LAS VEGAS - New Orleans Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul has denied through Twitter comments attributed to him and reported in Friday’s Pro Basketball News.

The interview was taped and confirmed what Paul said about believing it is not out of the question he could be traded by the Hornets. In addition, PBN Editor Sam Amico and staff writer Chris Bernucca have listened to the tape and confirmed what was reported verbatim. Paul can listen to the tape if he wants.

After New Orleans’ NBA Summer League game against Golden State on Thursday, I approached Paul to ask him about the Hornets’ financial situation. I had previously planned to do a note on it for PBN, having spoken to Hornets forward James Posey earlier in the week.

The Hornets are well over the NBA’s luxury tax and might want to move a player with a big contract.

I asked Paul about the team’s financial situation. Then I asked him if there’s any chance Tyson Chandler, the center who was traded last February to Oklahoma City before the deal was rescinded, again could be traded.

In his answer, Paul said, “In this league, anything can happen. I can be dealt." 

Then I said, "I don’t think so" to Paul, giving him a chance to say that in reality, he couldn’t be serious that the Hornets might trade him.

Paul’s response was, "It’s possible. It’s possible." 

On Friday, Hornets public relations official Dennis Rogers told me Paul told Hornets officials he didn’t remember talking to me the previous day. Rogers asked me if the interview was taped, and I said it was.

Later that day, Brian Windhorst, the Cleveland Cavaliers' beat writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, said he saw me talking to Paul on Thursday at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.

So we have a witness to me interviewing Paul. And his comments are on tape.

If Paul wants to listen to the tape, I will be at the NBA Summer League until Sunday night, if he is still in Las Vegas. Or he can contact me at the below e-mail address and I will get in touch with him.

Chris Tomasson has covered the NBA for the bulk of the past 23 seasons, most recently the Denver Nuggets for the late, great Rocky Mountain News. He is a regular contributor to Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at christomasson@hotmail.com.

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