Trade talk swirling around CP3 a lot of hot air ... for now

The stench of victory champagne is still aromatizing the narrow streets of the French Quarter, home of the Who Dat. The brown paper bag that hid civic pride for decades in this city was finally lifted when the Saints came marching home with the Super Bowl trophy, which has replaced Katrina as the symbol of the new New Orleans.

So let this be said: Chris Paul cannot pull a LeBron on this town, no way, no how, even if he held a one-hour farewell show on ESPN and showed Saints highlights from the 1970s. Folks in New Orleans are too hung over from the Big Game to notice or care much about Paul's perceived feelings regarding the Hornets. Paul has a ways to go to reach Drew Brees in holy status in the Big Easy.

Still, there are basketball fans in New Orleans who wonder if Paul will be happy -- or at least content -- with the Hornets' apparent direction. The marvelous point guard, one of the three best in the NBA, has rightly wondered about the direction of a franchise in transition. When he met for 90 minutes Monday, he wanted clarification. After the meeting, he released a statement, saying, "I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team. I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come."

So, in the end, Paul didn't demand a trade. Still, possibility hangs in the air like humidity until Paul strongly and very publicly announces: I'm not going anywhere. Which he probably won't do.

Admittedly jealous of the talent on other teams in the NBA, Paul wants part of the action. He wants better teammates and a chance to play well into spring. He wants to see something encouraging from an organization that is undergoing an ownership change, that just hired a new general manager and coach, that didn't do anything this summer to upgrade itself.

And if the music doesn't sound right to Paul's ears at sometime in the near future, then sure, there could be an ultimatum. Wouldn't be the first time that's happened in the NBA.

But does he have leverage?

Is he giving the Hornets a chance?

Does he risk coming off like a spoiled and ungrateful player who could receive more backlash than LeBron?

And can the Hornets trade him, if it came to that?

Let's talk leverage. Paul has this season and next left on his deal. Therefore, his leverage is minimal. He's at the mercy of the Hornets. Now, he can force their hand. He can pout and complain, except those who know him say that's not in his DNA. All he can do is play and threaten to walk in 2012. That's his leverage: unhappiness.

Is he being fair to the Hornets? Not really. Dell Demps, the new GM, and Monty Williams, the new coach, haven't been in town long enough to get their names engraved on their office doors. No doubt, the Hornets suffered from inadequate leadership for years; on that point, Paul is right to be leery. But with the right people in the right places, NBA teams can turn themselves around in a hurry, especially if they already have a franchise player on the roster. Paul is on the roster. Is he onboard?

What's the public relations risk here? Massive, although again, he's not exactly the quarterback of the Saints. At least LeBron was a free agent and therefore in position to leave the Cavaliers. Paul is under contract and making $14 million a season. Few will shed tears for him, nor should they. He'll come off as petty and whiny, and somewhat dishonest, too, because just months ago he talked up the Hornets and bristled when questioned about being unhappy.

"All we need to do is get healthy," Paul said in February. "We have the players we need to win."

Trade scenarios? Well, the Hornets would be better off keeping Paul, for the same reasons the Lakers had when they simply covered their ears and kept a disgruntled Kobe Bryant four years ago. You can't get equal value for a star, especially a young star, in this league. Plus, fortunes change. A trade or two plus a winning streak can alter a moody star's outlook. Gut feeling here: He'll stay.

With Paul, the Hornets can make the playoffs this season, assuming Williams isn't a total failure in his first season as coach and Paul doesn't stay locked in a funk.

If things detriorate and they decide to trade Paul, however, the Hornets must package Emeka Okafor (four years, $52 million left), a mediocre player they can't afford, in any deal. This would give them flexibility for next summer, especially with Peja Stoyakovic's contract coming off the books. They can make proposals to the Blazers (Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, Andre Miller plus other contracts) or anyone else willing to give the Hornets the pieces to surround Darren Collison, who played well when Paul sat for stretches last season with injuries.

You know what's sad? That this is even a topic of discussion. That the Hornets didn't do a better job of giving their franchise player some hope. That a player, who willingly signed a lucrative contract extension and pledged to be a long-term asset to the team and the community, could possibly turn his back on an organization and city in a situation a lot different than that faced by LeBron, who at least was a free agent.

And here's what's really sad, from a basketball standpoint: New Orleans is too busy getting ready for football to notice.

Chris Paul is supposedly disgruntled? Who Dat, you say?

Shaun Powell is a veteran NBA writer and columnist. You can e-mail him here and follow him on twitter.

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