Well, the Hornets and Paul had their sit-down. The Hornets were doing the presenting, with Hugh Weber, Dell Demps and Monty Williams doing the talking. Paul and his agent Leon Rose were listening - and there's no word about if they were doing any presenting themselves. (of lists, that is)
Paul's first statement, via twitter:
On Monday 26th July 2010, @Oneandonlycp3 said:
“The meeting went well. It was great to get an opportunity to sit down with Coach Williams, President Weber and our new General Manager Dell Demps. I expressed my desire to win and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team. I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come.”
For those of you who want Paul to stay like me, let's hope it's real.
[Update] As to the idea that Paul was presenting lists of destinations, here is the Hornets statement addressing that issue:
Hornets general manager Dell Demps says star guard Chris Paul did not request a trade during a meeting with New Orleans executives.
Demps says he is confident that Paul will be playing with the Hornets this season after Monday's meeting, which included new coach Monty Williams and team president Hugh Weber.


41 inspiring comments post your own
pinoyballah
07/26/10 12:50 PM
thats good to hear...but lets hope he keeps his word. if this is true, i expect collison to be traded to help get paul some "help".. hopefully this does not bite us in the rear in 2 years.
#1
thedonors
07/26/10 01:01 PM
Hopefully CP is being honest. You never know, because in that business people say one thing and do another regularly. I would just hate to see him being used like a puppet on a string for Lebron and his amateur team of advisors.
#2
berlinhornets
07/26/10 01:02 PM
I wanna believe him and the statement. I am wary though. Dont wanna be burned. Woj frrom Yahoo just tweeted:
"Ignore spin out of this Hornets-Chris Paul meeting. He wants out. They don't want to trade him. Nothing's changed, except there's a new GM."
He is quite reliable usually.
Nevertheless, its still great to hear these words from the Paul camp. It makes the Hornets off-season a little easier. Their trade leverage just got better again and it wont be so easy to rip them of in a trade.
#3
Michael McNamara
07/26/10 01:12 PM
I don't know why people over complicate the Paul situation. We will have the opportunity to show him that we can build a contender around him in these next two years. If we succeed, he stays. If not, he leaves- and quite frankly I don't blame him. If he blew out his knee like jay Williams and couldn't help us win, do you think we would re-sign him after two years? No. And if the franchise fails him and can't help him win, he should leave.
How many people purposely choose to work for an organization that has different objectives than they do? I don't know the percentage, but intelligent people with options don't.
If they succeed, he stays. If they fail, he should go. They have 15 months- let's watch and stop overanalyzing.
#4
MP3
07/26/10 01:15 PM
I'm happy he finally said something & spoke what's his mind. He obivously loves the Hornets (he put references to the team in his last pair of Jordans) & winning & if he can do both in NOLA then great. But if we gonna keep penny-pinching & bring in C-D level talent as help for him & D-West then why stay?. I don't think it's necessarily a trade we need to make to get better. It's just that every man 1-15 has to bring their A game every night, when you work hard, that's when you get lucky. Posey has to get in shape, Thornton/DC need to improve, JuJu has to take advantage of his last chance, Peja has to stay healthy, The Rooks have to step in & contribute immediately & Emeka has to be motivated. If they can do that & trust Coach Williams we'll be in the playoffs again.
#5
berlinhornets
07/26/10 01:18 PM
@michael I guess you are right. Lets enjoy him for the next season and hopefully the full or shortened one after that. If the Hornets arent a winning team by then its his right to leave. I dont LBJ for leaving Cleveland (although that was a winning team), just for the way. If Paul leaves after the next two years and gave his all, I'll follow him whereever he goes and support him (still not more than the Hornets though).
#6
urgmasdaughter
07/26/10 01:21 PM
More good news:
"Hornets general manager Dell Demps says star guard Chris Paul did not request a trade during a meeting with New Orleans executives."
If he didn't even TALK about a trade during the meeting then that leads me to believe it was all a big rumor.
Link (not the Zelda character but to the story)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5411166
#7
SilentQ
07/26/10 01:36 PM
Naturally, I was excited to hear his statement. I even retweeted it and gave it a "YEAH YOU RITE!" Of couse, sitting directly under that rainbow of enthusiasm is a big steaming pile of worry about whether we'll be in the same boat as Cleveland in two years: strapped of cap space and draft picks after making trades to "win now" and appease the franchise player. Hopefully the Brain Trust will avoid making the same mistakes Cleveland did.
#8
420ftJesus
07/26/10 01:38 PM
So who to believe? Our star who was raised right and our new GM who was praised by the Suns as a basketball genius, or a reporter who wasn't in the room and the slime who seem to have been proved wrong?
