July 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
columnist John Reid
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In their first face-to-face meeting Monday, new Hornets general manager Dell Demps made quite a favorable impression on Chris Paul, sources close to Paul said. Demps also bought the franchise a little time with Paul, its star point guard, who had grown impatient with the team's inactivity during free agency. After hearing Demps' plan for retooling the roster, Paul, a three-time All-Star, is on board with the team's direction and will not seek to force a trade, according to sources close to him. Although Paul has refrained from offering details about Monday's meeting with Demps, Coach Monty Williams and team president Hugh Weber, sources said it was similar to a family sitting around a"
July 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets General Manager Dell Demps said Monday that Chris Paul did not ask the team to trade him on Monday and Demps said he felt sure Paul will be playing for the Hornets next season. "This morning Chris Paul and hisagent Leon Rose and his brother C.J. Paul met with Hugh Weber and Monty Williams. We met about 10 a.m, met for hour and half. It was a very productive meeting. I was encouraged. First time I met Chris good opportunity to open lines of commnication. Chris has good points. He's a smart, intelligent person. I was excited about meeting." The Hornets read a statement from Paul indicating he was pleased with what he heard from the Hornets brain trust. "The meeting went"
July 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Whether Chris Paul remains with the New Orleans Hornets or gets traded to another franchise largely will depend on the outcome of today's meeting with new general manager Dell Demps, Coach Monty Williams and team president Hugh Weber. Trade speculation has been swirling since Paul declared last month that if the Hornets are not serious about winning a championship, he would be open to a trade. Hornets officials said they plan to explain their short- and long-term goals during the meeting and address any of Paul's concerns that could include New Orleans' inactivity in free agency and the delay in the ownership transfer. It will be Demps' first face-to-face meeting with Paul since taking"
July 22
ESPN.com
columnist Chris Broussard
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The New York Knicks are the first team on point guard Chris Paul's wish list of clubs he'd like New Orleans to trade him to, according to sources. Orlando, where he could team with superstar center Dwight Howard, is the second team on Paul's list, which includes Dallas and then Portland, according to sources. In the ideal scenario, Paul and the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony would wind up in New York to play alongside Amare Stoudemire, forming a big three that could compete with Miami's newly formed super trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. "Those guys want to beat the three guys in Miami," a source close to the situation said. Paul and his representatives are expected to"
July 21
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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San Antonio Spurs vice president of basketball operations Dell Demps is expected to accept the New Orleans Hornets' offer on Wednesday to become their general manager, sources confirmed Tuesday night. Demps, 40, was weighing offers from both the Phoenix Suns and Hornets. He interviewed for the Suns' general manager's job Monday. If Demps had accepted Phoenix's offer, Demps would work for just hired Lon Babby, who heads the Suns' basketball operations. In New Orleans, Demps would be in charge of the Hornets' basketball operations. Demps will replace Jeff Bower, who had served as the Hornets' general manager since 2005. Last Tuesday, the franchise and Bower mutually agreed to part ways.""
July 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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San Antonio Spurs vice president of basketball operations Dell Demps has emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant Hornets general manager's job, league sources confirmed late Saturday night. Demps is the only candidate to have met twice in Las Vegas since Thursday with New Orleans President Hugh Weber, who said Friday he's aiming to have a general manager hired by the end of this week. Demps, a former Spurs guard, has worked in their front office for the past five seasons. He also is one of the top candidates for the vacant Phoenix Suns general manager's job. Weber was expected to arrive back in New Orleans on Sunday after spending the past week in Las Vegas. "I've been pleased with"
July 18
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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San Antonio Spurs vice president of basketball operations Dell Demps has emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant New Orleans Hornets general manager's job, league sources confirmed Saturday night. Demps is the only candidate to have met twice in Las Vegas since Thursday with Hornets President Hugh Weber, who said Friday he is aiming to have a general manager hired by the end of next week."
July 15
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets will not offer free agent shooting guard Luther Head a contract because he had some physical issues during his physical examination that was a concern of the Hornets' medical staff. league sources said Wednesday. Earlier this week Head and the Hornets had agreed to a two-year contract that was contingent on him passing his physical. Sources said the decision not to offer Head a contract did not have anything to do with general manager Jeff Bower and the Hornets mutually agreeing to part ways on Tuesday."
