The NBA rejected the trade because the Lakers were saving too much money, and getting the best player in the deal. In this trade Emeka Okafor, and the remaining $40.6 million owed to him, is sent to the Lakers. After 30 days, the Lakers use their Lamar Odom trade exception to bring Peace (who came into training camp out of shape) back from Houston. The Lakers don't save any money after you factor in Paul's contract.
Yeah, never mind that part. I took it out. I was working on another trade where the Lakers take on Ariza's contract as well. I think Emeka's contract is more than enough to get this deal done. The Rockets save their trade exception. Who knows, maybe Cuban helped make this deal possible again?
It could be a smoke screen. The last thing Cuban wants to do is help the Lakers acquire Paul. The Lakers generated an $8.9 million TE from that deal. If the trust is there between the Rockets and the Lakers, then it could be used to absorb M. World Peace's contract after one month.
I think the Lakers re-evaluated the trade and realized how valuable Gasol was and had second thoughts on the deal. They backtracked on the deal. You're talking about the player that catapulted them to the top of the heap from being a team that couldn't get by the Suns.
Kupchak said he doesn't know what the League wants to make this deal go through. Gilbert complained the Lakers were saving money, and in this deal they are not. It's likely the Lakers gave away an important player in Odom to make this deal work. The Rockets pay Peace's salary for one month, and gain the largest trade exception on their books. Paul, Kobe, Artest, Okafor, Bynum vs. Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Pau, Bynum
The trade, with these 3 teams, will NEVER go down. I read that there was new a deal in place (Saturday), but Stern rejected that one as well. That egomaniac is literally holding Chris Paul hostage until he walks in free agency.
I guess we're all speculating at this point and may be in denial but the Lakers already announced they were backing out of the deal because they couldn't reach an agreement with New Orleans and David Stern. Any negotiation will basically have to go through Stern who has no resume' as a General Manager. It is understandable they would back out of the deal because you're negotiating with a team owner who has no idea what he wants. David Stern will look like a genius when Chris Paul leaves at the end of the season.
I doubt NO wants a disgruntled Odom, and they may prefer two 1st round picks from the Lakers instead (LA's pick, and the one the received from Dallas). Correction, that TE would be the Rockets second largest. I think the value would change to Artest's current $6.8 million salary. The Rockets could package that TE as well as the $7.5 million Battier TE to take on additional players in a deal with Orlando bringing Howard to Houston. For example: NeNe, Patterson, and picks for Howard & two other players (Chris Duhon, and Quentin Richardson) in two separate deals.
I doubt they'd need him with Ariza, Scola, and Landry. Dragic / Jack Martin / Belinelli Ariza Scola / Landry Gray / Smith This team would be much easier to sell without Okafor's contract on the books.
Seems like that is the real motive behind the league's smoke screen of making the Hornets "younger...."
I agree. They would have around ~$17 million in cap space without Odom, and Okafor. New owners want to spend big on free agency right away with losing teams in order to start turning a profit. The fact is the Hornets need players. They don't have any. No one wants to play there. Martin is thinking of his next contract, and he's thankful to be playing. Dragic wants to get paid too. Scola sounded like it wasn't a big deal to him when he was "traded."
I know it's not up to them, but they won't make another try at CP3. Their main target is Dwight now. And like I mentioned in the other thread, Lopez is vastly overrated. Shot 49% fg and got SIX rebounds per game last season. This guy doesn't help your team. If I were Smith I'd rather gamble on Bynum playing 70+ games plus playoffs per year than trading for Brook.
