Hornets Want Suns' Restricted Free Agent Robin Lopez

After making the process as painful as possible for the Phoenix Suns in the Eric Gordon saga, the New Orleans Hornets are suddenly the team who wants to play ball. The Hornets would like to add young center Robin Lopez to their team, but the Suns have rights to match any offer made to Lopez.

The Hornets have two options: overpay dramatically for Lopez, or negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns for his rights. Otherwise, if the Hornets agree to a reasonable contract with Lopez, the Suns will just match it and keep the young center.

According to reporters, including Paul Coro, the Suns and Hornets have yet to reach an agreeable deal.

I can imagine the exchange...

"Hello?"

"Yeah, hey there, Lon. It's Dell."

"Dell who?"

"Umm, uhh, Dell Demps, with the New Orleans Hornets."

"Ohhh, riiiight, you mean the Dell Demps that wouldn't return my phone calls about Eric Gordon a couple weeks ago, when I wanted to explore a sign-and-trade?"

"Uhh, yeah. You know, there was a good reas--"

"You mean the Dell Demps that waited until the very last possible second to match my offer sheet?"

"Yeah, that's--"

"You mean the Dell Demps that waited three more days to complete Gordon's physical and free up my cap space?"

"Well, about that--"

"F you, Dell."

"Hey now, let's not get overly emotional over this. I want to talk to you about Robin Lopez--"

"You mean the Robin Lopez I would have included in a sign-and-trade for Eric Gordon?"

"Ya but--"

"F u, Dell."

"Hey you can't say that! I wear sunglasses inside, for gawd sakes. I'm cool! I'm so cool I don't even need to talk face-to-face with my star player while he's under my control, even when that star player is doing everything he can in public to get attention. People don't talk to me like--"

"F u, Dell."

"Stop saying that! You know I worked for supercool R.C. Buford right?"

"I don't give fly fig about R.C. Buford. <sigh> Okay, what do you want, Dell?"

"I want Robin Lopez. And I want him for cheap, so I want you to trade him to me for a 2017 second-round pick that's top-59 protected."

click...dial tone...

"Hello? Is anyone there?"