Will New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul Stay Now: What Would Kobe Bryant Do?

The New Orleans Hornets continue to surprise the NBA game after game after game.  They beat the Portland Trailblazers handily to extend their unbeaten streak to eight games, and tied the L.A. Lakers for best start this season.

The Hornets schedule has been tough and they have had to out-duel some very good teams and in the process kept all their opponents to less than 100 points. 

On Monday night they will face another good team in the Dallas Mavericks in yet another test to answer their critics.  Should they succeed, they will further their unbeaten record to 9-0.

The Hornets remain as the NBA’s only unbeaten team, a scenario that reflects a dramatic turn of events for this franchise from the past summer.  That drama had first unfolded when the Hornet’s first faced the uncertainty of a Chris Paul trade demand. 

That now seems to be a distant memory, but has the New Orleans Hornets’ torrid start deepened Paul’s commitment to stay with the organization for the long haul?

What would a superstar like Kobe Bryant do in CP3’s shoes?

The answer to this question is quite obvious to most NBA fans outside of L.A.  Kobe Bryant will do what’s good for Kobe Bryant first and to hell with everyone else.  That includes his organization, his team and the fans that support him.

While some might say that there is nothing wrong with this kind of philosophy, others would claim that this self-serving ideology will benefit the one and not the many.  That claim would be true.

What would other stars like LeBron James and Chris Bosh do?

We all know the answer to that question.  They share the same self-centered "me first" attitude reflected by Kobe Bryant, the result of which has put both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors organizations into a tailspin. 

The fact that their decisions seem to be blowing up in their faces is beside the point…what matters is the mess they’ve left behind.

Kobe Bryant had three championships with the city of L.A. before turning blue in the face and demanding a trade. 

It’s that "me first" attitude that always seems to rear it’s ugly head.

Certainly this type of philosophy does not make the world a better place.  Hopefully, most of us are less self-absorbed than some of these superstars in reality. 

Chris Paul has no championships to date, and like all other superstars in the history of the NBA, he has not been surrounded with the type of talent that Kobe Bryant has had throughout his career. 

What Chris Paul could have done with Kobe’s star studded cast is mind boggling.  Yet, Chris Paul is not kicking and screaming and turning blue in the face demanding a trade. He is not pulling a Carmelo Anthony by playing reluctantly for a team and a city that have given him so much.

Instead, he is helping the organization that has put their faith in him stay relevant.   

CP3 has that rare ability shared by the likes of Michael Jordan, Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.  This is an extraordinary ability to harness their teammates’ potential and make them better…make them into winners.

Chris Paul is also showing that he has a strong, loyal and decent character that can only emanate from within.  This type of character is seriously lacking in so many other superstars and it is refreshing to see in the likes of CP3, Steve Nash and Tim Duncan. 

Chris Paul is committed to the city of New Orleans and it’s Hornets franchise.  He’s proving that commitment on the court.  Hopefully, a championship will follow.