First it was LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Then Carmelo Anthony. Now Chris Paul and Dwight Howard appear to be the latest NBA players who are ready to flee a smaller-market franchise for the bright lights of a bigger city.
Rumours began to circulate last season that the Hornets point guard was ready to flee New Orleans for New York and create the NBA’s second Big Three alongside Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.
Those reports have begun to pick up steam this week as the New York Post ran a story under the headline: "NBA labor deal could help Knicks land Paul," less than 24 hours after an agreement had been reached.
The story pointed out that the Knicks were lacking anything to trade for Paul at the moment, after moving several pieces to the Nuggets for Anthony. However, the report also pointed out that the new CBA would allow a Knicks squad with just a handful of players under contract, plenty of room to sign Paul next summer.
On Tuesday, ESPN.com reported the Hornets are expected to try and follow the Nuggets route with Anthony rather than the Raptors dismal plan for Bosh and move Paul during the season once they determine whether or not they can keep Paul beyond this season.
Any way you slice it however, a team that trades its star player will have plenty of trouble getting full value in return.
The Celtics have reportedly talked with the Hornets about a Rajon Rondo for Paul deal but those talks appear to be dead. Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Boston is actually talking with the Indiana Pacers about shipping Rondo there.
The Hornets options are pretty limited in this situation as the Knicks are out of the trade market and the soon-to-be crosstown rival New Jersey Nets already have a comparable point guard in Deron Williams, leaving very few teams in the running as interested parties would want assurances that they would sign the point giard to an extension before they ponied up for his services.
Other teams rumoured to be interested in making a move for Paul include the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Hawks could put together a nice package for the Hornets but it remains unclear whether Paul is interested in playing there. Ditto for the Thunder who could offer up Russell Westbrook.
The NBA tried to prevtn players from forming superteams during the collective bargaining process but if a player wants to go somewhere, in the long run the can’t do much about it.
However, since they currently own the Hornets, don’t expect them to wade into the PR mess that would involve trading Paul to New York, according to a tweet from SI.com’s Chris Mannix.
The team that Paul is said to be willing to consider besides the aforementioned Knicks are the Los Angeles Clippers.
Yes. I said the Clippers.
The Clippers have all sorts of issues with ownership but they have three things going for them. Location, location and Blake Griffin.
That being said, the report says that the Clippers are more interested in next summer’s other potential marquee free agent: Howard.
The Magic are not ready to move Dwight Howard just yet according to a report on ESPN.comon Wednesday.
Teams are lining up to acquire the reigning NBA defensive player of the year however.
Besides the Clippers, the Lakers and Nets are ready to make offers for Howard should the Mgic change their mind.
The Nets would be prepared to offer Brook Lopez and two future first-round picks and they would be willing to take back the contract albatross that is Hedu Turkoglu.
The Lakers would package would include a combination of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.
So be prepared for dozens of reports on their futures until they sign their next long-term deals.