I really agree and Im a Knicks fan. Plus if the NBA wont allow the Hornets to trade Paul why not save your money and try signing him after the seasson?? I read 4 years 50 million for Chandler.

One of the good things about the lockout was only 2 preseason games!

One of the biggest myths in sports is that small market NBA teams cant compete. The Bulls havent won a championship since 1998. The Knicks since 1973. The LA Clippers never even make the playoffs. The Nets have never won a NBA championship and made the finals twice since the merger in 1976. Houston hasn't been in the finals in 16 years. The 76'ers have been in the finals 1 time since 1983. The Washington metor area is the 7th most populated in the US but when have the Wizards been relevant?

Since the begining of the supposed heyday of the NBA, 1980 these teams have won chapionships-Lakers 10 times, Boston 4 times, Philadelphia 1 time, Detroit 3 times, Houston 2 times, San Antonio 4 times, the Bulls 6 times, Miami 1 time and Dallas 1 time. 32 years only 9 teams and 3 of them once.
That means that 20 teams including 2 NY teams, 1 LA team and teams from Washington, Phoenix, Atlanta and San Fran bay area have zero championship. Why did the Lakers and Boston and SA win multiple championships? Better management.

Seriously? Do you think an NBA operated team is going to take on Amare's contract? This isnt about basketball, it is about money.

The last year I was at the FG I went to a few of the games that the Hornets played in NO when they were playing most of the games in OKC. The primary players were Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler. Plenty of seats available and I think they were barely a .500 team.

Ok Chuck. Where does Paul end up then? When and where?

Because teams like NY and LA dont have the cap space to sign Paul without moving other pieces out. I don't like the Chandler deal for the reason that CJ stated and because they have an awful backcourt and no depth and less cap space.

I dont know how he doesnt get stuck in NO now. What team is going to deal with NO for Paul not knowing if a. Paul will resign with them or b. risk pissing off core players if the NBA nixes another Paul trade.

If the NBA wont let NO operate like a normal team they should disband them. I'd love to hear what the players association has to say about this.

Another factor is Paul can sign for more if he is traded first and then re-signs with his new team. This is why these guys like him and Anthony push for trades.

You make good points, but maybe what we're all forgetting is real fans already know everything this situation is bringing to light. Stern has always been a puppet. The owners have always been petty and greedy. New Orleans has been in a tough spot for years and of course the players want to play for a better team, although being in a city like LA or Miami helps. I find it hard to believe there would be a big push by players to play in Alaska if they had a team...but that is a whole other conversation.

The people who will be outraged by this are people that don't really pay attention (so who cares?) and greedy owners who don't want to spend the money to bring big talent in.

And in the new agreement they get even more for re'upping than they did before which kind of makes the owners position here even weaker. They should have eliminated sign and trades but they wanted the team losing a player to get something in return. I said last year many times that the Knicks were crazy to trade for Anthony because he was coming to NY regardless. Imagine the team they could have had they not traded some pretty valuable pieces?

You mean stuck in NO this year then someone signs him as a free agent, right?

That is true. I dont see Bucks fans saying "that it, Paul to the lakers, Im out"

The funny thing about the LeBron situation was despite the bad press for him the most outraged people outside of Cleveland were those who dont really follow the game anyway. The league had huge ratings last year and the playoffs were very good from round 1 to the Finals. A huge portion was because of the interest created by LeBron. This is like the anti-LeBron situation. The Hornets arent a draw with Paul and while i'm not convinced that the deal would make the Lakers better the cancellation has made them worse just because you now have 2 key players knowing they were traded and that is Mike Brown on the Bench, not Phil Jackson. The 1st time Pau goes into a funk you can believe that Kobe will be killing him. I dont like the Lakers but the league is a better place when they are relevant. A Paul/Kobe backcourt would be fun to watch though the frontcourt would be potentially woeful if (when?) Bynum goes down.

Yeah. Without serious collusion how can a deal be made now? It is a lose/lose for everyone. The Lakers as explained in the above post arent better, NO has a guy who really doesnt want to be there now AND they will wind up getting very little for him, Houston has guys that know they were traded but arent.... I as an NBA junkie would like to see the revamped NO team and would like to see Paul on the lakers because last years Laker team wasnt very much fun to watch and is more or less the same.

Ok so where does he end up next year. 10 months from now where is he long term?

How can anyone know? There are a lot of things that can happen. Hell in 3 days the NBA is going to look different with all the signings and trades.

I still thinks he ends up a Laker and so does Howard.

I like the NBA also and while I wasn't really too upset they were locked out...all of this talk has me looking forward to the season.

I was looking over some of the schedules today and there are some things you wouldnt see in a regular season. Like the Sixers opening up with 5 straight road games then playing 1 road game in 3 weeks in Jan. And that game is close by in NY.

Battier to the Heat has to be a positive for them. Butler to Clippers is an under the radar move that may wind up being a big deal in the playoffs (yes I did just say the clips will be in the playoffs)
Golden State will be interesting with Mark Jackson as coach
OKC should be even better
Whatwill happen in Boston?
Can SA make 1 last run?
Jimmer and the dysfunctional Kings (yes Joe because he is white and supposedly PG1985 schooled him in CYO league 12 years ago)

Is Kobe still Kobe? If the Lakers get both of them are they better then OK city or Miami anyway? Im not sure they are.

When did I say I schooled Jimmer, wtf??? I was a legend though. 34-17-14-12 was my line 6th grade year of Saint Anthonys.
Anyway, Battier to Miami is gigantic. He is a great defender and can shoot. I love that move.

Kobe is 33. He isnt going to get better and the tight schedule may not help him. Dont see how they can get Paul and Howard if it took Pau and Odom toget Paul. Doubt Orlando takes Bynum for Howard. What else do lakers have of value to add to deal even if another team was added? I could see them taking Odom/Pau or working a 3 teamer