I don’t think anyone should be shocked by this, it is sort of like when Jay Z retired and then everyone knew he was coming back, but no one actually said it and next thing you knew he was doing videos with Danica Patrick.
It has been known for months that Paul wants out of New Orleans. Not so secretly he try to get traded before Lebron made his “Decision“, but was not successful.
Now a CBS Sports report says that it is highly unlikely Paul is in a Hornets uniform when the season starts:
“He wants out,” said the person, who has been briefed on Paul’s strategy but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it publicly. “He wants to play with another superstar. He wants to follow LeBron’s model of teaming up with other great players.”
Paul’s list of preferred destinations consists of the Knicks, Magic and Lakers, and members of his inner circle already have sent word to the Hornets of his desire to be traded to one of those teams, sources say. If Paul has his way, he’s played his last game in a Hornets jersey.
“He feels like they haven’t put the right pieces together,” said the person familiar with the star point guard’s plans.
Paul, a three-time All-Star, still has two years before he can become a free agent. But his dissatisfaction with the Hornets’ downward spiral, coupled with the coup pulled off by James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami has only accelerated his desire to seek a trade. Sources within the NBA say members of Paul’s camp have told them recently, “He’s not going to start the season in New Orleans.”
Unlike Lebron and the rest of the South Beach NWO, Chris Paul is not a free agent and to me him forcing a trade while not uncommon should be looked upon more harshly than say Lebron taking his talents to South Beach.
Paul signed a deal with the Hornets and just because his friends are all teaming up doesn’t mean he should just be let go to play in their backyard.
I don’t buy the whole “they didn’t get me enough pieces” excuse mainly because Paul himself has been hurt and it is hard to make a deep playoff run when your star player is rocking suits on the bench.
This is about the new version of the NBA where everyone wants to be like the Justice League and be buddy,buddy. It shouldn’t be a surprise Paul’s preferences are LA (Kobe), NYC (Amar’e) and Orlando (D. Howard).
Paul is an elite player, so most teams should be interested in seeing if they can steal him away from the Hornets, but unlike the star players of the 2010 Free Agent class he will have to “break out of jail” because he surely isn’t “free” to go.