Forty Dollars Short of Amazing

When Chris Paul was untraded back from the Lakers to the Hornets, the procession of horribles was so obvious that cataloging them was almost a delight. Los Angeles suffered a compromised foundation, the untraded Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Houston's careful planning was exposed and burned to the ground. Boston alienated its future by marginalizing Rajon Rondo and lost out on David West. New Orleans was left with a toxic asset and even less of the limited leverage it enjoyed at the outset. Worse, the Hornets were not likely to receive more for Paul than Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, and Kevin Martin.Ultimately the Hornets sent Paul to Lob City, where he is now mayor, and New Orleans received Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, and a coveted draft pick in return. However ugly the Paul trade saga may have been, watching the NBA-sanctioned Hornets was worse.Game time in Phoenix, and the U.S. Airways Center is 60% full. The Suns event staff ushers the crowd through the customary, empt...