From the New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Jimmy Smith :

The Hornets are leaning toward possibly playing some “home” games this season in two cities — Baton Rouge and Oklahoma City, a league source said on Tuesday.

The Ford Center in Oklahoma City could be the venue away from Louisiana, while either the Pete Maravich Assembly Center or the downtown River Center would be the team’s in-state home for anywhere from eight to 12 games, the source said.

Oklahoma City’s arena, opened in 2002, seats more than 19,000 for basketball, with 3,300 club seats, seven party suites and 49 private suites. The facility is also managed by SMG, the same group that operates the Hornets’ permanent home, New Orleans Arena, and the River Center.

It’s unclear what part of the Hornets’ schedule this season would be played away from the Arena, which experienced just minor damage from Hurricane Katrina.

I’m not a religious man, but it really did take an act of God for another two communities to consider rolling out the red carpet for George Shinn.