Pacers, Hornets lead Chase for West

New Orleans free-agent forward David West, one of the top players on the market, had inquirers from several teams on Wednesday, but there remain two main contenders for him that are more serious than the others: the Hornets and Indiana Pacers.

West’s future in New Orleans could still be tied to the decision the organisation makes on whether to ride out the season with Chris Paul or look to move him quickly. If general manager Dell Demps decides to continue to sell Paul on re-signing with the Hornets, he’ll be far more aggressive in working to sign West to a new deal. Without Paul, it’s hard to imagine the Hornets committing years and money to a 31-year-old power forward when the organisation moves into full rebuild mode.

It’s surprising the Charlotte Bobcats haven’t reached out to West, who has spent most of his adult life living in the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina. West could give the Bobcats a tough, physical scoring and rebounding presence in the mold of coach Paul Silas, and they could use his character and professionalism in the locker room and community there.