Rumor Minutiae: Lakers Could Deal for Paul Via Houston, East Rivals Beef Up

Posted by Hayes Davenport on Dec 8, 2011 2293016 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2011%2F12%2F08%2Ftrade-rumor-minutiae-lakers-could-trade-for-paul-via-houston-east-rivals-beef-up%2FRumor+Minutiae%3A+Lakers+Could+Deal+for+Paul+Via+Houston%2C+East+Rivals+Beef+Up2011-12-08+21%3A29%3A33Hayes+Davenporthttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D22930

Mannix and Amick over at Sports Illustrated are twitting that LA’s working on a deal to get Chris Paul in a three-team trade with Houston, sending Pau Gasol to the Rockets, who would offer New Orleans a meaty bunch of players in return for Paul.

Houston also expressed interest in Paul at one point, and they have the combination of picks, vets, and young talent to put together a tempting package for the Hornets. But the Rockets management may be worried that Paul won’t sign a long-term deal in Houston, and they’ve been targeting size as well: now that Tyson Chandler and Nene are likely off the market, they might be okay with Gasol as a consolation prize underneath.

This hypothetical three-team deal would hypothetically go up against the Celtics’ three-team deal with the Pacers, where Darren Collison and probably some other assets would be sent to the Hornets.

UNINFORMED PREDICTION: Once this trade offer from LA and Houston is finalized, the Hornets will call up the Clippers and tell them they’re going to pull the trigger unless the Clippers are willing to part with Eric Gordon. The Clippers will bite.

The Lakers are also one of the last three suitors for Delonte West, along with the Celtics and Mavs, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of Twitter.

Meanwhile, some of the C’s rivals in the East are adding valuable pieces all over the place.

• Tyson Chandler appears to be heading to New York, according to Marc Stein at the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. That’s a huge move, as Chandler changed the defensive face of the Mavericks and could do the same for the Knicks. He’s also Chris Paul’s best friend forever and ever, but Chandler’s contract is going to make signing Paul next season almost impossible without trading Amare Stoudemire, which word is the Knicks are willing to do.
• Shane Battier will play for Miami next season to compete for a starting spot with LeBron James. Should he lose that position battle, he’ll deepen one of the league’s weakest benches last season.
• Other free-agents who’ve left the market: Shannon Brown (to the Suns), Mike Dunleavy Jr. (to the Bucks), Caron Butler (to the Clippers), and, less recently, Chuck Hayes (to the Kings, for more than the Celtics would have been willing to pay).