam Presti continue to make that call.

[TaoMaas]

There was a time when I really wanted Chris Paul to come back to OKC...but not now. It's not because I don't like CP3 these days. It's because I can't think of any current Thunder players that I'd be willing to give up to get him! I mean in a REALISTIC trade. No...I like the team we've got. I'm more than content to follow these guys into the upcoming season and see how it shakes out.

[Easy180]

Looks like Shinn wants out instead

AP source: NBA has a deal to buy Hornets
Updated 05 Dec, 2010
A person familiar with the decision says New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn has agreed to sell the club to the NBA and that the transaction could be completed within a couple days.
The league has lined up Jac Sperling of the NHL's Minnesota Wild to be the NBA's administrator of the team and oversee its sale to a more permanent owner, the person told The Associated Press Sunday on condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced.
The person says current Hornets President Hugh Weber will continue overseeing day-to-day operations of the first NBA team to be owned by the league.
Shinn has been trying to sell the Hornets to minority owner Gary Chouest since last spring, but those negotiations have stalled.

[bluedogok]

Didn't Shinn want out when the team was playing in OKC and the NBA pretty much blocked it?

[Spartan]

I hate to say this, but I don't see where trading Westbrook for CP3 would be a good deal. Russ is a Thunder guy. The franchise took a chance on him against the advice of everyone and developed him to the point where he is now and now we have a true franchise player who, alongside Durant & Co., represents the team and the city with class.

I would love to have Chris Paul back in OKC, but Westbrook could be a better point guard, especially for this young team. Westbrook is also not going to be able to command the same pay grade that Chris Paul does, so to that extent it's a better deal. I'm not even sure that a team other than the Thunder would be willing to pay more for Westbrook right now. The most realistic case is that we in OKC just wish him best of luck in finding a better team and getting the heck away from George Shinn.

[metro]

Didn't Shinn want out when the team was playing in OKC and the NBA pretty much blocked it?

No, Shinn didn't want to give up majority shares. The OKC partners wanted majority shares, thus went looking towards Seattle after Shinn wouldn't give it up.

[bombermwc]

I'm with Spartan here. CP3 was a great player to get around when the Hornets were here, but we've developed such a good relationship with the players Presti has collected (and at a great bargain), i don't think we need another "star". Once he leaves NOLA, they're a pile again anyway...so I bet the ownership does what they can to keep him around.

[OKC Heel]

Chris Paul was and apparently always will be a master at fooling the masses. He was a punk growing up in NC. He was a punk in college. He was a punk when he got to OKC, and he's probably always going to be a punk. He would not fit in on this team whatsoever.