The drama-laden story line of Chris Paul's summer took another swerve Monday when, after meeting with New Orleans Hornets officials, Paul said he had no intention of leaving the team.
"I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come," he said in a statement released by the organization.
Paul met Monday with the team's new general manager, Dell Demps; coach Monty Williams; and the team president, Hugh Weber. A National Basketball Association executive made aware of the conversations of the meeting said that Paul did not request a trade.
"I expressed my desire to win, and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team," Paul said in the statement.
Paul, an All-Star point guard with two years left on his contract and an option for one more, had expressed growing dissatisfaction over the direction of the franchise.
After claiming the Western Conference's Southeast Division in 2007-8, New Orleans has taken a step back each year. The Hornets finished 37-45 last season, missing the playoffs. Paul, 25, had a knee injury and played in only 45 games.
As other teams have stockpiled players this summer, the Hornets have made few moves.
George Shinn, the owner, is trying to sell the team. The Hornets have spent the off-season restocking their front office, hiring Williams and, after parting with the general manager and interim coach Jeff Bower, hiring Demps.
CAVS TRADE AWAY WEST: The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to trade point guard Ramon Sessions and forward Ryan Hollins to the Cleveland Cavaliers for point guards Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair.
The Timberwolves say they will also send Cleveland a future second-round pick in the deal completed Monday night.
It's the first significant personnel move the Cavaliers have made since star LeBron James left to sign with the Miami Heat earlier this month.
Sessions and Hollins both signed with the Timberwolves before last season. But the Timberwolves signed Luke Ridnour and Darco Milicic, making both of them expendable.
McGRADY WORKS OUT WITH BULLS: Seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady worked out for the Chicago Bulls on Monday with hopes of landing with the team he turned down a decade earlier.
McGrady could be a low-risk addition for a reconfigured team coming off back-to-back first-round playoff exits. The Bulls wouldn't have to pay him much and could refuse to fully guarantee the deal if they make an offer, but there are big questions surrounding his health.
The two-time scoring champion had microfracture surgery on his left knee in February 2009 and appeared in just 30 games last season with New York and Houston, averaging 8.2 points. Besides concerns about his condition, another issue is whether he'll accept a more limited role.
CETICS SIGN DANIELS: The Boston Celtics have re-signed swingman Marquis Daniels.
The team announced Monday that it had signed the 6-foot-6 Daniels after his disappointing first season with the club. The seven-year veteran missed 28 games with a torn ligament in his left thumb that required surgery and averaged a career-low 5.6 points in 51 games.
SUNS WAIVE GRIFFIN: The Phoenix Suns have waived forward Taylor Griffin, who played sparingly as a rookie last season and is the brother of No. 1 pick Blake Griffin.
Griffin appeared in eight games for the Suns last season and averaged 1.3 points in 4 minutes per game.