What if Chris Paul became available?

[GreenFaith1819]

Just because CP3 is a APPEARS to be a better scorer doesn't mean he would in Boston. He would still be the 4th (or 5th option, IMO).

This is just flat out wrong, in my opinion.  Chris Paul is a much, much better scorer than Rondo right now, and would immediately be option 1A on offense.

Who would he be the 4th (or 5th) option to?  Rasheed?  Perk?  It makes little sense to me.

Chris Paul is a Better scorer because he HAS TO score for New Orleans to be competitive. Rondo's 4th option on Boston  because he has somewhat better talent, but Rondo is NOT far behind CP3 at all. Like I posted earlier, with KG out and Powe hurt, when Rondo was called on to score, he did..against Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, and Kirk Hinrich.

And if CP3 is option 1A on offense in Boston, then who is distributing the ball?

And Rondo will bridge gap for future quite nicely, I believe.

Rondo did quite well scoring against the young inconsistent Bulls. But can he score at will against the elite teams? No. Chris Paul can.

There is room for Paul to score and distribute ala Steve Nash, Jason Kidd. Overall his numbers would drop, but he can take over at any time. Most elite PGs can do both.

I respectfully disagree...didn't NOH play the Lakers last yr in the playoffs? And wasn't CP3 rendered a non-factor against the Lakers? I don't recall him scoring at will.

If he could score at will, then he alone would have gotten his team past LA.

Great Discussion! Making me smarter.

[CelticG1]

Chris Paul = Isiah Thomas.  Hate the ****, but I would absolutely love for him to be on the C's.  We'd still be the favorites to win the title this year (whatever offense we lost by trading Ray, CP3 would make up for) and we would absolutely have the bridge to the post-KG/Pierce era.

If you can add one of the three or four best players in the league, I don't care what the cost is, you do it. 

Agree 100%. If you can land a young MVP caliber player, you do it. C Paul and D Williams are far and away the top 2 PGs in the NBA.

Would you do this trade for Deron Williams now? I think Chris Paul is defintiely by far the best PG in the league but I wouldn't put Williams as a "far and away" better PG than everyone else. He's very good but he's also had very good talent on his team and a good coach and his team has done absolutely nothing.

[kozlodoev]

CP3 is the complete package at PG.

Exept for that whole defense thing.

[MBunge]

I wouldn't be too interested in Paul right now.  The last thing Boston needs right now is a PG who wants to score and dominate the ball.  It'd be great to have him 3 years from now when we're rebuilding, but I don't think you can automatically say the chemistry would work with Paul.

Mike

[Chris]

CP3 is the complete package at PG.

Exept for that whole defense thing.

Paul is pretty comparable to Rondo as a defender.  While Rondo I think has the potential to be better at that end of the court, right now, they are very similar.  They both are very aggressive, get a ton of steals, and also get beat a lot.  That puts CP3 still among the top PG defenders in the league.

[Mr October]

In the last 2 years, in the reg season, Chris Paul put up these numbers against the Lakers:

8 games, 24 PPG, 14 APG, about 48% FG

I cant find stats quickly for the playoffs in 2008, but my eyes told me that the Hornets team in general (over the past 2 years) is not built for major post season success. They are too soft defensively, too thin in the front court.

If your team can't play D and doesn't have size, you will loose in the playoffs.

[JBcat]

Let's see Chris Paul the first player in NBA history to put up 20 points per game 10 assists per game and 3 steals per game while also being a very good rebounder himself for a PG.   Paul Pierce and Chris Paul would then be options 1 and 1a on the team.  I think you have to do this and then there is always a chance Ray could get bought out by midseason.  Like others mentioned you would then have to look into a follow up deal for a respectable SG like packaging BBD and maybe our expiring contracts to get one.  That is if Ray doesn't get bought out which there could be a chance with NO's owner seemingly in financial trouble.    

[Brickowski]

Of course you would get Chris Paul if you could.  But for a Rondo- Ray Allen package I would want more than two overpaid broken down old men as throw ins.  Ray Allen is an all-star and his deal is expiring.

Sure, Rondo doesn't need to score now, but what about in three years?

[MBz]

If you can get Chris Paul you do it.  He does everything Rondo does and more.  He's definitely a better offensive player and though he doesn't rebound as well as Rondo, he does rebound extremely well for a guard.  Chris Paul is one of the top 2 PGs in the league, Rondo will never be as good as Paul.

[Fan from VT]

To me, a trade of Ray/Rondo for Paul/Filler is like Indiana trading Granger/Ford for Lebron and filler.

[Chris]

To me, a trade of Ray/Rondo for Paul/Filler is like Indiana trading Granger/Ford for Lebron and filler.

That seems like an accurate portrayal.  But stranger things have happened when players were unhappy and shooting their way out of town, and the owners were hemoraging money.

[Neurotic Guy]

I think many here wouldn't trade Pierce for Kobe.  I'd hate it at first, but you just have to do it.   It's like getting KG, if you have a chance at a guy who is or could be a top 5 player in the league, you do it.  CP is a top 5 type player.

[Who]

I don't think you trade for Chris Paul for this season ... but from next season (when you can sign a jump shooting two guard to the MLE) and in 4-5 years time when Pierce/Garnett leave he'll be more valuable to hold than the players gone out.

[zerophase]

People are letting their celtics pride cloud their vision. Ray and Rondo for CP3? Absolutely; no questions asked. CP3 is the best point guard this league has seen in the last decade- he has it all.

[Fan from VT]

To me, a trade of Ray/Rondo for Paul/Filler is like Indiana trading Granger/Ford for Lebron and filler.

That seems like an accurate portrayal.  But stranger things have happened when players were unhappy and shooting their way out of town, and the owners were hemoraging money.

Oh i agree. I wasn't saying that in terms of the deal never happening, i was just trying to put into perspective how excellent rondo/granger are but how amazing Paul/James are. i agree, if a player is definitely going to leave or is unhapppy, sometimes you have to get what you can rather than let them walk for nothing. stranger things HAVE happened.

oh, and again, you should play around with the trade checker to see if you can get a similar trade that works. now that Rondo is a PPP and Paul is still BYC, it's tricky; the one you proposed came back that NO still had to shed 3,000,000 dollars.