The 2012 free agency was right around the corner,r with a couple of big names set to hit the market. While that FA class wasn’t as glamorous as the 2010 class that featured LeBron James , it still held weight. Among the headliners was 26-year-old Chris Paul , the only 6’0” and under player ever to finish a season in the top 5 in MVP voting and top 10 in DPOY voting (2008).
Which destination did CP3 have in mind? Did you say the Los Angeles Lakers? Well, maybe so. But he also had a great interest in going to play for his “mentor,” Michael Jordan, in Charlotte. It sounds crazy in hindsight, but this was a realistic goal of the Hornets superstar.
"It would definitely be something to think about," CP3 said about potentially signing with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2012, per the Associated Press. "But right now, it's all about trying to win a championship here with the Hornets. I'm one of those people who tries to stay in the moment.”
Paul faced a situation similar to the one his pal LeBron had when he was in Cleveland. Both were doing the best they could as the solo superstars on their team, but it was going to be next to impossible to ask for support. Cleveland wasn’t a free agent destination, and neither was Charlotte. Just entering his prime, The Point God had to have felt that he was good enough to get New Orleans to at least one NBA Finals with a semi-potent supporting cast. Of course, that never ended up happening.
Instead of following through with his wish to play under Jordan, Paul was sent to the Clippers, not the Lakers (vetoed trade), to pair with young and high-flying big man Blake Griffin. After averaging more than 22 points in his rookie season, Griffin would now get the NBA’s best point guard throwing him lobs. What an exciting development that was for Clippers fans.
The only reason CP3 wanted Charlotte
Paul was extremely lucky his deep desire to play for His Airness didn’t lead him to force a trade to the Bobcats. You could count the wins Charlotte had in 2012 on your fingers: seven, to be exact.
Chris, who was also a Jordan Brand athlete, was clearly fond of the man he watched growing up. When he said he would “definitely” think about playing for the Bobcats, it was because he wanted to receive MJ's direct mentorship, who recently bought the franchise.
"We were getting ready to take the team picture," Paul said. "I was sitting in one seat and [former NBA player] Shannon Brown was sitting in another seat and the middle seat was open. We obviously knew MJ was going to walk in and sit there. When he walked in, man, he just took over the room. And he actually walked up and knew my name. So that's something I'll never forget.
"To have a personal relationship with him now and for him to be a mentor of mine, it's something when you're growing up as a kid in North Carolina you would never expect," he added.
Related: Mavs GM on why they passed up on Karl Malone in the 1985 NBA Draft: "Oakley is a man, Malone is half a man"
Never forget: The 2012 Bobcats
The Bobcats weren’t expected to make a ton of noise in 2012. But to say anyone could’ve predicted they would win just seven games is a lie. Jordan’s franchise was last in points, field goal percentage, point differential, defensive rating, and 3-point percentage. The team averaged a mere 87 points per game.
Charlotte was a playoff team just two years earlier. It wasn’t by chance, as the team had some talent: Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton, Boris Diaw, and Tyson Chandler. The 2010 Bobcats featured six players averaging double-figures and boasted the first-ranked defense in the NBA. In a matter of just two seasons, these core players were lost, and the team became a laughing stock.
The league has seen some pitiful seasons by a team over its long history. The 2012 Charlotte Bobcats may stand alone as the worst team ever for a very long time.
Related: Chris Paul on being a huge fan of Isiah Thomas early in his career: "Isaiah was one of those players who went out every night to win"
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