OPINION / ANALYSIS
NEW ORLEANS – Chris Paul understands that things happen, that life doesn’t necessarily go as planned.
But all you need to know about his feelings regarding Thursday’s firing in Hornetville can be summed up in 13 words: Nobody cared to call and let him know before he saw on TV.
That’s a – what are the kids saying these days – ginormous uh-oh if you’re trying to keep happy the one guy the franchise can ill afford to lose, either mentally, emotionally or physically.
“I’ve been with the team for five years now and have been nothing but humble and all about the team,” Paul said Friday morning before shoot around, the team’s first chance to have General Manager and new head coach Jeff Bower guide them.
“I wish I would have know before everyone else knew. It was a shock to me. It is what it is. We’ve got to move on now.”
He added, “You don’t have to have my approval. I’m just a player. I just feel like – not consulted, I don’t know what the right word is – but just let me know so 10 minutes after it’s .on TV and I’m not shocked like everybody else.”
The thinking is that Paul really did know before he saw in on TV, that he more meant that he wishes he had been consulted just a tiny bit.
Still.
The league’s premier point guard doesn’t sound very happy. And he shouldn’t be, especially heading into tonight's 7 p.m. home game against Portland.
Byron Scott had lost this team. That’s clear.
Changes that were talked about prior to the season weren’t implemented and if they were, players weren’t responding.
And while David West, one of the team’s captains alongside Paul, said changes had been talked about, the players hadn’t bought in.
But six new players also came with an ultimatum from above – change the way you do things in the way the brass wants it or else.
Listening to CP3, though, and it sounds like he didn’t think the right changes were made.
“Obviously change needed to occur,” Paul said. “I’m not sure that’s what should have happened. Like I said yesterday, I’m not sure it’s all coaches fault. You can play with the cards your dealt. Tough situation, but the team is on a different direction. Now we’ve got to play.”
With more than 70 games left to play, it’s now on Bower’s shoulders to turn things around. He knows this. He dealt the cards to Scott, which means he also dealt them to himself.
Paul said the plan is to rally behind Bower. But don’t be surprised if in a few weeks, that rally comes up short.
The one guy on the team the franchise couldn’t alienate sounds like he’s already mentally on his way somewhere else.
Bower, team president Hugh Weber and owner George Shinn didn’t just fire Paul’s coach.
They fired a friend.
“I talked to coach yesterday after I found out,” Paul said. “Coach was more than a coach to me, he was a mentor. Someone who has made me the player I am today. I don’t care what anybody says about practicing. Of course I put in hard work. But he also believed in me to let me play since I was a rookie.
“I’m not blind to the fact that things happen. I’m not that emotional to like man, this can’t happen to coach.”
It did happen and Paul understands that. He just doesn’t have to be happy about it.
“With any organization in professional sports or even in jobs, if you’re not performing, changes have to be made,” Paul said. “I understand that. Changes had to be made with out team and obviously, one has been made.”
