Chris Paul should have been a Bobcat

[fastlane22]

History lesson for anyone who doesn't remember. On the final day of the 04/05 season, the Bobcats had the second worse record in the NBA. Atlanta had already securred the worse record. Charlotte was one game worse in the standings than New Orleans. The Bobcats won that night against the Detroit Pistons and snapped the Pistons ten game wining streak with Okafor scoring 18 points and grabbing 16 boards. It must have felt like a great way to finish the season....Now looking back, its the win that set the franchise back ten years or so. Because the Bobcats won, the Hornets must have laughed histerically at the foolish rookie franchise and barely tried against L.A. that night getting hammered by the Lakers. The result was that they would finish with identical records and New Orleans would win an NBA coin toss that determined who would draft first in case neither had a ping pong ball pulled during the lottery. As luck would have it, neither did. Milwaukee, Atlanta, and the Utah Jazz got the first three selections. Bogut, Marvin Williams, and Daren Williams would go at the top. Next the Hornets select Chris Paul with the fourth pick and Charlotte selects Raymond Felton... Felton has had a nice career for the Bobcats but hasnt elevated his team to the playoffs in the pathetic eastern conference ..Paul is the best point gaurd in the NBA (MVP in a lot of peoples minds) and has him team on the verge of the western conference finals...Now, how great was that win for the Bobcats to finish their rookie saeason?

 

[solarte1969]

That's akin to saying the Panthers should have drafted Tom Brady in the 5th round the year Brady came out. Would the Bobcats be a playoff team with Paul? Doubt it.

 

[kickazzz2000]

Coulda traded the 5 and 13 (McMay) to move up to 3...

 

[fastlane22]

That's akin to saying the Panthers should have drafted Tom Brady in the 5th round the year Brady came out. Would the Bobcats be a playoff team with Paul? Doubt it.

Not even close to being the same...Brady wasnt on anyones radar. The Bobcats wanted Paul but had to settle for Felton becasue they were too stupid to lose the final game of the season

 

[fastlane22]

That's akin to saying the Panthers should have drafted Tom Brady in the 5th round the year Brady came out. Would the Bobcats be a playoff team with Paul? Doubt it.

The Bobcats would ABSOLUTELY be a playoff team with him. They were only 5 games out this year. The Hornets were the worst team in the West before him....Why on earth would you think he wouldn't elevate his teamates to another level here just like he did there? He made David West into an allstar for crying out loud.

 

[Piper]

I remember the tarheel fans on the site suggesting that Felton would be just as good a pro as CP3. HA!

The Hornets are not a playoff team without CP3. No doubt. With him, they have the defending champs on the ropes.

 

[QC REPRESENT]

new orleans still had to win a coin toss...

nobody knew Paul would be the stud he is now. since hindsight is 50/50 why did Utah take Deron Williams? why did Atlanta pass on Paul when they had a team with 25 fowards and no point guard? and it makes no sense for an expansion team who needs players to trade a 5 and a 13 to move up one spot. that trade up deal is purely speculation/hindsight.

 

[DJ_Tet]

1. I bitched about this on this message board that season and got roasted. 'Pros shouldn't tank games blah blah'

Fuck that, I'll take Chris Paul.


2. Chris Paul is a top 5 player in the league, right now. Absolutely we'd be a playoff team right now. Would we have the second best record in the East? Maybe. I don't see how West/Peja is that much better than JRich/Wallace. Okafor/Chandler isn't a blowout either.

We should have traded both lottery picks to move up, although I was against that action at the time. What we really should have done is lay down like we had done most of the season.

 

[kshead]

He's worth 5 wins. At least.

The Spurs looked old. This is after the Spurs made the Suns look old.

 

[DJ_Tet]

since hindsight is 50/50 why did Utah take Deron Williams? why did Atlanta pass on Paul when they had a team with 25 fowards and no point guard?

The first question is the only one that is relevent. It was ridiculous at the time for ATL to pass on ANY of the PGs. It was exactly the one position they needed, it is a hard one to fill, and they had their choice of a great crop.

As for why Utah took Williams, I'll never understand that. I thought at the time he was the worst of the three, he's been the biggest surprise to me. I thought it was obvious Paul would be a star, although he's even better than I thought he'd be this early.