Editing New Orleans Pelicans (section)

====2011: the departure of Chris Paul====
Before the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12 season]], the Hornets were considering trade offers for Chris Paul and he requested a trade to the [[New York Knicks]]. The Hornets looked at many teams, including the [[Boston Celtics]] and the [[Golden State Warriors]] as trade partners, but Paul had made it clear he wanted to be traded to New York or Los Angeles. A three-team trade involving the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] and the [[Houston Rockets]] was agreed upon, but commissioner [[David Stern]], acting as the President of Basketball Operations for the Hornets (which were owned by the league office at that time) rejected the trade.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Ballard |first1=Chris |title=David Stern has no time for war stories |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2018/10/24/david-stern-adam-silver-lebron-james-chris-paul-donald-trump-lakers-hornets |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=September 29, 2022 |date=October 24, 2018 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929090849/https://www.si.com/nba/2018/10/24/david-stern-adam-silver-lebron-james-chris-paul-donald-trump-lakers-hornets |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/sports/basketball/paul-set-to-join-lakers-as-part-of-3-team-deal.html|title=N.B.A. Rejects Trade Sending Paul to Lakers|date=December 8, 2011|last=Beck|first=Howard|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=February 27, 2017|archive-date=March 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319173239/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/sports/basketball/paul-set-to-join-lakers-as-part-of-3-team-deal.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 14, 2011, the Hornets agreed to a deal with the [[Los Angeles Clippers]] that would send Paul to Los Angeles in exchange for [[Eric Gordon]], [[Chris Kaman]], [[Al-Farouq Aminu]], and a first-round draft pick acquired by the Clippers from a trade with the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] in 2004.