The Sports Corner

Please trade Chris Paul

Today the New Orleans Hornets relegated Tyson Chandler to the Oklahoma City Thunder in return for Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox and Devon Hardin. The trade hasn’t been officially announced yet but it’s all over the news wire.

The Chandler trade was made to get the team under the luxury tax threshold for next season as both Smith and Wilcox have expiring contracts while Chandler will cost over 11 million next season. I’m afraid that if Chris Paul stays with this franchise any longer his career will be wasted.

Tyson Chandler’s athleticism was such a weapon for Chris Paul on the fast break, in half-court sets, off back screens, pick and rolls and on and on etc. Without someone with his abilities in the lineup an entire facet of Paul’s game has been taken out of play.

This is a formal petition to Hornets GM Jeff Bower, Owner George Shinn and Head Coach Byron Scott:

Please trade Chris Paul.

You’re going to waste the next two years of his career at least. He’s the best point guard in the game and he’s stuck floundering with your franchise. He can’t ask for a trade because of the negative reaction that would draw. He has to ride out the storm on a team whose second best athlete just became second-year player Julian Wright, who averages 9.9 minutes per game. How do you expect to contend for a title with such a dearth of athleticism?

It’s not fair to him and it’s not fair to fans of the game. Basically giving away players in order to get under the luxury tax threshold isn’t fair to fans in New Orleans.

How can you ask them to pay for tickets and memorabilia when you won’t pay the remainder of a player’s contract?

For the love of god trade Chris Paul and end this madness.