CP3 and Clippers

[B504ever]

Anybody that says they do not want CP3 to return needs to have there head examined.

[Tomdda]

In my opinion CP3 only has 2 options, resign with the Clippers or return where it all started. Any other place, makes him look bad.

I don't think he cares about looking bad. Why would he?

[BallSoHard]

Yeah, but that was only a small quote in the article. It also said:



He sounds completely dejected, and I think he knows that team is a lost cause.

In the heat of battle.

[bradael]

I don't think he cares about looking bad. Why would he?

Houston?

Or team up with Dwight Howard and go to Dallas or Atlanta?

I think he has plenty of options. However, I think he also returns to the Clippers. There's no guarantee anywhere that he could realistically go that would be a better contender than the Clippers.

[Adam the Legend]

Houston?

Or team up with Dwight Howard and go to Dallas or Atlanta?

I think he has plenty of options. However, I think he also returns to the Clippers. There's no guarantee anywhere that he could realistically go that would be a better contender than the Clippers.

The Clips are not a contender...that much has been made clear since CP3 has been there. Griffin and Jordan are immature, me-first players who are more concerned with how many hits their dunk highlights get on YouTube than they are about winning. Chris knows that and he is smart enough to realize that Donald Sterling will never part with Griffin because he's good for ticket sales.

Chris may not decide to come back home to NOLA, but his quest for a title will take him out of L.A.

[Mythrol]

Anybody that says they do not want CP3 to return needs to have there head examined.

We would be no better than the clippers if CP came back. A first round playoff team. He's on the tail end of his prime while our main guys are 2-3 years away atleast from theirs. The max contract that he would demand would handicap us on cap space. We would still be one player short of competing but not have the cap space to do it with him.

I don't want him not because he isn't good. I don't want him because he's not a good fit for what we are trying to do. CP3 coming back would be a step back for growing our team into a contender and would actually stop us from reaching our goal. Sure we'd make the playoffs but we wouldn't go anywhere. That's why I don't want him.

[da ThRONe]

We would be no better than the clippers if CP came back. A first round playoff team. He's on the tail end of his prime while our main guys are 2-3 years away atleast from theirs. The max contract that he would demand would handicap us on cap space. We would still be one player short of competing but not have the cap space to do it with him.

I don't want him not because he isn't good. I don't want him because he's not a good fit for what we are trying to do. CP3 coming back would be a step back for growing our team into a contender and would actually stop us from reaching our goal. Sure we'd make the playoffs but we wouldn't go anywhere. That's why I don't want him.

Which was the original problem with Paul. He made us too good too fast. We weren't able to put the pieces around him. Sure all the poor ownership no sense was the final straw, but had CP matured a year or two later we may not have lost him in the 1st place.

This is why I can't understand the obsession with slapping more solid vets on this very young team that lacks athleticism. Davis, Gordon, and Anderson are the only 3 players I think that have the potential to be quality championship core players. Davis is at least 2years away from being that player IMO. We only own the rights to Gordon for two more years, not even getting into his injury history. Lastly Anderson may lack the athleticism to be that championship level contributor moving forward and he may ended up being too much of a one trick pony. This team has some promise, but only if we are patient and use what we have at our disposal wisely.

[B504ever]

We would be no better than the clippers if CP came back. A first round playoff team. He's on the tail end of his prime while our main guys are 2-3 years away atleast from theirs. The max contract that he would demand would handicap us on cap space. We would still be one player short of competing but not have the cap space to do it with him.

I don't want him not because he isn't good. I don't want him because he's not a good fit for what we are trying to do. CP3 coming back would be a step back for growing our team into a contender and would actually stop us from reaching our goal. Sure we'd make the playoffs but we wouldn't go anywhere. That's why I don't want him.

I dont buy that. Ad CP3 to our current roster and its a 50+ win team that would make it at least to the second round. Ad the right veteran roll players with CP3 and we are instant title contenders.

[Mythrol]

I dont buy that. Ad CP3 to our current roster and its a 50+ win team that would make it at least to the second round. Ad the right veteran roll players with CP3 and we are instant title contenders.

The clippers were a 50+ win team this year. When did they leave the playoffs? Also, why should our goal only be to make it to the second round? I have far higher aspirations.

