So did Paul really raise his glass in toast at Carmelo Anthony's wedding and suggest that he was tempted to flee New Orleans for the bright lights of New York? And if he did, was it really a mortal sin?

Professional sports are a constantly escalating arms race of money and talent and power and there is really no shame in admitting you'd rather not carry just a butter knife into a gunfight.

Miami lost in the first round and came back with a bazooka. The Hornets didn't even make the playoffs and Paul simply wanted to know that they wouldn't go into this season with only the same slingshot dangling from their back pocket.