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It was another one of those nights for the Hornets. The kinda of night where a team that will likely win 50 plus games befuddles you with poor defense, and little offense from someone other than Chris Paul or David West;

What you see if the maddening inconsistency that has plaqued this team all year. Sunday night at home against San Antonio, the Hornets were without a suspended James Posey. Tyson Chandler, and Peja were out.

And, the Hornets responded with a lock down 90-86 win over San Antonio.

Then, there's last night. The Warriors went under the pick and roll, allowing Chris Paul to shoot. He scored 43 points, tying a career high.

But, Paul didn't penetrate as much, and as a result the Hornets didn't shoot enough free throws.

Inside, David West scored 31 points, but Sean Marks couldn't finish when he had numerous chances.

Last night, the Hornets looked like a team that will be an early exit in the playoffs.

Ed Daniels

It was another one of those nights for the Hornets. The kinda of night where a team that will likely win 50 plus games befuddles you with poor defense, and little offense from someone other than Chris Paul or David West;

What you see if the maddening inconsistency that has plaqued this team all year. Sunday night at home against San Antonio, the Hornets were without a suspended James Posey. Tyson Chandler, and Peja were out.

And, the Hornets responded with a lock down 90-86 win over San Antonio.

Then, there's last night. The Warriors went under the pick and roll, allowing Chris Paul to shoot. He scored 43 points, tying a career high.

But, Paul didn't penetrate as much, and as a result the Hornets didn't shoot enough free throws.

Inside, David West scored 31 points, but Sean Marks couldn't finish when he had numerous chances.

Last night, the Hornets looked like a team that will be an early exit in the playoffs.

Ed Daniels

Hornets owner George Shinn wouldn't reveal how many of his 10 thousand plus current season ticket holders renewed for the next year.

But, Shinn did say the Hornets were "doing better than most of the rest of the league." I said the rest of the league expected to do 65 or 70 percent on renewals? He said, "yes."

Playoff success is crucial for the Hornets to sell more season seats. Last year's 56 wins and playoff series win over Dallas sent Hornets season ticket numbers soaring.

A quick exit from the playoffs, in a down economy, would be bad for the Hornets bottom line. Plus, in the offseason the Hornets will have to purge salary to get under a falling luxury tax number.

The Hornets have a lot riding on the month of April, and they hope at least part of May.

Ed Daniels

Did that look like a team that can win in the playoffs?

If you watched the Hornets fall to Phoenix Wednesday night, 105-100, you can only arrive at one conclusion.

It will be one and done for New Orleans in the postseason.

How can you believe anything else? Center Tyson Chandler, if and when he returns, will not be 100 percent. Head coach Byron Scott has said just that this week.

The Hornets bench is just not very good. The Suns bench outscored New Orleans 28-11.

And, when David West isn't scoring, who will score for the Hornets in the front court? Lack of front court depth was an issue that should have been addressed in the offseason, but wasn't.

So, it will be Chris Paul and David West against the West in the postseason. Can this dynamic duo win at least one road game, perhaps two, in the first round?

Not likely. This season that started with such promise will likely come to a halt in late April or very early May.

Ed Daniels

The Zephyrs lost money in 2008. That we know for sure. How much? That is not certain.

But, what is certain is that sometime in the next year, the Zephyrs should be asking for a better "deal" with the state.

The Hornets have benchmarks in their current contract with Louisiana. If they don't draw 14,735 fans per game, the state has a financial parachute. The Saints will receive $23.5 million in inducement payments this year from the state.

Triple A baseball is, in comparison, small potatoes.

The Zephyrs are down about $100,000 in sponsorships from last year. That is life in a bad economy, and one which you are always competing for dollars against two major league clubs.

It is unrealistic to think that Zephyrs baseball can return to the attendance numbers of 1997 and 1998. That is pre Hornets, and in the first two years of a new ballpark.

But, Triple A baseball in Metairie can work. If Don Beaver , sometime between now and the end of 2010, wants out, he should do the right thing and sell to Saints owner Tom Benson.