Regardless, even if he's itching to leave, that changed in the 2 years since he signed again, and his mind can change again. 1 year is a long time; 2 years is almost doubly so.
#9
TangledHives
07/26/10 01:38 PM
Hello everyone! I'm new here and very excited to get to get my thoughts across to other readers! Anyways, how much of that statement was out of courtesy? Chris Paul is still, deep down, a classy guy and he wouldn't just go out and say "They suck, they're not gonna do anything. Get me out of here". I just hope he really means what he says...
#10
Michael McNamara
07/26/10 01:40 PM
@Berlin- exactly. Players come and go all the time as they search for the right fit and price tag for them. Fans only get mad when it is someone they want to keep. This franchise has the opportunity to look at CP3 in 2 years and say "Look we have built a great team around you, the city loves you, and we can offer you more money and security than anyone else." I doubt he turns that down if the roster they have built is legit and Monty proves to be as good of a head coach as he was an assistant coach.
But if they fail, he should go. Just like if Sean Marks fails to be a great player, the Hornets FO should let him go without renewing his contract. If they build a great team around him and he leaves anyway for a lesser team in a bigger market that will "improve his brand", then I will call him a punk. But I highly doubt that will happen.
Cp3 give us all you got for these next two years, and if we don't do right by you, we will not complain when you leave. That's what I would have told him today and meant it from my heart.
#11
urgmasdaughter
07/26/10 01:58 PM
@TangledHives: First of all welcome, We're glad to have you! CHEERS!!!
Now, the Chris Paul we've all grown to love has supposedly "changed" in the last week to a by product of the Worldwide Wes' brand. He was supposed to go into the Hornets meeting like Jim Breuer in Half Baked and say "F-you, F-you, you're cool, I'm out! TRADE ME!" (a lil exaggerated but still like the rumor)
Now the meeting is done and CP3 didn't even bring up a trade talk which reflects nicely on the New Orleans FO. So all the rumors seem speculative and if he wanted to be traded that would've been the time to do it. If he did want to be traded I think Chris would be mum about the whole thing and then wait to be traded. If he was in fact being "courteous" it'll reflect even worse on him because he's going against the statement he just released. Also note that Chris Paul was very quiet while the rumors were hitting the fan.
ALL HAIL DELL DEMPS - His first mission (at least for now): ACCOMPLISHED!!!
#12
420ftJesus
07/26/10 02:11 PM
Worldwide Wanker better realize that New Orleans ain't in his world.
Really though, the situation is the same as it was when we ended against Houston: Chris has 2 years on his deal and we need to win. We're changing from the top down, so player changes come later so they fit.
I'm good.
#13
QueenBee
07/26/10 02:36 PM
The thing is, he's at least giving the team a chance. If you would have listened to some in the past week you would think that he didn't really want to hear anything the Hornets pitched his way and that he'd present them with this nice little list of where he wanted to go. Nothing else to be said. People are saying let's hope he's being honest. He's being honest. He said he HOPES to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for years to come. If they show that they are committed to winning, then he very well may represent the city/state of LA for years to come. If they aren't then he's more than likely to be gone. Simple as that. He's not the first nor will he be the last superstar to feel this way. Still expect trade rumors for as long as he's a New Orleans Hornet though.
#14
QueenBee
07/26/10 02:41 PM
He said he HOPES to represent the city and state for years to come. Years to come could be the 2 years he has left on his contract. But, he's still at least giving Demps and the org the chance that many people hoped he wouldn't.
#15
clef_504
07/26/10 02:46 PM
ok guys as much as i love our franchise player im still trying to figure out that if he wants to stay here.....and he is such a classy guy, then why would he allow his agent to talk to other teams when he has two years left on his contract? if they were all rumors what would it hurt to release a statement saying they arent true? he was so busy tweeting about trips and hanging out with james that he couldnt straighten out issues that included his name......something is fishy and im still not very happy.
#16
QueenBee
07/26/10 02:53 PM
Either way clef_504, it seems that Chris Paul will still be a Hornet this season and a lot of things can change between now and the end of the season. Either for the better or for the worse. I'm betting whether Chris really wanted to be traded or not, by him not coming out and addressing it, it probably lit a fire under the Hornets. If he had come out and said, 'these rumors aren't true', the Hornets org may have just sat around twiddling their thumbs, and Bower may still be Hornets GM. If he had come out and said the rumors weren't true, the org would think he was satisfied with the way things are going. I'm just glad the org at least has a chance to better things. If he would've gone into that meeting today and requested a trade, then he would not have given the new GM a chance at all. Go to work Demps. Today was a good start.
