Posted: Thursday, December 29, 2011, 6:55 PM

T-P Hornets beat writer John Reid discusses the Hornets’ ability to defend well despite having nine new players.

The NBA made official what was reported Thursday on the the New Orleans Hornets’ preseason schedule: the Hornets will play two preseason games against the Memphis Grizzlies, in Memphis on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. and at the New Orleans Arena on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.

Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2011, 11:06 PM

T-P beat writer John Reid discusses Chris Paul’s uncertain future with Hornets.

New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul and forwards Trevor Ariza and Quincy Pondexter went through a voluntary workout at the team’s Alario Center practice facility on Thursday morning under the direction of Paul’s personal trainer.

By Thursday, the ranks are expected to swell to four with the arrival of guard Jarrett Jack, another of the five players under contract. Center Emeka Okafor is out of the country as is guard Marco Bellinelli, to whom the Hornets tendered a qualifying offer prior to the 149-day NBA lockout.

Trainer Idan Ravin of Washington, D.C.’s Water Street Gym, has worked with Paul for the past several years as a personal trainer. He said Thursday the work he put Paul and his teammates through on Thursday – just more than an hour on the court, was merely an extension of the work he has done with Paul throughout the offseason.

“This is just continuing what we’ve already been doing for the last five months,” Ravin said. “I work with Chris so much, but this was getting the players more acclimated to his intensity to his speed and his mental appoach as well, to kind of ramp up their intensity a little bit before training camp starts.

“I’ve been with Chris for a while. He’s just continuing at the same pace. There’s a culture around Chris Paul that’s important, and everyone else has to become acclimated to it. That’s why I like bringing his teammates in because they understand that culture, that winning environment, that seriousness and intensity.”

Paul has routinely brought teammates into his workouts prior to the beginning of training camp, which ordinarily would have begun Oct. 1. This year, because of the labor dispute, training camp begins Dec. 9.

Ravin said his focus Thursday was on-court work.

“Just to improve their efficiency, their spacing, their speed and conditioning and skill work,” Ravin said. “Kind of more of a game-like environment confined to the parameters of a basketball court.”