July 13
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In an alleged wedding toast this past Saturday in New York, Hornets point guard Chris Paul predicted the formation of a big three with the Knicks involving himself and Carmelo Anthony -- with the two joining newly acquired Amare Stoudemire in New York. Paul attended Anthony's wedding, and there were no reporters present. But a person who attended reportedly said Paul made the comment. "I think a lot of people are just looking for LeBron (James) part two that are making assumptions and assertions,'' New Orleans General Manager Jeff Bower said. "We can't go down that road.'' Paul's best friend is James, who joined the Miami Heat last week as a free agent after spending seven seasons with"
July 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Earlier this month, Hornets point guard Chris Paul said he doesn't want to wait years to experience winning at a championship level. On Sunday, New Orleans General Manager Jeff Bower said he wants the same thing and is working diligently to make it happen. "I want to win too, (owner) George Shinn wants to win,'' Bower said. "We're working to put ourselves in position to win. "It takes a short-term and long-term approach. I like Chris' mentality because he wants to win. Every other player wants to win, too. That's what we're working on every day.'' Paul, who has two years remaining on his contract before he can opt out, urged the Hornets to be an active player in free agency this"
July 10
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The optimist will say there's nothing to be assumed from the fact that New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul changed managing groups, from Octagon to the LeBron James-led LRMR group. He'll say athletes routinely change representatives and it means nothing more than they found a better "fit." The realist senses that Paul is slipping further away from the Hornets - if he doesn't already have one foot out the door and a roving eye. First, he stated he wants to win now and hopes the franchise will be aggressive in free agency (it probably won't), and now he's taking on LeBron's agency at the same times James made the move from Cleveland to Miami as a free agent. And we know close to James he"
July 8
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Atlanta, Boston, Dallas and Cleveland reportedly are interested in dancing with free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal, the former LSU great. With all due respect, let's hope that's as close as it gets to the Hornets showing any interest. Yes, today is LeBron Day, and most attention will be devoted to where the two-time reigning MVP will commit as the league's most prominent free agent ever. LeBron James is such a story, ESPN will devote an hour of prime-time coverage to his announcement. Ridicule the network if you will, but know that the agreement it made -- it will sell sponsorship for the program, with proceeds being donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America -- is a deal every"
July 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After emerging as the leading candidate to become president of the New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday. "I appreciate the interest shown by the New Jersey Nets to discuss the opportunity with me to head up their basketball operations, '' Bower said. "At this time, however, it is not the right fit for the Nets or myself. I remain focused on improving our Hornets' roster on a daily basis.'' Bower interviewed for the Nets' job Saturday and emerged as the leading candidate to replace Rod Thorn, whose resignation becomes effective July 15. According to league sources, the Nets had not extended Bower an offer before he"
July 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower interviewed for the soon-to-be vacant New Jersey Nets' team president job this past weekend and according to league sources has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Rod Thorn, whose resignation will become official July 15. New Orleans officials confirmed Monday morning they granted the Nets permission to interview Bower, but no offer has been extended to him yet. Hornets spokesman Harold Kaufman said the team didn't have any further information to announce. Now, speculation already is mounting that if Bower is offered the Nets' job and accepts, the Hornets will make a push to hire Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who"
July 5
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In the team's most strident denunciation of ceaseless trade speculation swirling around All-Star point guard Chris Paul, team president Hugh Weber this past weekend affirmed the Hornets' commitment to keeping Paul in New Orleans and improving the roster through this summer's free-agency period. Since shortly before the NBA draft on June 24 and almost every day since, there have been stories about the Hornets dealing Paul, who said he would be open to a change of scenery should the team not be focused on building a winner. Weber again reiterated, however, that the Hornets have no intention of trading their primary on- and off-court asset. "No question, yes," Weber said, responding to a"
July 4
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In the strongest denunciation yet of myriad trade rumors surrounding All-Star guard Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets team president Hugh Weber has assured that Paul will be in a Hornets uniform to start the season. "No question, yes," Weber said, responding to the question of whether he was 100 percent certain Paul would be with the Hornets at the outset of the 2010-11 season. Weber also said the Hornets planned to be an active participant in free-agency this summer, but were proceeding diligently. "It's funny," Weber said, "it's just like last summer where we'll move and you'll see some changes on this roster. You look at those teams who have a lot of cap space, they're no closer to"
