Top 20 Moments in New Orleans Pelicans History
Jan 30, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Clippers 108-103. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
14. The Chris Paul fiasco
by Matt Cianfrone
This won’t be a popular addition to many people but it absolutely is one of the most important moments in the history of the New Orleans Pelicans.
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It all started with a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games despite a performance from Paul that was perhaps the best six game stretch anyone in franchise history has ever played. With worries from the front office that Paul would leave New Orleans the next summer as a free agent, New Orleans decided to trade him and get back some type of package to rebuild the franchise.
On December 8th, 2011 the team found the package they felt was right, agreeing to send Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three team trade that would have landed them Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic, Kevin Martin and Louis Scola, a collection of veterans that would keep the team competitive in the short-term while hoping Dragic would blossom into a star. But NBA Commissioner David Stern, acting at the time as the final decision maker for the franchise, decided that the instant competitive route was not best for the franchise in the long run nixed the trade.
Instead New Orleans landed Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman and an unprotected pick in the 2012 NBA draft by sending Paul to the other team in Los Angeles. Instead of pushing for a playoff berth, New Orleans was terrible, terrible enough to land the number one pick in the 2012 NBA Draft which became Anthony Davis.
So while the Chris Paul trade rubbed plenty of people the wrong way, without it the New Orleans Pelicans do not have Anthony Davis. Considering what Davis now means for the franchise the entire process was a must have on this list.
Next: The first important draft pick