Stop the Ridiculous Dallas Trade Rumors
First Mark Cuban and Shaq tweeted their way into a trade conversation. By all accounts, it seems like the Diesel initiated the conversation, and it’s a generally one-sided interest. But while Cuban put some of these rumors to bed, he stoked the fire on another – much more ridiculous – trade rumor:
Get Chris Paul from the Hornets by bailing them out of a troubling financial situation.
Let’s make this clear: if the Hornets were to make this move, they should fold as a franchise. If a team in a league with a salary cap is going to be so badly damaged by stepping into luxury tax territory that they have to trade away one of the top five players in the League for nothing, they shouldn’t exist. This move would be far worse than what the Florida Marlins did after they won the World Series in 1997 and 2003, in which they famously sold off all of their high-profile talent. Their main motivation was to cut costs, but in doing so, at least they got young minor league prospects in return.
The proposal put forth by Tim MacMahon wouldn’t include a legit return on Chris Paul except for a boatload of expiring contracts:
Acquiring Paul, a perennial MVP candidate who hasn’t even hit his prime yet, and a couple of his overpaid pals would be a no-brainer basketball deal for the Mavs. For the Hornets, such a deal would make sense only because of the dollars.
The Hornets are a prime example of a team that might have to make a desperate, cost-cutting deal due to the economy. They play in a small market still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and are in luxury-tax territory. That awful combination led them to trade Tyson Chandler for spare parts in the middle of a playoff race, although Oklahoma City’s doctors ultimately vetoed that deal.
Cuban can put together a heck of a bailout package for the Hornets, the bulk of which would consist of the expiring contracts of Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Howard and Erick Dampier.
We shouldn’t even entertain this as a real idea. But if it were to actually happen, what do fans in New Orleans do? They don’t go out and buy Stackhouse jerseys. It’d be a horrible basketball decision and maybe an even worse business decision. No matter what Mark Cuban wants, this can’t happen.
Source: Dallas News
April 10th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
me says:
do eet!!
they still wouldn’t come out of the west tho.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
SJ says:
This wouldn’t happen. No way.
The Hornets do need to get something going to increase attendance, though. Maybe set up some fan appreciation days where fans can ball with some of the players… No matter what, I don’t see the organization folding even if they are in financial trouble. There will always be someone to help out a high-profile team.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
hahns says:
if they make a trade like this, obama should summarily take the hornets front office and tar and feather them in front of the white house for all of america to see.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Pure drama. Honestly everyone needs to just chill and stay where they are at for a minute.
This is just noise.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Dave says:
It’s a nonsense rumour.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Steve Gomez 10a-2p on Hot 104.7 Modesto, CA says:
You gotta give Mark Cuban props for having the balls to propose such a deal. And Dallas should should be grateful they have an owner willing to spend when everyone else is cutting back to win a championship before Dirk is past his prime.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
ticktock6 says:
Thank you.
I haven’t even commented on these rumors on my blog, even though they’re something I’d usually run with, because of the magnitude of the ridiculousness here. Without Chris Paul, the franchise practically doesn’t exist. Save the money from his contract FOR WHAT? What’s even the point? The Hornets front office probably got off the phone and died laughing.
@SJ The Hornets fill New Orleans Arena at 98.8% capacity, good for 8th in the league. They’re one of the only teams who’ve gone UP in a year of economic recession. Where are they gonna fit more people? You need to get your news from 2009, man!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Tha Boddy "Shaqified" says:
Stackhouse can still ball!!!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Tyrone says:
Ain’t no doubt y’all that the Big Cactus is done. Dude ain’t got no lift and only able to tweet like a little girl. His fatass just ain’t worth it.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Bruce says:
I got one for you, MJ is gay!
April 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Mikey says:
The Hornets need to change their name to the Sonics and move to Seattle already. N.O. isn’t big enought to support two top tier professional teams (Saints and Hornets). The Saints have been in town for a lot longer than the Hornets. It makes sense to make the move.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
SJ says:
@ticktock6
Thank you for advising of the attendance stats, could you also advise how much revenue is generated from those tickets sales? Maybe I should have said ‘increase participation’ instead. No matter… if an organization can damn near sell out every game and still be close to falling apart financially, there need to be some strong changes within that organization.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
ticktock6 says:
They’re not falling apart financially. They just don’t want to go over the luxury tax, like many other teams. I don’t know why everyone focuses on the Hornets disproportionally more than the rest of the teams in the same situation.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
doc says:
They should trade him to Philly.
April 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
SJ says:
Didn’t they accept that $12 million loan from the NBA? I remember hearing that they weren’t going to take it, then that they were taking it, but don’t really need it.
April 10th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Blazermark says:
Who would want to move to dirty, dusty, flat, over-populated and polluted Dallas? I think CP3 will stay right where he is!
April 10th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Blazermark says:
CP3 may want to play in the beautiful Rose Garden to a huge sold out building, while working for the richest owner in all of pro sports! CP3 and B-Roy with L. Aldridge, Oden, Batum, Outlaw, Joel Przybilla, Jerred Bayless, Webster, and Rudy Fernandez….. Sounds like a great fit to me!
April 10th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Mark says:
Blazermark: Portland would have to give up their owner to acquire CP.
And Brandon Roy.
April 11th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Ernesto says:
If my name was Bruce then I would know.
Did Cuban check to see that Rick Carlisle was down with that? He seems pretty high on J.J. Barea right now.