If this happens

Chris Paul wants a trade from New Orleans. There will be consequences if this happens.

First, you had Katrina wreck the city a few years ago. Now, you have BP and the reaction to the deep well blow-out wrecking the economy. Without Chris Paul, will anyone come and see the Hornets? I doubt interest in basketball in the Delta City will survive. This could be the first step in seeing the Hornets leave New Orleans for Las Vegas, Saint Louis or Seattle.

Second, it signals the end of parity in the NBA...or what is left of it. Smaller market teams, such as OKC or Utah will have trouble keeping stars and being competitive. And if this economy drags on for five years or more, could signal NBA contraction. Why? It would be like watching AAA teams play MLB teams on a regular basis. Like watching the Packers before Favre or the "Orange" Buccaneers. It turns the smaller market franchises into a de facto minor League. Who would show up to see that?

What could have led to this? In hindsight, there are two, perhaps three causes. First, hyper expansion in prior decades which would not have been so bad if not for reason 2. The NBA brings in way to much talent before they have had the chance to develop. How many lottery bust have you seen in the past ten years? How many Rafeal Araujo's have the been for each LeBron James? If you ask me, the NBA and NCAA have weakened the talent pool. The NBA by not letting talent develop at the lower levels, not investing enough in the D-League and the NCAA by hyper-expanding their tournament and to placating the power conferences to the point that many mid-major programs are little more than high schools teams.

This is not a good sign. No, not a very good sign at all.