#17
clef_504
07/26/10 03:02 PM
and you are right queen but look at this......lets say cp3 is telling the truth and just trying to get the team to do more......we go and trade dc3 for some help at sf or c. it is an upgrade but not to his liking.......behind closed doors lbj and his mafia agency is still talking to other teams and next year we go through this same thing next year except we just lost what could have been a valuable replacement for a disgrunted star. if this whole scenario wouldnt have happened i wouldnt mind trading collison but now no matter what chances cp3 gives the team we cant sit up here and fully trust him now or we could end up like cleveland
#18
clef_504
07/26/10 03:06 PM
yall are gonna have to forgive me......im a huge basketball fan and this is an emotional blow. so im not as positive as most
#19
QueenBee
07/26/10 03:21 PM
@clef_504, sure, most of us don't fully trust CP and the Lebron circus right now but what are we to do? Sit back and watch. I'm sure they probably presented CP with a plan today. Did he tell them he wanted a trade today? Today would've been the perfect opportunity. Did he ask for a trade and they told him no way? Perhaps. We may not know the real answer for another year or two. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't though. He could be all on board of the team trading Collison if it presented them with a chance to get a better player in here. But it will all still be a risk because we don't know what will happen with said player. He could come in here and sustain an injury and won't be able to help the Hornets at all. And as good as Collison is, I still don't think we could win a championship with him at the helm. Will he be paired here with a center of Dwight Howard's caliber? That may be the only way we can be successful with Collison at the helm. Remember, Collison had nice numbers but they didn't translate into wins. I in no way think the trade rumors will stop though. Whether they are leaked by CP3 or the Lebron circus, or by CP's mama. They won't stop. This is what happens when you have a superstar that wants to win badly on your team.
#20
QueenBee
07/26/10 03:39 PM
Will we have more, less, or about the same amount of televised games this season? I could say we’ll probably have less with them wanting to show an abundance of John Wall, the new Big 3 and of course the Lakers will have a huge share. But then we could also have more or about the same so they can continue to let the world know about Chris Paul being disgruntled and wanting out.
#21
Andrea
07/26/10 03:40 PM
I can't say I'm completely sold on what was said to have gone on in this meeting but at least the situation is taken care of for now. Obviously if the Bees get off to a bad start, we'll hear about this again.
CP seems like a pretty good guy so I'm gonna have a little faith that he's not pulling the wool over our eyes with his statement. Today was his opportunity to be completely open and ask for the trade that he supposedly wants and he reportedly didn't so hopefully that's a sign that he and the org. are in a solid place. I just hope he's not trying to fool us.
If he does at any point in time ask to be traded, I wouldn't blame him one bit. When healthy, he gives everything he has to help get Ws and deserves to be a part of a team that's committed to winning some time in the near future.
#22
QueenBee
07/26/10 03:44 PM
@Andrea- "Obviously if the Bees get off to a bad start, we'll hear about this again."
We're going to hear about it anyway. Even if we have a good start the media will still carry on with, 'Even though the Hornets are winning, Paul still wants out'.' I'm fully prepared for it.
#23
QueenBee
07/26/10 03:58 PM
Wojo: "Ultimately, a big question for Chris Paul is this: Does he want out of New Orleans as badly as his new business associates want him out?"
about 3 hours ago via web
This is what I've been wondering.
#24
QueenBee
07/26/10 04:27 PM
Sounds like ESPN's Shelley Smith is p*ssed that she came all the way to NOLA for basically nothing. Hahaaa.
#25
420ftJesus
07/26/10 04:31 PM
Let's say he's bluffing us and wants to leave in 2 years. Ok, well in 2 years we'll be in a different world.
He's here now, and he's going to try to win now even if he plans to leave, because what better way to kill time and also prove to the future team that you are worth the max etc.
Him being here gives us the chance to do what Cleveland tried to do and we have the benefit of at least learning from their mistake and failing a new way.
Like I said earlier, we're changing everything from the top down. We're doing what we can, and alot more than Cleveland did in terms of numbers of changes. Remember, the model is Miami, not Cleveland, right? Or Boston. Or the Lakers.
Or the Thunder if you listen to some of the folks. In fact, we might be alot more them than the others. Relocation first, then a new owner, whereas they reversed that order. They resigned their star after an `unexpectedly good' showing in the playoffs. What made Durant sign? What superstars did they sign?
Yeah, there's alot more to this than go out and buy a Prada bag because it says Prada. Does anything think Durant couldn't write his own ticket? He could, and he punched his ticket for the Thunder. There's alot more than can attract Chris than a big shiny name. Marcus is one. Collison is another. How about Q? D West? These guys don't need to be world famous to be effective. These guys brought us hope last year without Chris (excepting Q), so imagine what they'll do with him. These are what will keep Chris. And THEN, we'll see who's a household name.
