Four Teams, One Real Impact

I'm telling you... Nap Town is all that!

In the little trade that just went down between the Rockets, Hornets, Pacers, and Nets, much can be made of the Rockets shedding payroll, the Nets obtaining a hefty expiring contract, the Hornets picking up an athletic swingman that can shoot, etc. etc. etc.  Don't let the smokescreen fool you.  The fact is that this trade was swung for one huge reason and one only:  The Hornets are trying to make Chris Paul happy.  And the Pacers lucked-up and became the chief beneficiaries. 

By shipping out Darren Collison, who played far above expectations last season in Chris Paul's absence, the Hornets' front office is sending a clear message to Paul that they are committed to him for the foreseeable future. Someone apparently feels that Paul's ego and/or confidence is too fragile to have a promising young guard playing behind or beside him.  Or maybe Paul asked for this.  Who knows.  In any case, if there was ever a question, this is now undeniably Paul's team.


Forget that Collison's rookie contract will be paying him under $2 million for a few more years, right?  Well, I'll bet the Pacers don't forget it.  The team that's been famously hunting for a point guard as long as any team in the league just had one fall in their lap.  Yes friends, even in the NBA, patience can be a virtue.