Really, I do not see the point of New Orleans making moves to stay on the mediocrity treadmill. Just blow the whole thing up this season. Go into 2012 with both salary cap space and a top pick in a talent laden draft. You ain't about to get talent comparable to Paul in a trade. As for deciding where Paul goes: did teams not used to do this all the time? Who remembers not trading star players within your division or within your conference? Hornets should be trying to ship Paul east, not helping create a Western conference juggernaut they will have to deal with for the next 5+ years.
But that's a team decision. The Hornets made a decision, to trade him to the Lakers. They could elect to trade him to the east or any team anywhere regardless of Paul's desire or they could not trade him at all. That's their decision and that's OK. What's unique is the league telling a team, who by all accounts was in constant contact with the league office and had full authority to trade Paul, that their decision doesn't matter and that the league is going to nullify the trade. That's a joke, especially since New Orleans wasn't getting hosed in this deal at all.
Ownership always has veto power. Jerry Buss and Les Alexander get to approve or nix any deal they want. Just so happens the league owns this team so it looks a lot worse than if Mark Cuban stepped in and overruled a move the GM was making. Yeah, the Hornets GM had full authority to trade Paul, but apparently not full authority to make just any deal. No different than with the Rockets. They have a GM who wants to tank to rebuild but ownership says "No. You rebuild without tanking." League let the rumors go on too long. Looks bad to kill the deal after it looked like a go, as if Stern et al had no idea this was on the table. Should have clear parameters outlined with the Hornets GM on what the cannot look like.
I know. That is the problem. The commissioner Stern cannot do this, but the owner Stern can. This is where conflict of interest becomes a compelling argument.
It was terrible for the Hornets they go from having a supers tar and the playoffs to what the Rockets are now.
I wouldn't say that was terrible, I thought it was a pretty good return. Their team with Scola and Martin would be much better than ours with Scola and Martin. Okafor, a true center, Scola at the 4, Odom at the 3, Martin at the 2, Jack at the 1. Dragic and Ariza off the bench plus they get 2 draft picks. I wouldn't say that's the best package, they could have maybe pushed for one that centered around younger talent but at least it was something. Stern basically said, "Chris Paul, if you want to leave New Orleans you'll have to do it in free agency, you aren't going to dictate where you go through trade". That would leave New Orleans with nothing to show for losing their superstar.
The deal was good for New Orleans, especially in light of the fact that GSW refused to talk Curry and LAC refused to talk Gordon (let alone Blake). New Orleans got the message - it was not receiving a young star replacement for Paul. The got the message - the NBA has caught on to this new game, and Denver and Utah have established the prices for outgoing FATB (free agents to be) Hornets are way under the cap right now, can't get any FAs on the phone, and this fills out their barren roster in a 1-for-4 deal that allows them to hold onto Okafor, replace West on the cheap, upgrade the 3, massively upgrade the 2, and bring in cheap help for Jack at the point. They aren't a #4 seed with that group, but they'd honestly be more competitive than they'd be with Paul. The problem is: The league owns the Hornets because Shinn couldn't secure a buyer and wanted off the sinking financial ship (they've been dismal in Louisiana every single year), and this devalues the franchise more. The NBA either finds a buyer or eats the money they paid Shinn in the event of contraction. Finding a buyer at a lower price than what they gave Shinn isn't appealing to Stern or the owners. It's also not appealing to Stern or the owners to see FATBs calling all the shots just like they were before the lockout. The bad news is - they never firmly addressed this in the CBA. Teams are still scared to lose their breadwinners for nothing, there aren't enough breadwinners to go around, and so they get their way for a crouton in return. Stern can't just arbitrarily step in whenever he wants. Even if it's right, he can't. Apparently Paul's agent is filing (or threatening) a major anti-trust lawsuit against the league, claiming collusion and loss of wages (Bird contract vs FA difference is $40M). I also heard that this silently was more about a Paul-Howard two step than the Paul trade itself. The trade absolutely set the Lakers up for a follow up with the Magic: $9M TE (Turk?), kept Bynum, kept draft picks. Lopez + two picks isn't substantially different. I do believe that this will go through before the season, on the condition that the Lakers send over a pick and take back someone like Ariza instead of the TE....silently agreeing that Howard to the Lakers can't happen.
Stern seems pretty smart to me. He cockblocked a trade and it looks like he did it in a manner where it will hold up in the courts. He did the same with getting the Sonics out of OKC. Can't be too much of a dumbass.
Who cares if it holds up in court? He just disgusted millions of NBA fans. I can't find one NBA analyst who doesn't think this is the worst move in NBA history. Stern is a psycho.
I would say he cares...the guy we say is a dumbass. Will those millions of disgusted fans stop watching basketball??? Let's see if ratings dip this year.
He has to appease the owners, players, fans, and the refs. yes, they have a union of their own. with all the leaks that come out evey year you'd also have to believe he has to put up with inter office politics from people wanting his job.
This is so funny, most of this board were overrating the hell out of Gasol and now at the prospect of getting him they're like "Oh hes soft I dont want him blah blah blah" LMAO
