The Missing Piece

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Chris Paul, Point Guard Los Angeles Clippers (Age: 27)

Contract Status: Unrestricted FA in ’13 | Max Hornets Can Offer: 4 years/$77 million | Expected Cost: 5 years/$100 million

While I will admit that the evidence seems to be piling up more and more everyday that CP3 will stay in LA, I will not give up on this dream until the ink is dry on his new contract. Here is my scenario. The Clippers fall in the first round or get demolished again in the second round, both real possibilities. Paul looks around and sees a young core in LA that is not improving and an old supporting cast whose best days are behind them. He then looks to New Orleans who has Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, and Eric Gordon as a core and thinks- “Which is a better supporting cast, those three or Griffin, Jordan, and Bledsoe?”

Is there really any comparison? Then maybe he gets a peak at the sweet new Pelican jerseys coming out this summer, the fierceness in the eyes of the logo, and he remembers the city he fell in love with years ago. He sits down with two guys he respects greatly in Dell Demps and Monty Williams and they sell him on a future built not with playoff appearances, but championships, in New Orleans. They ask him to look aorund the league and see what other teams can give him the money he wants while maintaining a young core capable of a championship run. He looks around and can’t find another team that meets both criteria, so he puts his name on the dotted line.

Is it really that far fetched?

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