NBA to take over Hornets

The AP is reporting today, 12/5/10, that the NBA is going to take control of the New Orleans Hornets.  The cash-strapped franchise can't put together the unity of ownership or the cash to make any prudent basketball decisions.  Frankly, David Stern getting control over a franchise gives me the willies, and it almost insures that there will be no pro basketball in the Big Easy come 2012.  If Hornets fans don't pack The Arena, there are no protections keeping the team in place.  Right now, the team is only 100 fans a game over the threshold, so there is no reason to expect this group to continue showing up.

I, for one, hope that the Hornets do move out of those facilities.  New Orleans has some great fans, but there are no real businessmen who want to control that franchise and make it wonderful.  I bet if they do relocate, some certain fans in Washington, fans of a team formerly named after a certain type of boom created when an object exceeds the sound barrier, would be really interested in putting together a package for the 10th biggest media market in the USA.

I also hope that Chris Paul doesn't demand his way out of this situation, but you couldn't blame him if he did.  CP3 has the potential to be the best player in the Association and deserves a team with some stability and an operation that wants to win.  Frankly I'd like to see the Hornets trade him, rather than lose him in free agency if it came down to it.  

A trade like this takes off some $20M of cap, which would make the team much easier to move and get a beneficial owner.  Plus, it gives the Hornets three good pieces of young talent who all play defense.  Az puts up some great drives and can shoot the 3, Landry Fields has a sweet midranger and Randolph would finally have some big men to learn from.  It'd be nice to see a team really reload for the future from a good trade unlike the recent superstar trades with Kidd, Pau or T-Mac.  

UPDATE 5:45PM - The NBA has stated that under the terms of the deal it will not have the authority to trade Chris Paul. Please forget the preceding two paragraphs.