Chris Paul Trades to Both Los Angeles Teams Killed, Where Can He Still Go?

Now that trades involving both the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers have fallen through, it begs the question of where, if anywhere, the stud point guard Chris Paul could end up playing this season.

Both teams have sent significant packages of talent for the Hornets lead guard. The Lakers trade would have involved the Houston Rockets and sent a collection of middle-aged talent to the Hornets. Their package, however, would have required New Orleans to take on quite a bit of salary, and acting Hornets president and NBA League Commissioner David Stern killed the move.

The Clippers deal would have sent young talent with high upside in Eric Gordon and Al Farouq-Aminu and a large expiring contract in Chris Kaman. It also would have given the Hornets the Minnesota Timberwolves' unprotected draft pick, a likely top-five selection in what is considered a loaded draft class.

All signs point towards Paul walking when his contract is up at the end of this season, which gives his trade value a serious hit. Both trades offered for him were very serious collectives of talent that would give the Hornets at least something to work with as opposed to Paul leaving for nothing in the offseason.

David Stern has stated that the Hornets are seeking a "star-caliber" player in return for Paul. The Los Angeles trades, while both appealing, did not contain that one high-profile player that would give the Hornets one face to market with Paul gone. 

There are teams that will not want to wait to try their luck in the Chris Paul sweepstakes next year and will be willing to put together star-studded trade packages to get a shot at bringing Chris Paul to them.

Here are five teams that could offer just that. 

Boston Celtics

This scenario would involve the Celtics swapping their top-flight point guard Rajon Rondo and some other pieces for Chris Paul.

Rondo, while not considered on the same level as Paul, is still an elite point guard. There are many who question whether or not he is only effective because of the talent around him, and shipping him to the Hornets would certainly answer that question quickly. 

Rondo is not as gifted of a scorer as Paul and has nowhere near the same shooting touch. He is a comparable passer and is quite possibly the best man defender of any point guard in the entire NBA.

How he would fit on a Hornets team where the best passing targets are not big-time scorers is questionable, but putting Rondo in a fast-paced system with more athletic talent around him may free him to rise to new heights.

Chris Paul, on the other hand, would be a nightmare on the Celtics. He would force teams to guard the point guard position from further out than the paint and would function just as well, if not better, than Rondo in the passing game. 

Rondo has the name power and upside necessary to give the Hornets what they want, a star. 

New York Knicks

This trade would send big man Amar'e Stoudemire to the Hornets for Paul. 

With David West leaving the Hornets for the Pacers, there is a gaping offensive hole in the New Orleans frontcourt. The Hornets have holes everywhere, really, but at least Jarrett Jack and his guard counterparts have more offensive ability than the likes of Aaron Gray and Emeka Okafor.

Stoudemire proved last season that he did not need an elite passing point guard to be effective, so he would continue to function at over a 20 PPG level for the Hornets. He would actually make a formidable post duo with Okafor's defensive ability and would add a very high-profile star to the Hornets.

It is no secret that the Knicks want Paul very badly. They wanted to add him in addition to Carmelo Anthony and Stoudemire, but as the impossibilities of that dream came to light, they made the decision to use their cap space on Tyson Chandler

Chandler, as it may be remembered, enjoyed his finest seasons as alley-opp partners with Paul. Before Chandler signed, Paul stated to all teams that playing with his good friend would make any team much more appealing.

The D'antoni offense runs much more smoothly with a quick and elite point than it does with two great post players, and the Hornets get a proven stud. 

Golden State Warriors

Monta Ellis has been on the trading block forever. He is a star. Chris Paul apparently has a strong desire to go to California. While not Los Angeles, the Warriors are still in the state.

What matters most, though, is what the Warriors can offer the Hornets. Ellis is the "most equipped to carry a team" star that has been in the rumor mill for a while now in that he is an offensive juggernaut. 

Ellis is the most gifted scorer that no one pays attention to in the whole league. Most of this comes from his living in mediocrity with the Warriors, but he is more than capable of providing the exciting style of scoring that fills seats even when teams do not win that many games.

The move would force budding superstar Stephen Curry to the two spot, a move that would free him up to become more of a pure shooter and would take the pressure of running the teams passing off of his shoulders alone. 

Chris Paul would soar in the Warriors system with scoring threats literally all around him. 

He may even make David Lee good again. 

New Orleans Hornets

In all likelihood, Paul will not be dealt.

Simply put, no one is going to be willing to give more than what has already been offered for Paul. Both the Clippers and Lakers were probably giving up too much for Paul. Throw in his shaky knees and the possibility of him not signing an extension, and teams are just not willing to mortgage that much of their future for one player.

The Celtics, Knicks and Warriors are the only teams that should still make a play. They would not be shipping out entire parts of their team and would be giving Stern and the Hornets the one thing they have said the would want.

It seems that Stern is simply not going to give Paul up unless he receives a true king's ransom from a trade. The collection of talent that it looks like it would take to get him would be steep if he was coming fresh off of a career season with a multi-year extension on the table.

The trade veto with the Lakers and now the Clipper deal falling apart will also make other teams pause. It may make them stop completely, except for the fact that no team has truly offered a "star-level" player yet.

Expect one more team to try and deal a star for Paul. They may get him yet, but if they do not, expect Paul to rot on the Hornets until at least the trade deadline.

It would not be easy to sell the Hornets without Paul on the roster, but it would be impossible to sell the team with him leaving and no talent coming back.

The Hornets will eventually have to deal, but for now, they can sit on their only true asset for a while more. 

Miami Heat

Just kidding, this will never happen.

There will be those who say that it will, especially if Paul survives this week as a Hornet. 

It seems all players are linked to the Heat at some point, and yes, Bosh and two draft picks would technically make an appealing package.

Wade or LeBron for Paul would be every Hornets dream too.

The truth of it, though, is that no trade of this sort will ever happen. The Heat are not going to break up the Big Three and deal LeBron or Wade just because they lost in the finals in their first year together. Trading Bosh does not make sense because the Heat would then literally have zero functioning big men on their team.

So do yourself a favor when the trade rumors come up about Paul or even Dwight Howard going to the Heat and ignore them, because it just will not happen.