Wow...Serious Gamble Coming

[Saints Fan in A]

Take a look at this:

Looks like league is saying it won't let CP dictate that NO trade him where he wants to go. Looks like they may make him become FA and settle for teams with cap room or take far less $ to pick his spot. Or stay in NO for biggest payday. This must be about principle not bball.

https://twitter.com/#!/Chris_Broussa...25557800480768

Could Stern and Demps be gambling that Paul won't leave because his options are shot? New York can't afford him. Lakers cannot either. Once Clippers extend Gordon and match for Jordan, they cannot afford Paul either. This is really interesting.

[groundpatty]

Which means we would have to deal with a year of this nonsense...

[Bee-Fense]

They're idiots if they think he's staying.

The league is moronic.

[DirtySouf]

What kind of idiotic thinking is that. He'll leave just to stick it to the league...

[msusousaphone]

We have nothing to play for this season. With or without the deal.

They're gambling that the Clippers will realize a Paul & Griffin combo would vault them as contenders and that they'll come back to the table with more to offer.

They DO have a point, though. Once the Lakers and Knicks were out of the running, Paul got suddenly happy with the Clippers. I, personally, would still trade him. But the Clippers offer will still stand in a month. It's in our best interest to walk away and see if they sweeten the deal.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Can't have guys taking less $$ to play where they really want to go, now can we?

So, so absurd.

[Tip-Off]

He can sue all he wants, the NBA's pockets are much deeper than CP3's - look at NASCAR's legal strategy with anything. Deactivate him for the year too - I hate it, but Monty said this whole thing is a distraction, although losing by 40 points every other night might be one too.

[Snarly]

Demps wants him gone as does most of everybody else in the organization. It is stern who won't allow Paul to be traded. This is a gamble that could play in the Hornet's favor as the teams he wants to go to will not be able to afford him unless he takes a major paycut. IMO, Paul will be used as an example Stern uses to "prove" that the new CBA works in favor of the small market team. And the only reason it may work is because other teams will have already shaped their team.

[PELICANSFAN]

Teams can create space if needed. The Lakers could unload Gasol or some of the smaller salaried guys to create enough space next year. Don't think he is out of FA options.

[Tip-Off]

Demps wants him gone as does most of everybody else in the organization. It is stern who won't allow Paul to be traded. This is a gamble that could play in the Hornet's favor as the teams he wants to go to will not be able to afford him unless he takes a major paycut. IMO, Paul will be used as an example Stern uses to "prove" that the new CBA works in favor of the small market team. And the only reason it may work is because other teams will have already shaped their team.

Meanwhile down on the farm, the Hornets lose again by 45 to the T-Wolves...good thing we didn't get their pick.

[Saints Fan in A]

It's not that idiotic, really. First, they have time. They don't have to deal him today. Paul and the NBPA's threat to sue will fall on deaf ears because truth be told, he's under contract. He cannot request a trade. To do so would be in violation of his contract and make him subject to a fine. He can be as pissed off as he wants to be. The reason why he wants a trade isn't because the next four months would be so horrible in New Orleans, but because he wants to protect his business interests moving forward. Fact is, the team that owns his rights at the end of the year can offer him significantly more than an outside franchise and there aren't many teams out there to begin with. The Hornets have made it clear that they WILL NOT give him up in a sign-and-trade because cap space isn't their issue. He would have to agree to forfeit nearly $40M (if not more) just to sign with a team with cap space. If he were to take less, he would give up much more than that. He's popular but he isn't LeBron James or Tiger Woods. The endorsements will only make up so much. For a player that didn't know if he would play again two years ago, passing up that kind of money will give him pause. Losing Paul for nothing isn't the worst thing in the world, if it comes to that. $18M would come free on the books and we've already lost David West. We're not about to contend. But it's a game of chicken and David Stern plays it better than most. Check his history, if you don't know.

[Kcazbarach]

It is a gamble, but then you look and realize Dallas, Boston, Nets (depends on what they do in 2011 free agency), and Houston could possibly have cap room.
I'd just trade him.

[Saints Fan in A]

Teams can create space if needed. The Lakers could unload Gasol or some of the smaller salaried guys to create enough space next year. Don't think he is out of FA options.

They tried that. It didn't work. Houston only wanted Gasol with Nene. He's not so attractive on his own. And like I said, it's a gamble. The Lakers may be able to clear some space, but not a lot. They gave away Odom not because he was unhappy, but because it was a salary dump. They are looking forward to this progressive Tax and preparing for it.

[All Metro]

There will be quite a few teams with the cap room and the ones that dont have the cap room will do whatever it takes to get CP.

[Saints Fan in A]

It is a gamble, but then you look and realize Dallas, Boston, Nets (depends on what they do in 2011 free agency), and Houston could possibly have cap room.
I'd just trade him.

Houston would have had the room, had they made the deal with us. Nets and Dallas prefer Williams. Paul wants no where near Boston. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Saints Fan in A]

There will be quite a few teams with the cap room and the ones that dont have the cap room willd o whateever it takes to get CP.

Easier said than done.

[Kcazbarach]

They tried that. It didn't work. Houston only wanted Gasol with Nene. He's not so attractive on his own. And like I said, it's a gamble. The Lakers may be able to clear some space, but not a lot. They gave away Odom not because he was unhappy, but because it was a salary dump. They are looking forward to this progressive Tax and preparing for it.

It actually was probably both for the lakers. In the original Paul deal, they ended up with the same exception from trading Odom to us. And they ended up getting that exception by moving Odom to Dallas. They want that exception for some reason.

[DirtySouf]

This sucks....

[Saints Fan in A]

It actually was probably both for the lakers. In the original Paul deal, they ended up with the same exception from trading Odom to us. And they ended up getting that exception by moving Odom to Dallas. They want that exception for some reason.

They didn't want the exception. They were due a $40M luxury tax payment. Take a look at this:

The Lakers' payroll last season was $91 million, the NBA's largest, and they paid an additional $21 million in penalties because they were that far over the tax threshold. In two years, a $91 million payroll would cost the Lakers a staggering $68 million in additional taxes.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/other...#ixzz1gM7IDieb

Even the Lakers have to pay attention to spending now...

[Dirty D]

Derron Williams being a free agent at the same time peobably isn't going to help CP either. I like the idea of playing chicken, but what the heck do we do in the mean time? The season starts in 2 weeks. Something has to be done soon.

[AD23forMVP]

Anyone remember all the cap space Miami opened up? Yeah...

[SeauxCrazy]

Season starts in 4 days....lol (preseason)

[AD23forMVP]

If we have someone that's going to buy this team that man needs to step up today and get it done.

[Saints Fan in A]

Anyone remember all the cap space Miami opened up? Yeah...

They had that planned years in advance and in particular, it was because each of the guys were drafted in the same year. And it's only happened once. Who from Paul's class is going to form a super team with him. Apples to oranges, my friend.

[CapitolHornet45]

I don't think Chris will resign here out of principle either. Doesnt want to let Stern and the league win and dictate where he plays and makes his money. We could have signed West to a longer deal for more money, but he chose to leave for freaking Indiana. Chris is gone.