These concerns may or may not be legitimate, but it comes from the view of the owner of a team who is NOT a party to the trade and should have NO veto power over the trade even if it is bad for the team, or even bad for the league's "competitive balance." Sure, Lakers get to reduce their luxury tax and teams like the Cavs would lose out on some tax sharing money, but that is no reason to veto the trade since the league would not and CAN NOT veto a similar trade involving, say, the Lakers and Magic. The only reason why a trade should not get done is if from the point of view of the HORNETS AS A INDEPENDENT TEAM, the deal doesn't make sense. Obviously someone who works for the Hornets and has a fiduciary duty to the Hornets and the Hornets ONLY, namely their GM Dell Demps, thought the trade made sense for HIS TEAM
The big issue is Chris Paul can LEAVE the Hornets after next year and the Hornets get ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. OR, Chris Paul can leave whatever team he gets traded to after next year. And go sign with the Lakers ANYWAY. K-Mart, Scola, Dragic, 1st round pick + extra salary >>>>>> NOTHING. What team is willing to offer up that kind of package for Chris Paul risking the chance he'll BAIL on their team? This is all about not wanting the Lakers to benefit. If the Milwaukee Bucks did the same deal, there wouldnt near as much of a fuss
The conflict of interest argument is a compelling one. It speaks to just how bad the Hornets operation is right now. I think a GM needs oversight from someone not invested in the process of formulating and negotiating the deal. Somebody who, without micromanaging, reviews the logic of the operation and assesses performance; somebody who can just kill the deal if they think the GM is going all Khan or Isaiah Thomas with it. The Hornets just can't get that while under NBA stewardship. Anytime the league steps in, it will look bad. Especially if they don't have the good sen to nip it in the bud.
That depends on the goal of the team. If the goal is to float around .500 and/or win just enough to sell tickets, then, yeah, great deal. If the goal is to play the lotto in a deep draft and try to find a talent comparable to Paul, then those players add enough to keep the Hornets out of the top 5 picks. And that NY pick in the deal is pretty much worthless, barring catastrophe in NY. They can always buy into the first round just if they want a late round pick. Hornets should just blow it all up and get put as much cap space together as they can for the next two seasons. Cap space and valuable draft pick in talented draft can get them better deals than Scola and Martin.
I'm glad someone prevented our stupidity, even if it wasn't our guy. We gave up way too much. Gasol would be nice but at what price?
He's right, and he should have pushed publicly for a franchise tag, but this is a step in the right direction.
I don't like Gilbert either but it's bull**** to be able to get, literally, the best point guard in the NBA and SAVE money on it.
In exchange, they completely destroyed their awesome frontcourt that has been the main reason they won two titles to begin with. Jesus Christ people, LA lost huge on this deal. But everyone's so determined to make sure that Chris Paul isn't a Laker that it doesn't matter what they give up - which is what we've seen to be exactly true, as it's been reported that the NBA pretty much said that no trade would be acceptable.
You could make a strong debate that Gasol was the best player on those championship teams. The dude carried the Lakers. It was much more of a 1A and 1B than a 1 and 2...
SIGN THIS PETITION THAT IS GOING TO THE LEAGUE!!! IT NEEDS 10,000 SIGS TO GO TO COURT!!!!! http://www.change.org/petitions/nba...to-intervene-in-the-paul-trade-on-dec-08-2011 It was just created and is already at 963 sigs! If all of CF signs the sky's the limit!!! Show your support by supporting this righteous cause!!!
Don't know if it is fake or not but the email is on point. The Lebron Bosh fiasco last year was enough to let the league see how crazy stupid the league is going to become without changing things. Why in the world the owners didn't hold out for a franchise tag is beyond me. However, all that being said, they all agreed to the current CBA. It was just ratified. The commish can't go around nixing deals just because he wants to. It's absurd! The New Orleans mess is just that.....a mess. They've been trying to prop up that franchise for several years now. And it hasn't worked. They were offered a solution and they passed on it. That is on Stern. He's trying to make a franchise viable in a market that has proven to not be viable.
He has a great point and he didn't even mention the fact that money would be coming out of his and the other owners pockets to pay all the new salaries the Hornets were taking on. They should just contract the Hornets, and hold a lottery for it's assets. DD
