Darren Collison

Dave Navarro said it best when he released Trust No One. When it comes to NBA trade rumors, the trust old journalism axiom also applies: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

Unfortunately, I have no sources to either confirm or deny the validity of the most recent Chris Paul-related rumor from Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. But if they come to fruition, good lord, the Pacers would be proving just how valuable having some cap space can be. Just by jumping in to help facilitate a Paul-to-Boston deal, Woj is saying that Larry Bird can get Rajon Rondo without giving up all that much.

We have heard about this rumored deal before, but never with some many of the moving parts so fully detailed.

Ainge and Rivers believe they can convince Paul to stay with the Celtics beyond this season. That’s why Ainge has been so relentless on the phones, trying to secure the players beyond Rondo and Green that New Orleans would want for Paul.

The Celtics had discussions with the Indiana Pacers about the framework of a deal that could’ve sent Paul to the Celtics, Rondo to Indiana and a package, including former Hornet Darren Collison, Tyler Hansbrough,Brandon Rush and draft picks, to New Orleans, sources said.

New Orleans would have keener interest in small forwardsDanny Granger or Paul George, but Pacers president Larry Bird has declared those players “untouchable” in trade talks, sources said.

Losing Collison is something but not really when you upgrade to Rajon. So all you’re really losing there is Hansbrough, a valuable piece but not irreplaceable, and a few picks, which are crap shoots anyway and unlikely to be of the lottery variety, and Brandon Rush, who isn’t good.

This doesn’t really pass the smell test though.

Really, New Orleans can’t get anything better for the league’s best point guard than Jeff Green, Darren Collison, Tyler Hansbrough, Brandon Rush and a bunch on non-lottery picks? I dunno. There are a few fringe starters there, sure, and I like DC and Bro Hands (and very much don’t like Jeff Green), but this sounds like the opposite of the Herschel Walker deal.

Then again, if Paul is only a four-month rental who won’t commit to an extension and no teams will give up a sizable asset on that type of gamble, perhaps this is the best offer? It’s a least good volume. They do need warm bodies just to field a team next season, particularly since it’s hard to believe David West will re-sign with a team that lacks both an owner and, soon, an all-world point guard.

The Hornets have only six players under contract, and had hoped they could find a trade for Paul – who has told them he will leave as a free agent after the season – before the start of Friday’s training camp. That scenario looks less likely, because, as one executive in the talks said Thursday, “They’re bringing in more teams, more scenarios, when we thought they wanted to narrow it down.”

More than anything, however, I’m just shocked that the Warriors and Clippers have put, repectively, Steph Curry and Eric Gordon “off limits” in a Paul deal. Really? Then again, who am I to judge. It’s decisions like these that have left the Clipps and Dubs mantle’s littered with Larry O’Brien trophies.

Oh wait …

Related Topics: Boston Celtics, Brandon Rush, Chris Paul, Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets, Rajon Rondo, Tyler Hansbrough

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