Many times Benson has inquired about the Zephyrs. And, with the Voodoo gone, there's no reason why many of his administrative staff couldn't be involved in minor league baseball right across the street.

A Hornets staffer called me Tuesday and told me the team was looking "forward to making a run in the playoffs."

I admired his enthusiasm. But, reality tells me something far different.

Utah's loss at the Lakers Tuesday night means the Hornets will finish either 6th or 7th in the West.

Check out the bench play of some possible Hornets playoff opposition. Houston has the following players making huge contributions off the bench: Von Wafer 9.7 points per game. Carl Landry 9.3 points per game, and Kyle Lowry 7.4 points per game.

The Denver Nuggets have J.R. Smith coming off the bench to score 15.4 points per game. Linas Kleiza is at 9.9. Former Hornet Chris Andersen is at 6.4 points per game.

The Hornets have a porous bench and don't rebound well. I don't know how that adds up to anything more than a first round playoff exit.

Ed Daniels

Shaquille O'Neal is always spouting off. He wants to be traded to Dallas. He wants to buy the New Jersey Nets.

And, now according to the New York Daily News' Mitch Lawrence, he's saying he expects to be traded to the Hornets in the offseason.

If I were the Hornets that is a deal I would make.

Here's why:

It is a forgone conclusion that center Tyson Chandler will be traded in the offseason. The Hornets can deny it all they want. Chandler makes a lot of money (10 mil plus this season) and has two years left on his contract. Plus, Chandler's health (or lack of) makes him a liability.

If you can package him to Phoenix with another player making over 6 million a year plus (Morris Peterson or Antonio Daniels) and sweeten the package with a draft choice, you can make that deal.

Phoenix would have Chandler in a front court with Amare Stoudemire. The Hornets would have a guy who would sell tickets in his final season in the NBA. Shaq would finish his career only 80 miles from where he played college basketball.

If the Hornets took Shaq's contract, they would be over the luxury tax. But even if they were say 7 million over the tax, they would get some of those millions back in ticket sales. At this point, the Hornets expect at least 10 percent of their current season ticket holders not to renew. Shaquille O'Neal in creole blue might reverse that trend.

And, on the court, the Hornets would have a lineup of Shaq, David West, Chris Paul, Peja, and Rasual Butler, for one year. Then Shaq's contract expires, he retires, and the Hornets have a ton of cap space freed up for the summer of 2010. That is the summer a ton of high priced free agents will be on the market.

Like I said, it makes sense and cents.

Ed Daniels

Let's see: game one the Hornets bench has contributed very little, New Orleans is being outrebounded and the other team is deeper and more athletic.

Check. Check. Check.

It isn't pretty. I don't have to wait until the end of game one to write the postscript for what was a very dissappointing Hornets performance.

Chris Andersen and J-R Smith, two former Hornets have looked great off the Denver bench. And, even with Chris Paul the Hornets suddenly look like and old basketball team.

I know it is just one game, but the Hornets do not look like they can keep up with Denver.

Ed Daniels

The answer my friends will be self evident with the selection that Payton makes in the first round of the NFL draft Saturday.

If the Saints draft a running back in the first round: Sean Payton is telling the world he has job security. How else to explain it? If the Saints, the league's top offense, take an offensive player, Payton is telling you he will be given more time by owner Tom Benson to rebuild a porous defense.

If the Saints trade down in the first round: Sean Payton is not only displaying job security but an understanding of the strength of this draft. The 2009 class has very few marquee entrants, but from picks 20 to 50 , there is real value. The problem with trading down is that many teams would like to do it, but can't strike a deal.

If the Saints pick a defensive player at 14: Sean Payton is understanding the obvious. His defense doesn't have a playmaker and needs to get one in the first round. Do the Saints have a game changer on defense? It is hard to be top 10 defensive team without a player offenses have to account for. Picking a defensive player is not only a "need" pick, it is a self preservation choice.

If the Saints miss the playoffs for a third straight year, Sean Payton could be toast. But, if his defense improves, and Drew Brees stays healthy, Payton's Saints could have a very good year in a watered down NFC South. The Panthers and Bucs appear to be taking a step back. Atlanta, with Matt Ryan at quarterback, will challenge with the Saints for the division crown.

