Fletcher's CP3 trade idea

Paul To Portland…West To Orlando
July 22, 2010 - Leave a Response
What should have been a glorious day for the Hornets (the first in what’s been a very difficult month)…..turned sour because www.cbssports.com posted a story tonight with harsh quotes from people who say they are speaking on behalf of Chris Paul.

LINK

If the above column is even half true the Hornets have to start looking into trading Paul.

Look, I love CP3 and DO NOT want to see him traded. I wish new general manager Dell Demps would tell Paul (and his inner circle) to simmer down and play hard and that maybe good things will happen if the Hornets are heatlhy and focused.

But I doubt that will happen. Paul (and his people) will sulk and tension will grow between he and management.

So, Demps and new coach Monty Williams….in my opinion….have no choice but to start rebuilding.

And rebuilding is not such a bad idea. The Hornets have four good young players (Collison, Thornton, Brackins and Pondexter) and trading Paul and West can net them more young talent.

Fans immediately would not understand this move but heading down this path is probably the way the Hornets will have to go.

Of all the deals I’ve poured through the one that I keep coming back too sends CP3 to Portland:

***Chris Paul & Emeka Okafor to Portland (if CP3 is traded a team HAS to take Okafor and his horrible contract with him!!!!!)

***Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum, Andre Miller, The rights to Joel Freeland and a 2011 or 2012 1st round draft pick to New Orleans

This is a lot for Portland to give up but the Blazers now feature a starting lineup of:

CP3, Brandon Roy, Wesley Matthews/Luke Babbitt, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby/Joel Przybilla/Emeka Okafor

That is a ready-to-win-now team that can compete with the Lakers in the West.

The Hornets get tons of young players with loads of talent. Oden is a former #1 overall pick who if healthy could be a dominating big man. Batum and Fernandez are skilled wings who Monty Williams helped develop in Portland. Freeland is a Brit who’s playing in Spain and who’s been compared to David Lee. Andre Miller is a veteran PG who’ll backup Darren Collison and the 1st round pick makes the deal work money-wise.

Now, if Paul is shipped away…David West also has to go. I can’t imagine D-West being happy on a rebuilding team.

***David West To Orlando

***Marcin Gortat & Brandon Bass To New Orleans

West to the Magic allows Orlando to slide Rashard Lewis back to his natural SF position. West being on a championship contender and in a contract year…I bet he’d be great for Orlando.

The Hornets get a young big man in Gortat who’s dying to start and a solid backup in Bass.

The Hornets would also have no use for Darius Songaila and could give him away to a team like the Los Angeles Clippers for a future 2nd round pick (kind of the same deal that Rasual Butler was part of last year).

Julian Wright and James Posey fall into the same category as Songaila. While JuJu would be easy to give away (perhaps to the Washington Wizards for a future 2nd rounder)….Posey will be more difficult to move because of his bad contract.

After These Deals:

The 2010-2011 (Chris Paul-less) Hornets:

1. Darren Collison, Andre Miller

2. Rudy Fernandez, Marcus Thornton

3. Nicolas Batum, Quincy Pondexter, Peja Stojakovic, James Posey

4. Marcin Gortat, Brandon Bass, Craig Brackins

5. Greg Oden, Aaron Grey, Joel Freeland