General Manager Jeff Bower said he and team president Hugh Weber wouldn?t solicit advice from players when targeting potential candidates to become head coach of the Hornets.

But a source close to Chris Paul has indicated the All-Star has indeed given his input.

According to the source, Paul wants a ?coach who can relate to players? in a similar fashion as former coach Byron Scott, who was fired after a 3-6 start.

Paul revered Scott, often referring to him as ?family,? and the two maintain a close relationship after Scott?s departure.

Paul, according to the source, doesn?t necessarily view hiring a coach based solely on name recognition as the most important qualification.

Ultimately, Paul wants someone who is skilled in all facets of the game and who could come in immediately and return the team to among the Western Conference?s elite.

The Hornets are expected to contact Mark Jackson about their vacant head coaching position, sources told the Times-Picayune.

According to a source close to Jackson, the ESPN/ABC analyst is interested in the position.

Jackson, a veteran of 17 NBA seasons, doesn't have any coaching experience at all. He has been linked to the Clippers as well.

Hornets sale talks between George Shinn and minority owner Gary Chouest have reached an "impasse," according to source close to the negotiations.

Shinn now reportedly wants to speak with other potential buyers.

His preference is to deal only with investors who want to keep the Hornets in New Orleans, the person told the Associated Press.

The New Orleans Hornets have established preliminary contact with Doug Collins about their coaching opening, ESPN.com has learned.

NBA coaching sources said Friday that Collins is among the high-profile candidates for the position, along with ESPN analysts Avery Johnson and Jeff Van Gundy.

Collins, who worked Thursday night?s Lakers-Thunder game in Oklahoma City, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Yahoo! Sports reported earlier this week that former New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank and San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer will also be considered.

Chris Paul is excited for the Hornets' search for a new head coach.

"Like I said, it is going to be a good summer for us, '' Paul said. "It's exciting, but at the same time, it's going to be a long process.''

Paul declined to say if he recommended anyone for the Hornets to put on the search list.

The Hornets missed the playoffs for the first time in three years after finishing 37-45. Paul missed 37 games because of injury.

Sources say Jeff Bower officially returning to GM post with Hornets and will lead search for Hornets' next coach.

Bower replaced Byron Scott on the bench to finish the 09-10 season.

A source tells Marc Berman that the Hornets are "in love with David Lee."

The Hornets will not have the cap room to sign David Lee this off-season so a sign-and-trade deal would need to be worked out.

Berman speculates that Chris Paul could be made available if the team believes he will bolt New Orleans in 2012.  Also the large contract of Emeka Okafor would presumably be one that the Hornets have interest in shedding to gain financial relief.

Hornets point guard Chris Paul plans to play for Team USA at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey this summer.

Paul has missed 37 games due to injuries this season.

However, the All-Star's commitment is contingent on whether he recovers from a torn ligament in his right middle finger.

"I hope I can play; I want to play," Paul said. "I definitely want to play with the USA team. All this time that I've missed during the season, I feel like I've got a lot of game left in me. So I think the first thing is to see how my knee and finger are doing first."

Hornets majority owner George Shinn is negotiating to sell his stake in the team to Louisiana businessman Gary Chouest, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Chouest has owned 25 percent of the team since 2007.

The businessman is expected to pay about $200 million for Shinn's remaining shares, the source added.

Shinn has been either the sole or majority owner of the Hornets since the club's inception in Charlotte in 1988.

Chris Paul will miss the remainder of the season because of a ligament tear in the middle finger of his right hand.

Paul has been struggling with the injury for several games, but appeared to aggravate it further while guarding Morris Peterson during a 1-on-1 drill after Tuesday's regular practice ended.

Team officials say no surgery is required and that Paul could return to basketball activities in about seven weeks.