Eric Gordon is undoubtedly looking somewhere other than New Orleans to continue his NBA career (Photo: Parker Waters).

Start a fire. Throw gasoline on it. Invoke the scorched earth mentality and put it into play.

This defines the words and actions of Eric Gordon this past week.

Gordon wants to leave the Big Easy for the Valley of the Sun. Apparently, he has visions of grandeur, seeing himself hugging the Larry O' Brien trophy with the likes of Marcin Gortat, Chris Dudley, Kendall Marshall, Michael Beasley and Goran Dragic, rather than starting over with the likes of Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Darius Miller, Gustavo Ayon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Jason Smith, Greivis Vasquez and company.

Of course, if the Hornets elect to deal with the Suns, some of those pieces in Phoenix could head to New Orleans. Gordon feels the love from Phoenix. He does not feel the love from New Orleans.

In case you needed a reminder, here are the quotes from Gordon of this past week.

"Phoenix just showed a lot more interest, overall, and definitely in how they negotiated," Gordon told ESPN's Ric Bucher. "I don't know what New Orleans' plans are for me. There are no negotiations right now."

New Orleans did exactly as it should do. The Hornets allowed Phoenix to set the bar for a player who has missed substantial time over the last three seasons, including nearly the entire 2011-2012 season.

"They drafted another shooting guard, a combo guard like me, which tells me they have another plan," Gordon said regarding the Hornets' move to select Duke guard Austin Rivers with their second first rounder, the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Does Gordon really believe they drafted Rivers to get rid of him or to cut into his playing time? Really? That, despite the constant public comments by Dell Demps and Monty Williams about Gordon being the cornerstone player of the franchise moving forward?

Did the Hornets draft Rivers over a center in the No. 10 slot because they secretly believed that he wanted to depart New Orleans? I don't be believe so.

"If (the Hornets) were interested, there wouldn't have been no tour, there wouldn't have been nothing," Gordon said. "There's been no negotiations. I was right there in Indiana. I haven't received no calls, to me personally, they've contacted my agent ... As for now, I don't know what's going on. As of right now, I'd be disappointed (if the Hornets match the offer sheet)."

Gordon maintains that a franchise player should receive the biggest possible deal "if you feel that I'm that caliber player," Gordon explained regarding the move by the Hornets to offer less him than the maximum contract extension back in January. "You don't think I knew I was going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer? I knew that. I took it into account. I'm taking accountability for how I play. What do they mean as an organization? What do I mean to them?"

That accountability is a minimal sampling. Nine games? If the Hornets match the offer, they are telling you what you mean to them. Welcome to the business world!

"If they match, I have to play basketball," Gordon said to a host or reporters in Las Vegas at the Olympic trials.

At least he got that right. Sounds like a real trial or punishment for the young man.

Is Gordon worth a substantial investment? Was he worth a max deal or lucrative offer from New Orleans prior to receiving any offer sheet from another team? There is no doubt that Gordon is a real talent, a very good player. He is full of potential but he is not an elite player, at this juncture. We are not talking about a proven commodity like Chris Paul.

The 23-year old missed 20 games in the 2009-2010 season. He missed 26 games in the 2010-2011 season. He missed 57 games last season for the Hornets. Those are numbers of concern for a young player.

Do the sign and trade.

With Mickey Loomis taking over control of the Hornets, you have a steady hand who has presided over helping build a Super Bowl champion and consistent winner. When Carl Nicks took his complaints public and wanting lots of money, Loomis let him walk and replaced him with a substantive, talented player in Ben Grubbs.

I never got the sense that Gordon really wanted to be in New Orleans to begin with.

He was a bit removed, aloof. He was seldom around after getting hurt, not supporting the team, not part of the team. He conspicuously got well in time to showcase himself to potential suitors at the end of the season, playing well enough to show his substantive talent to attract the interest he sought. He got well in time to show the United States Basketball Olympic coaches that he is very good and well enough to play this summer in London.

Paul wanted out of New Orleans. He allegedly wanted to play for the Lakers or Knicks. He nearly made it to the Lakers but was denied by Commissioner David Stern. He ended up moving from LA to L.A. with the "other" Staples Center tenant. That may not be his final stop though the Clippers have been very active in trying to upgrade the talent around him in their quest to become a championship team. Sound familiar?

Paul made noise but did not trash New Orleans or the Hornets. He continues to give back to the Crescent City after the fact.

Demps and Williams thought they could persuade him to stay. They tried to surround him with a friend (Jarrett Jack) and other pieces (see Trevor Ariza) while dealing Marcus Thornton, not a favorite of Paul's, in return for Carl Landry. It was all done in an attempt to prove their commitment to win. It got the Hornets a first-round playoff appearance against the Lakers. Paul left. He was never going to stay.

It is analogous to the relationship of a man and woman considering marriage. The woman likes the man, many of his qualities but the guy has one fatal flaw, say, a drug problem. She looks at the positives, ignores the negatives and feels she can change him. They get married. The story ends badly most of the time.

Monty Williams is a man of character and integrity and by all accounts, a fine young coach. He has maintained all along that he felt Gordon wanted to be a cornerstone of the Hornets franchise. Perhaps he was mislead or simply misread Gordon.

Character and integrity matter. You cannot change people at the very core of who they are. Gordon has revealed his character and integrity in this situation. The right thing to do was to go to Phoenix, feel the love, say positive things about the Suns and say nothing negative regarding the Hornets and New Orleans.

Instead, he chose to start a fire and throw gasoline on the plans of Demps and Williams. Gordon is trying to talk his way out of New Orleans. Whether it is a negotiating ploy advised by his agent or simple immaturity, move on. Why match and have a malcontent on your hands moving forward, a guy that won't play unless he is 100 percent? Do you feel you will have his professional best if you retain him against his will?

Gordon has a proven track record. See his indecision in college regarding Illinois and Indiana. See his interest in departing the Clippers for Indiana or other franchises before being dealt to the Hornets.

While it is true that many NBA players would perhaps prefer to play in a location other than the one in which they currently reside, it is all about the individual situation and the individual himself. Some are mature and professional in their approach. As for others, not so much. The dynamic duo and terrific trio mentality that has gripped the NBA and brought about the marriages of star players in Boston and Miami (most notably) in recent years is the new trend.

If you keep Gordon, which has been reported to be the preference of Demps, you have to begin the process of selling your franchise, your plan to him and hope he buys in.

Gordon has every right to express himself and his desires publicly. It does not make him look good in the court of public opinion.

Either work a sign and trade with Gordon now or match the offer and wait for the right deal with another team willing to part ways with talent or significant draft picks.

Either way makes Gordon a goner.