How do you expect to add a veteran role player when just adding CP would push us into luxury tax or darn close? Also what type of team is that? We'd have half of our core 24 or younger (most 21 or younger) and the other half pushing 30? That doesn't sound like a good mix.

[Smow-]

The team has several directions it could head in:

1. Using Trades and/ FA, bring in a Max/subMax talent and try to start contending for playoffs
(Paul, Howard, Igoudola, Smith)

2. Have another 2012-like offseason in which make decent-small splashes in FA and stick to our "Thunder Model" process
(1st Rounder, Pekavich, Wright)

3. Mortgage this upcoming season by trading for future picks in hopes of getting a top-3 pick
(Trading Gordon, Vasquez, Lopez)

The fourth is a mix among the three, but obviously if the Pels chose the first option, the 3rd is gone and vice versa.

While 3 would be extremely painful, not to mention worrisome for the future of Demps and Monty, and Davis's development; having a shot of Unibrow and Wiggins/Parker is a scary prospect. If the Cavs and Wizards can have several shots at the #1, so can we. But in the end it's too much fire to play with just to take a shot at the moon.

[jgman]

Our team with Chris Paul would not be the clippers, I can see the comparison but what I am reading here is pretty much saying Chris Paul is so good that we would be overachieving with him, so we wouldn't get any good draft picks, and because of his cost we wouldn't have any cap room flexibility to add to the team, I don't buy any of that.

I mean seriously, we would have CP, AD(who a lot of people here believe will be Garnett/Duncan esq), Ryno 3-pt specialist, Rivers(who people here see as the next Tony Parker, but if not that I think people agree he will be at least somewhat good), AND ANOTHER top 5 draft pick as a core, that is a lot of talent. Then you still have cap flexibility because of moving gordon(and I think Dell could flip Gordon for something useable, whether it be expirings, draft picks, or usable players) and you have very tradable pieces/decent rotations players in Lopez and GV and even Smith, Roberts, and possibly Miller if you want. Our owner is smarter and our coach is better and our front office is definitely better, anyone who doesn't think that team is better than the Clippers with more potential as well is kidding themselves.

That said I totally understand trying to justify not wanting CP back because not everyone would want him back for non-basketball reasons etc. Personally I think our team now needs another year together to figure stuff out on their own before throwing them into a real competitive playoff season. This year was completely developmental, with just staying competitive the main goal on the court. I think our young core needs to have another year where they are actually pushed to win, just to learn what it takes a little to win before adding a game changer like CP to push them into the playoffs/further

[nolaslim213]

I said this in another thread, but people keep trying to compare us to OKC, but it's pointless because it's a totally different scenario. We already have young veteran pieces in place. Guys like Gordon, Anderson, Lopez, Vasquez?, and Jason Smith are ready to compete NOW. Anthony Davis and Rivers are growing, but they should end up being crucial parts to a championship team. Add CP to a trio of Davis, Gordon, and Anderson, and that's a fantastic 4 . Draft Otto Porter, a guy who should be able to contribute from day 1.

PG - CP, Vasquez (could trade him for a SF)
SG - Gordon, Rivers
SF - Porter, Miller, Vet FA
PF - Davis, Anderson
C - Lopez, JSmith

How can anyone say that isn't a championship roster? Can you imagine the PnR with Davis? And the PnP with Anderson? Also, our fast break would be ridiculous with CP leading, Davis and Gordon running the floor, and Anderson trailing for the 3. That's just unfair. Great complimentary pieces, and we just need a floor general to make it all work.

[da ThRONe]

Our team with Chris Paul would not be the clippers, I can see the comparison but what I am reading here is pretty much saying Chris Paul is so good that we would be overachieving with him, so we wouldn't get any good draft picks, and because of his cost we wouldn't have any cap room flexibility to add to the team, I don't buy any of that.

