CP3 Already Sending Out SOS in NOLA

Most of us predicted a bumpy season for the Hornets. Looking back, their brief moment in the Western sun seems a lot like those Nets' trips to the Finals some years back. Maybe not that bad, but still a happy accident that no one should've wagered their hopes and fears on. So it comes as no surprise that things are starting to unravel, with Chris Paul at the middle of it all. It began with the Chandler/Okafor swap. You can't really blame the Hornets' front office for making the move, since Chandler was routinely unable to perform. But what no one seemed to understand was that the Chandler/Paul connection was an infallible weapon that, on so many levels, empowered this team. It was magical, fantastical, brash, intimidating and possible the most thrilling smokescreen we've seen in years. The team was All-Stars Paul and West, some maximized role players, and Chandler and Peja—who when healthy, fleshed out the Hornets' style in a way that landed NOLA atop...