Chris Paul is watching his friends try to figure out where to play and admits he might like to do that, too.
“I’m friends with D-Wade, LeBron, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and all these other free agents,” the Hornets guard told ESPN.com. “I’m watching them try to figure out what they’re going to do to put themselves in a position to win championships. I’d love to be a part of that stuff.”
Rumors that the Hornets were willing to deal the All-Star for financial reasons led to further speculation that the team acquiring him would have a better chance of signing LeBron James.
“It’s well-known that the two are close friends who would love to be on the same team,” the report says.
Paul said he would be open to a deal.
“I’m fine with staying in New Orleans, but I want to make sure we’re committed to winning,” Paul said. “I don’t want to rebuild. I want to win now. It’s nothing personal against the city. I love that city. But my biggest thing is winning.”
However, the Hornets released a statement today saying Paul was not available.
“Chris Paul is the cornerstone of our franchise and brings us unequaled support on and off the court,” owner George Shinn said. “We will continue to build around Chris Paul, and we want to see him in a Hornets uniform for the remainder of his career.”
Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said he has been fielding a number of calls about possible trades from teams around the league, but has declined to specify which teams, or how many, have made offers for Paul.
Bower said only that he has an obligation to listen to offers for every player in order to gauge the value of the players on his roster.
With AP