I mean seriously, we would have CP, AD(who a lot of people here believe will be Garnett/Duncan esq), Ryno 3-pt specialist, Rivers(who people here see as the next Tony Parker, but if not that I think people agree he will be at least somewhat good), AND ANOTHER top 5 draft pick as a core, that is a lot of talent. Then you still have cap flexibility because of moving gordon(and I think Dell could flip Gordon for something useable, whether it be expirings, draft picks, or usable players) and you have very tradable pieces/decent rotations players in Lopez and GV and even Smith, Roberts, and possibly Miller if you want. Our owner is smarter and our coach is better and our front office is definitely better, anyone who doesn't think that team is better than the Clippers with more potential as well is kidding themselves.

That said I totally understand trying to justify not wanting CP back because not everyone would want him back for non-basketball reasons etc. Personally I think our team now needs another year together to figure stuff out on their own before throwing them into a real competitive playoff season. This year was completely developmental, with just staying competitive the main goal on the court. I think our young core needs to have another year where they are actually pushed to win, just to learn what it takes a little to win before adding a game changer like CP to push them into the playoffs/further

The problem is even if we assume Davis is Garnett-like and Rivers is Parker-like(which would clash with Paul's style of play) nobody expects that in the next 2 years or so. Duncan came into the league after 4 years of college and Garnett was a none factor his first few years out of HS.

So Paul at 28-30 would have to be patient and wait for the talent to mature assuming again that it does at all. While eatting up the majority of our cap space making it difficult to add enough win now players.

Nobody can see the future but those are legitimate concerns if you bring Paul back with this current roster.

[Andres_San_Fran]

I would like to hear some scenarios and trades in which the Pelicans acquire Chris Paul but relieve themselves of Eric Gordon. I understand this is a unlikely scenario, but if you would like to humor me that would be greatly appreciated.

[Andres_San_Fran]

I just like hearing scenarios, What if we moved Vasquez to SF, have roberts backup Paul. Who do you believe would be our draft choice then?

[donato]

I just like hearing scenarios

Use the search function to find posts by the user: HornetGuru

He's your new best friend

[jgman]

The problem is even if we assume Davis is Garnett-like and Rivers is Parker-like(which would clash with Paul's style of play) nobody expects that in the next 2 years or so. Duncan came into the league after 4 years of college and Garnett was a none factor his first few years out of HS.

So Paul at 28-30 would have to be patient and wait for the talent to mature assuming again that it does at all. While eatting up the majority of our cap space making it difficult to add enough win now players.

Nobody can see the future but those are legitimate concerns if you bring Paul back with this current roster.

Yea I agree but I would say those are concerns for Paul, where ever he would go he would get a long term deal, so that is something he is going to have to consider if he wants to come back here. I am just saying that Chris Paul on this team in no way would be a hinderance to our overall goal of winning/contending and doesn't put a cap on our potential because of flexibility like some people are saying. I don't think he would choose to come here because of the reasons you said and because our FO can add to our young core while maintaining a large amount of flexibility as it is, there is no need to sign paul, or any superstar, and there is no pressure at the moment anyway. But if they had the chance to i.e. he wanted to come back that would only be a good thing I think and we could definitely amount to more than a first round exit

[B504ever]

The clippers were a 50+ win team this year. When did they leave the playoffs? Also, why should our goal only be to make it to the second round? I have far higher aspirations.


How do you expect to add a veteran role player when just adding CP would push us into luxury tax or darn close? Also what type of team is that? We'd have half of our core 24 or younger (most 21 or younger) and the other half pushing 30? That doesn't sound like a good mix.

I said the roster as is with just adding CP and no one else would makes us a 50+ win second rd playoff team.

Signing Paul at the max puts us at about 58 mil on the cap, the luxury tax doesnt kick in till you hit 70 mill cap, so thats not an issue. You can sign quality vets at league min that CP will attracts. Also you can use your mid level next year to up grade the roster further more. U cant have a roster of all 24 and younger players and expect to win big, u have to add older vets into the mix if you want to get to the next level.

[nolaslim213]

The problem is even if we assume Davis is Garnett-like and Rivers is Parker-like(which would clash with Paul's style of play) nobody expects that in the next 2 years or so. Duncan came into the league after 4 years of college and Garnett was a none factor his first few years out of HS.

So Paul at 28-30 would have to be patient and wait for the talent to mature assuming again that it does at all. While eatting up the majority of our cap space making it difficult to add enough win now players.

Nobody can see the future but those are legitimate concerns if you bring Paul back with this current roster.