And talk about eat the lunch of all the creeps and slime that can't bother with basketball enough to be bothered with teams that have fewer than 3 start on `the list' . . . yeah, they'll be dumbfounded.
I can't wait.
Buy your tickets, people.
#26
420ftJesus
07/26/10 05:42 PM
Here's something I found interesting. By interesting I meant get-wrenching. And by gut-wrenching I mean it makes my brain want to vomit and my hand to pull someone's intestines out through their navel while their kids watch.
What CP3 said: "The meeting went well."
What CP3 meant: "The meeting did not go well."
What CP3 said: "It was great to get an opportunity to sit down with Coach Williams, President Weber and our new General Manager Dell Demps."
What CP3 meant: "Who is Dell Demps?! ... and why am I using so many capital letters?!"
What CP3 said: "I expressed my desire to win and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team."
What CP3 meant: "Since I'm under contract for two more seasons, my agent says I really won't be able to wield any leverage until 2011, at the earliest."
What CP3 said: "I have been a Hornet my entire career ..."
What CP3 meant: "LeBron James had been a Cavalier for his entire career ..."
What CP3 said: "... I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come."
What CP3 meant: "This is a fantastic town, and I love the people. I definitely plan on keeping a house here long after I leave as a free agent in 2012."
http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5411545
#27
QueenBee
07/26/10 05:59 PM
@420ftJesus-Whatever. All we know is, he don't appear to be getting traded today so let's go from there. Eff ESPN.
#28
420ftJesus
07/26/10 06:32 PM
QueenBee: Yup.
Like you said, it won't stop.
#29
QueenBee
07/26/10 08:49 PM
Yup, see? Didn't I tell you. Ken Berger has already spent all day on his latest article saying Paul still seeking a way out. Told you it won't die so don't expect it to. Berger wants Paul in NY.
#30
420ftJesus
07/26/10 08:53 PM
He can talk Paul to NYC if he comes down to Jefferson Highway.
#31
420ftJesus
07/26/10 10:30 PM
More from Berger. Remember, Berger says don't believe any news except his news. According to him, the plan is exactly this. And Chris has to play nice and let the Hornets get max value for him or he won't be able to be traded . . . you know, because he has so much leverage.
Oh, and the list of destinations has changed. Charlotte and the Nets have made appearances and others dropped off. You know, because the plan is so well-thought out. Oh, and those teams and big spenders and winners with lots of depth the can part with.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13671341/after-hornets-meeting-paul-still-seeking-way-out
#32
QueenBee
07/26/10 10:40 PM
LOL 420ftJesus. Kind of like what John Hollinger tweeted...
In lieu of my Power Rankings, Chris Paul will be updating his Favored Destination Rankings daily Monday thru Friday this summer.
10:51 PM Jul 23rd via web
Haha.
#33
420ftJesus
07/26/10 10:44 PM
Ha. I guess that's his way of calling Berger an empty-headed tool.
#34
QueenBee
07/26/10 10:53 PM
So since Berger says Paul still wants out I guess he's going to lie straight to the faces of the little kids that will probably ask him about it this week during his camp right?
#35
420ftJesus
07/26/10 10:56 PM
Right after he steals their candy.
I don't think Berger knows a thing about who Chris really is.
#36
QueenBee
07/26/10 10:58 PM
LOL 420ftJesus-Cuz we all know Paul is the best thief in the NBA right? Hahaha!
#37
QueenBee
07/27/10 12:41 AM
Fletcher Mackel is something else. It's already been said by John Reid in his latest article ....
"Paul doesn’t plan to respond to any questions about Monday’s meeting or his future in New Orleans when his camp opens Tuesday at Tulane."
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2010/07/new_orleans_hornets_confident.html
So then Mackerel (I think this is what I'll call him from now on) tweets this...
If @oneandonlycp3 does not answer questions regarding his future in NOLA at his camp..its simple..he wants out bad and is as good as gone!
about 2 hours ago via web
Now he already knows that Chris won't ask any questions about this so why does he feel the need to tweet this? Does it appear to anyone else that Mackerel wants CP out of NOLA? And if so, why?
#38
QueenBee
07/27/10 12:43 AM
I mean he already knows Chris won't 'answer' any questions...
#39
420ftJesus
07/27/10 07:34 AM
If only someone would tweet, it only matters what Chris wants when he has the ability to go to another team.
#40
QueenBee
07/27/10 12:35 PM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/nba/2010/07/27/072610.ir_paulhornets.SportsIllustrated/index.html
#41