Layups: Superstar Trades
Posted by Neil Paine on July 27, 2010
Even though the Chris Paul trade talk is cooling off after his meeting with Hornets brass yesterday, the possibility of the superstar PG changing teams remains a huge topic of conversation this summer -- especially after Paul's Redeem Team mates LeBron James & Chris Bosh relocated through free agency. The most interesting parts of CP3's possible move are the fact that he's still a megastar player, and that it would have to happen via trade, since Paul is still under contract for the next few seasons. Recently, Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus looked at other blockbuster trades featuring a superstar under the age of 30 being dealt. He found that the most similar situation may have been when Tracy McGrady was shipped to Houston in 2004. (Btw, remember when T-Mac was awesome?)
July 27th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Excellent article. The main take-home message is that New Orleans would be nuts to trade Paul. It would be better to let him go in two years and get nothing in return, because that would at least give them a chance to lose 60+ games and get lucky with the lottery.
The other take-home message is that the most efficient way to build a team is through the draft. The Hornet's best chance of getting a supporting cast for Paul would be to draft another stud.
A third, often overlooked factor is that the Hornets' regression was largely due to Paul's own injuries. If the guy had stayed healthy, the Hornets would have been much more competitive during the last two seasons.
July 28th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Btw, remember when T-Mac was awesome?
You know, I get so much visibility from that post you did based on the comment I made on the boards. I love it.