Yes and no. Rivers is coming off the bench, so he'll be playing against backups, which makes it a lot easier for him. And watching Davis last year, he could have averaged 8-10 points more per game IMO if he was playing with CP. I can't even express to you my frustration at how many times Vasquez missed a wide open Davis on the PnR or for the lob. It literally drove me nuts every single game, and those are just easy buckets that only Davis can get because he is just so much more athletic than everyone else. It's the same reason Griffin averaged 20+ points these past 2 years. He isn't a good offensive player. He is just a freak athlete, and Paul can get him the ball in positions to succeed, aka lobs, PnR, and on the break.

Moreover, Davis is more advanced at the same age than Garnett, and the advanced metrics prove that. Davis + CP would be magical, and if you liked the CP to DWest PnP, just wait until he runs it with Anderson

[Kurgan]

I said this in another thread, but people keep trying to compare us to OKC, but it's pointless because it's a totally different scenario. We already have young veteran pieces in place. Guys like Gordon, Anderson, Lopez, Vasquez?, and Jason Smith are ready to compete NOW. Anthony Davis and Rivers are growing, but they should end up being crucial parts to a championship team. Add CP to a trio of Davis, Gordon, and Anderson, and that's a fantastic 4 . Draft Otto Porter, a guy who should be able to contribute from day 1.

PG - CP, Vasquez (could trade him for a SF)
SG - Gordon, Rivers
SF - Porter, Miller, Vet FA
PF - Davis, Anderson
C - Lopez, JSmith

How can anyone say that isn't a championship roster? Can you imagine the PnR with Davis? And the PnP with Anderson? Also, our fast break would be ridiculous with CP leading, Davis and Gordon running the floor, and Anderson trailing for the 3. That's just unfair. Great complimentary pieces, and we just need a floor general to make it all work.

So you think that adding paul would make us a 55+ wpy team?

...

Seriously? We had 27 wins this past year, not 47

[Eman5805]

That's the damn truth. Griffin has no skill whatsoever. Even if Davis doesn't improve one iota he's more skilled offensively than Griffin. He's a legit threat from mid-range on the pick n pop, a nightmare on the offensive and defensive glass and CP3 is savvy enough to push the ball ahead to him or lob him the ball even if a defender is nipping at Davis's heels. Gravvy doesn't get that for some reason.

And about how much better a player like that could make us, think back on how many close games we couldn't finish because we looked directionless in the clutch. It wasn't like we were getting blown out, the other guys just had players that could take the game over.

We need that element. Personally, I'm not looking for Chris Paul to make a triumphant return. I'm ready to look elsewhere. But eh. I'm also open minded.

[nolaslim213]

So you think that adding paul would make us a 55+ wpy team?

...

Seriously? We had 27 wins this past year, not 47

It's ridiculous to look at last year's record as a marker for where we'll be this year. Monty gave heavy minutes to scrub players who he said won't be back. Guys like Davis and Rivers got a good amount of minutes, and they were just rookies who need to gain weight to even compete, and Davis still had a fantastic rookie year (better than both Garnett and Howard as rookies). They will both grow a lot this year. More than that, Gordon wasn't himself since he has been injured for the past year and a half, and if we are projecting him to be the player that he was in 2011 (the year he played 9 great games for us, and everyone was excited about his potential), then that is already a playoff roster. Adding Chris Paul just makes the whole team better, and it takes pressure off of Gordon to run the offense, set up the break, and be the closer. Paul is a guy that makes everyone better, so yes, I would expect our team to be much improved.

For the record, if we had CP, I don't know for sure that we'd be a 55+ win team next year, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me, and I would definitely expect it in year 2.

[da ThRONe]

It not a matter of making us better Paul does that without a doubt. The question is does he make us a championship level team. My answer is no.

[Pelicans78]

It not a matter of making us better Paul does that without a doubt. The question is does he make us a championship level team. My answer is no.

He could in a couple of seasons assuming Davis and Gordon pan out to be All-Star caliber players.

[FlyGirl]

Paul acts as though he doesn't have a couple of seasons. We don't win in the next 2 or 3 years the drama will start all over again. I'd rather watch TNT or The Young and The Restless if I want to see drama. LOL.