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New Orleans Pelicans: Revisiting The Chris Paul Trade

By Owen Sanborn

Mar 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) and New Orleans Pelicans guard Norris Cole (30) battle for the ball during the second half at Staples Center. The Clippers won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) and New Orleans Pelicans guard Norris Cole (30) battle for the ball during the second half at Staples Center. The Clippers won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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There is not one correct way to rebuild in the NBA.

Front offices have tried numerous ways to tango a rebuild including but not limited to: a) a mid-season tank job after a load of injuries or a poor start (think of the 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs with the grand prize being Tim Duncan), b) a series of well executed trades and hitting on a few late lottery first round picks (think of teams like the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers), or c) being cornered into trade a superstar that is one summer away from hitting free agency (think the Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard, Denver Nuggets with Carmelo Anthony and New Orleans Pelicans with Chris Paul).

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That last tidbit is especially interesting. Teams scratch and claw for years or sometimes even decades to find that one foundational superstar in which to build a championship team around and within an instant the script can be flipped and a trade must be sought out.

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Executing the proper trade in that kind of situation can be a murky process; it is difficult to feel like you got anything less than 50-75 cents on the dollar. And if that were to be the case, a franchise can be set back or be placed in the NBA’s no man’s land (fighting for a seventh or eighth seed) for years to come.

The Chris Paul trade will most likely go down as one of the biggest fork in the roads in NBA history. It altered the direction of not one, not two, not three, but FOUR franchises, and put the proper stamp on David Stern’s tenure as commissioner.

The Vetoed Trade

New Orleans Receives:

  • Kevin Martin, Luis Scola (who was amnestied the next summer), Lamar Odom (on the brink of self-destruction), Goran Dragic (had not yet realized his slashing powers) and a 2012 first-rounder from Houston via New York.
  • A five-year sentence in the NBA’s no man’s land.

Houston Receives:

Los Angeles (Lakers) Receives:

  • Chris Paul
  • Angry gossip from a post-decision and bitter Dan Gilbert.

So just to recap, we were one last David Stern power binge away from the freaking Lakers trotting out apex Chris Paul and a not-yet jumped the shark Kobe Bryant in their backcourt, a depressed Gasol brother landing in Houston, James Harden never landing in Houston, Dwight Howard never landing in Houston and New Orleans getting approximately 50 cents on the dollar for their superstar. Yowza.

The Trade

New Orleans Receives:

Los Angeles Clippers Receive:

  • Chris Paul and second round picks.
  • Doc Rivers.
  • $2 billion.
  • The right to be every analyst’s sexy Finals pick before the ensuing playoff heartbreak.
  • This:

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    • I know, I know. On the surface, that is an even worse trade for New Orleans than the original, vetoed trade. However, it is important to keep into perspective that because this trade was so terrible, The Brow is wearing a Pelicans jersey at the moment.

    Everyone and their mother knew that somehow Stern would make sure New Orleans won the lottery after league ownership had finally been passed onto new owner Tom Benson.

    Gordon hasn’t turned into the next great shooting guard as most thought he would at the time of the trade, but he has turned into a useful spot-up shooter with some wiggle and should shine under Alvin Gentry this season if he remains healthy. Rivers was a disaster, but he ultimately was flipped for Quincy Pondexter and his ridiculously below-market value contract.

    This is why most NBA trades cannot be judged in the immediate future, it can take years for the returns to surface.

    All in all, if you read between the tea leaves a bit, New Orleans was able to flip their foundational superstar for another, much taller foundational superstar. I’m sure they have no regrets.

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