Last year, the Falcons, picking three, selected Ryan. It was a decision that changed the direction of a franchise. The Saints hope to get that type of defensive player this year. But, they won't get better on defense, unless they draft for it.

Sean, your move.

Ed Daniels

Sometime Saturday afternoon, if the Saints pick a running back in the first round, you'll hear the snickers, from some of the media and a lot of fans.

If the Saints select Beanie Wells or Knowshown Moreno with the 14th pick, they should do so because they really feel that player is best on the board.

Best on the board: when the Saints have followed that path this decade, they struck gold.

In 2001, the Saints had Ricky Williams, but then GM Randy Mueller drafted Deuce McAllister. Deuce departed this off season as the club's alltime leading rusher.

In 2003, the Saints had a glaring need and traded two first round picks for nose tackle Jonathan Sullivan. The deal was a disaster.

One year later, with Darren Howard and Charles Grant on the roster, then Saints head coach Jim Haslett liked defensive end Will Smith. Again, best player available. Smith was a very solid choice.

In 2007, the Saints needed a wide out and reached for Robert Meachem. So far, Meachem has been a big dissappointment.

In 2008, the Saints traded up to get a player they thought worthy of the 7 spot- Sedrick Ellis. Ellis looks like a very solid choice.

The Saints could easily get by with Pierre Thomas this year as their primary runner. But, I think you need a big back to win in this league, consistently. And, what happens if Thomas, as runners often do, gets hurt? The Saints are cooked.

So, if Beanie Wells or Knowshown is the best player on the board. I say go for it. Plus, a top shelf runner will always affect the game a lot more than some of these outside linebackers that may or may not be on the board.

They'll be some second guessing if the Saints go offense, but not from this corner.

Ed Daniels

The Saints selection of Ohio State defensive back Malcolm Jenkins with the 14th pick seems like a solid one.

Jenkins has big play potential, and he played in of the best programs in college football. He will start at cornerback but could eventually wind up at safety.

With Jenkins on board, the Saints appear to have a nice nucleus of young talent. Jenkins and last year's second round pick Tracy Porter will improve the secondary. Last year's number one Sedrick Ellis should make a big leap in year 2.

Offensively, the Saints have a pair of talented young guards, Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks. Wide receiver Marques Colston and Reggie Bush are both big plays threats.

And, with Drew Brees healthy, the Saints are in every game.

So, what will decide the Saints fate in 2009? Two things: a healthy Drew Brees. No player is more important to his team than Brees is to the Saints. And, two: a commitment to being a tougher football team. There's a reason why the Saints under Sean Payton have fared poorly against Carolina. Because the Panthers are better up front.

On an NFL.com predraft chat , one of their reporters said he thought the Saints would choose Ohio State runner Beanie Wells at pick 14. Also on that same panel, former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden. Said Gruden, "what makes you think they are going to run the ball?"

The Saints appear to be piecing together a solid young nucleus around Drew Brees. And, in a bit of irony, the more Brees throws the less the Saints win.

It is only a matter of when the Nuggets will eliminate the Hornets. Speculation about the future will then commence in earnest.

Here's reality: if the Hornets want to make a blockbuster deal in the offseason, they had better be prepared to part with All Star forward David West. West has been criticized mightily for his play in the Denver series. He has not played well. But, he has not been invisible, like Peja has been, like Tyson Chandler has been, like the Hornets bench other than James Posey and Sean Marks in game three have been. West has averaged 16 points, and 7 rebounds.

David West is what he is: he is an average rebounder, an average defender, a way above average mid-range jump shooter and a good low post scorer. He is an asset. And in the next three seasons, his salary actually declines.

Which is why West will likely be gone in the offseason: He is scheduled to earn 9.075 in 2009-2010. That is a very good price for a player, who in 76 regular season games, scored 21 points a game and grabbed 8.5 rebounds per game. West shot 47 percent from the field, and 88 percent from the free throw line.

I've heard a lot of criticism of West's play in the playoffs. Many are calling for his departure: my advice, be careful what you ask for.

Ed Daniels