New Additions Must Help CP3's New Orleans Hornets Get Stingers Back

Chris Paul gripped his groin area, wincing in pain as an assistant coach helped him to the bench.

With a 17-point third quarter lead against the wannabe-.500 Chicago Bulls and David West still on the floor as an interior terror, the New Orleans Hornets appeared ready to survive the temporary loss of their star point guard.

Then, history reared its ugly head, and the offense—sans Paul—imploded like the Stardust in Vegas.

From a 17-point lead at home to a 14-point loss, the collapse was as spectacular as it was telling.

This is what the Hornets usually do when Paul cannot play or when he rests. When the team wins with him in street clothes, it feels more like luck than something on which to bet the house.

No playoff team relies on one player to do so much like the the Hornets do Paul.

No discussion necessary or allowed.

The Cleveland Cavaliers stayed close with opponents throughout a 66-win campaign when LeBron James sat for his customary moments of rest.

The Utah Jazz can still pile up points against many foes when Deron Williams sits.

The Los Angeles Lakers have enough depth to erase deficits against playoff-caliber squads with Kobe Bryant in his warm-ups.

Remember that Sunday afternoon in Cleveland when Bryant spent halftime vomiting like a mental patient with swine flu?

Lamar Odom corralled 20 rebounds and Pau Gasol ate space in the middle like it was seasoned chorizo to help the Lakers claim the only legitimate victory at Quicken Loans Arena in the 2008-09 season.

The expectations—at an all-time high after a breezy first-round win and a seven-game set with the champion Spurs—sunk the Hornets’ chances as much as the injury bug.

The group many predicted would seize the West crown became the conference’s biggest disappointment.

Just don’t blame the team’s step back on Paul. Charley Rosen chided the Wake Forest product for his inconsistent jumper and his gambling tendencies on defense. The Fox Sports columnist included Paul in a column about overrated players who should not be considered superstars.

His averages from last year—22 PTS, 11 AST, 3 STL, 5.5 REB—would make Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson proud.

Tyson Chandler missed at least 31 games, Peja Stojakovic was close with various back ailments and several others found themselves on the injured list.

What else can Paul do, Mr. Rosen?

Shaquille O’ Neal won four championships with no offensive game outside of 10 feet and one of the worst free throw percentages in league history.

Allen Iverson willed a mediocre Philadelphia Sixers squad to the NBA Finals without a commitment to practice or proper leadership skills.

Can anyone cite Paul’s streaky shot as the sole reason for the Hornets shortfalls?

If his starting small forward was someone other than overpaid, choke artist extraordinaire Stojakovic, if West exhibited the same competitive fire and passion that made him a first-time All-Star in 2008, if the bench was not reduced to out-of-place James Posey and youngsters in the Byron Scott doghouse, maybe so.

Paul needed a better supporting cast, and a confusing but productive offseason should afford him one.

If the new transplants produce and West and Paul stay healthy, opponents could be the ones wincing come April.

Collison is most valuable rookie on playoff hopeful

Chase Budinger could provide a scoring spark off the bench in Houston while Tracy McGrady rehabs from microfracture knee surgery.

Ty Lawson will lead a depleted second unit in Denver.

Dejuan Blair’s beastly rebounding and tenacity could give San Antonio’s reserve corps extra juice.

The Bulls may give two rookies some minutes early on to see what they can do.

No first-year player on a playoff contender will be as important to his team’s fortunes as 21st pick Darren Collison.

He sped down the court and bothered his point guard opponents with stingy defense at UCLA.

Now, the Hornets need him to make sure the offense does not collapse every time Paul leaves the court.

Jannero Pargo could fill it up in a hurry, but he struggled to manage a cohesive offense.

Antonio Daniels and Mike James were each eagerly shipped out of town for their floor general failures.

The former Pac 10 Player of the Year backed up Jordan Farmar for a year at UCLA before taking the program’s point guard reigns.

Often seen as a player prone to big-game disappointments in college, Collison now assumes a complimentary role where that will matter less.

All he has to do is make sure Byron Scott doesn’t have to play Paul 42 minutes a night, wearing out his All-NBA star before the All-Star break.

He must do the simple thing three others could not.

Is Okafor an upgrade over Chandler?

The Hornets began the summer seemingly determined to spend little. Rumors flew like a flock of geese that GM Jeff Bower considered trading Chandler to Phoenix for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic’s expiring deals just to get the club under the luxury tax threshold.

In a summer where several rich teams acquired additional wealth at the expense of those relegated to slashing payroll, the scenario was believable.

Instead, the Hornets opted to spend a lot. Sure, the Chandler for Emeka Okafor swap will save ownership an additional million and will nudge the payroll under the tax, but the former Bobcat will cost George Shinn the remainder of a gargantuan $72 million extension signed in Charlotte over the next few years.

In a confusing and perhaps desperate move, Bower traded the soul of the Hornets for a non-franchise talent Larry Brown no longer trusted.

In Chandler’s best season, he posted 11 points and 11 rebounds. The numbers do not begin to explain his impact. He defended elite post players as well as anyone else in the league could have, he soared to throw down Paul’s perfectly telegraphed lob passes, and his career resurrection seemed to mirror that of post-Katrina New Orleans.

In the Hornets’ Game Seven loss to the Spurs, Duncan made only five of 17 shots against Chandler.

Then, toe and ankle injuries rendered him useless for most of last season.

A reappearance of surf toe caused the Thunder to quickly rescind a trade that would have sent Chandler to Oklahoma City.

Okafor brings to the Big Easy career averages of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

He’s more creative in the post, with more meat on his bones to defend stronger bigs.

He will not, however, catch lob passes from Paul as Chandler did, nor will he be as mobile in pick-and-roll coverage.

The trade that seems like the ultimate wash—the quintessential doing-something-just-to-do-something move—will take months to understand.

Both players can help their respective squads in areas of deficiency, but how much they can assist remains to be seen.

Ike Diogu and Darius Songaila—late, great acquisitions

The Spurs headed to Indianapolis one April afternoon for a showdown with the banged up, lottery-bound Pacers.

At first glance, with Jermaine O’ Neal sidelined, the game seemed like a cakewalk for been there, done that San Antonio.

The Spurs did not prepare for Diogu, who unleashed on the Alamo City frontcourt a torturous combination of dunks, drives and jumpers.

His colossal night helped the Pacers defeat the eventual champs 100-99.

Yes, this was 2007, when Tim Duncan secured his fourth ring.

Earlier this spring, Diogu hung 30 points on Denver, when every game still counted for the Nuggets.

At age 26 with a 7’4” wingspan, Diogu uses his brute strength to overcome his undersized 6’9” stature. Never close to an NBA-level star, the Arizona State product has settled for spot reserve duty.

He does not figure to play much behind his Hornets superiors, particularly West, but should injuries strike, he will offer helpful insurance.

You know, the kind that puts you in good hands when you need it.

The addition of heady and athletic forward Songaila should boost the bench production, too.