July 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The fact that Chris Paul on Friday essentially repeated the same things he said nine days earlier -- that he's open to being traded if the Hornets aren't moving to challenge the NBA elite today -- only can mean one thing: New Orleans and its star point guard still aren't in harmony, because he still doesn't know what the organizational plan is and how the franchise will carry it out. We're a couple of days into the most star-studded free agent bonanza in league history, and Paul wants to know what New Orleans is doing to upgrade its talent, to give the team a chance to climb back into the Western Conference playoffs. Once there, at least they have a chance. But the NBA lottery, which is"
June 25
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Shortly after New Orleans Hornets point guard Darren Collison described how Cole Aldrich's defensive presence in the post would be a big help for the Hornets this upcoming season, it was announced they had traded the 11th pick in Thursday night's draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder, along with guard Morris Peterson, for two first-round picks. The move further proves to Collison that the Hornets are going to be active in exploring potential trades, and he could be the next player sent elsewhere. General Manager Jeff Bower declined to comment Thursday on any trade rumors. "I don't know if I'm going to be a Hornet, " Collison said before meeting with fans at the Hornets' draft party in"
June 24
Yahoo! Sports
columnist Adrian Wojnarowski
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For months, rival executives' calls to New Orleans general manager Jeff Bower on Chris Paul were met with an unmistakable response: Don't bother. No engagement, no discussions. The Hornets' franchise star was untouchable. This has changed now. Bower still hasn't started to shop him, but those close to Paul believed a threshold was crossed with the mixed message from the owner's public statement on Wednesday. Nowhere did they hear out of George Shinn's legendarily duplicitous mouth what the Hornets had always maintained about Chris Paul: We won't trade him. Around the league – and now, close to Paul – they believe the Hornets' tenor has taken a dramatic transformation in recent days. They"
June 24
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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As if there wasn't enough uncertainty already enveloping draft night for the New Orleans Hornets — trade up, trade down, stay put at No. 11 — the team continued Wednesday to deal with speculation surrounding the franchise's cornerstone, All-Star guard Chris Paul. And it was comments from Paul, by way of a telephone conversation with ESPN.com, that continued to fuel chatter about his potential departure from New Orleans via trade. Despite a statement from owner George Shinn that he and partner Gary Chouest are committed to building a winner around Paul, the point guard's statement that he'd be open to a trade if the Hornets were not intent on building a winner merely made the rumor mill"
June 23
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Shortly before the cell phone ringtone momentarily eased the tension in the media scrum that surrounded New Orleans Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower on Tuesday afternoon, he did confirm at least one bit of idle speculation on the status of All-Star guard Chris Paul and his rumored trade availability. "I have not called myself, " Bower said. Other than that, despite repeated inquiries posed in different fashion from several inquisitors, Bower was neither shedding light upon nor quashing any of the sometimes outlandish offerings that in recent days have had Paul being party to the LeBron James free-agency sweepstakes, or heading to the New Jersey Nets as part of new owner Mikhail"
June 23
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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As Thursday night's NBA Draft draws closer, rumors of the New Orleans Hornets entertaining numerous offers for the services of All-Star guard Chris Paul continue to circulate. And general manager Jeff Bower on Tuesday refused to comment on any possible scenarios involving Paul, the face of franchise. "I'm not going to comment on rumors, regardless of confirming them or denying them or saying how believable or unbelievable they are," Bower said. "Because it's something that will be there throughout the free agent process. I'm not going to begin commenting now. "We have the duty to listen and have dialog with teams about all of our players. I've also always said we have a very high value and"
June 22
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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A report that Memphis offered guard O.J. Mayo in an attempt to trade for New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul drew the ire of Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley and a strong denial. "Unequivocally, O.J. Mayo was not part of any discussions about a trade for Chris Paul," Heisley said Monday night. "That is not true. Where do these people get this stuff?" Yahoo! Sports reported on its website Monday that "The Memphis Grizzlies offered O.J. Mayo as part of a package for Paul recently, but talks went nowhere." Heisley acknowledged that he approached New Orleans about Paul's availability but insisted "Mayo was not part of the package that I talked to them about." Here's what Heisley and"