UPDATE: Well, then. The NBA has decided not to approve the trade. In a statement from a league spokesman Mike Bass:
“It’s not true that the owners killed the deal, the deal was never discussed at the Board of Governors meeting and the league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons.”
We’ll have more on this fiasco in a bit.
——————————
In a blockbuster trade that many thought possible but few (meaning me) didn’t think would come nearly so soon (if at all) the Lakers have acquired Chris Paul from the Hornets for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom in a three team deal includes the Rockets.
I’ll have much more on the trade a bit later, but for now, park your comments below.
Simonoid says
1. Thanks for getting the site back online.
2. I’ll stop complaining about this trade once Howard’s in and Bynum’s out. Until then, this trade basically leaves us with nothing at the four. Because none of the reports out there right now have us receiving Okafor. And although Artest can play power temporarily, I’d probably shoot someone if that’s gonna be for the full 66.
Lakers8884 says
My concern going forward is making the playoffs. We know Bynum sits the first 5 games, so without him the Lakers will be ultra thin up front. Secondly say Bynum goes down with another injury, there is no way LA can weather the storm until Dwight (big if) gets here for this season to even matter, which effectively wastes a year of Kobe’s career. The Lakers front office had some leverage but now it seems like the urgency to get a Dwight deal done is imperative.
Still excited to have a top 3 PG in the league (Rose, Deron Williams being the other 2).
The LA Times are reporting Okafor is probably a part of the deal
George Best says
Mitch was always going to overpay for Paul because he wants him on board now to get Howard to eliminate other teams he might consider besides the Lakers to go to and sign a long term deal.
If Howard says no to say Chicago and there are no others he will go to, Orlando has no choice but to take Bynum for him or get nothing in the offseason. As it stands now, the Lakers cant win it but if they get Howard and take a bad contract like Hedo for Bynum, then its dynasty time.
If Orlando holds Howard and lets him walk for nothing, then Howard signs for the Lakers next summer to play with Kobe and Paul.
Howard is coming to LA..its just a matter of when. We needed to overpay for CP3 to make it happen. If this does not go through, we are essentially the Hornets with an aging and upset Kobe who will make waves because his buddy Pau was traded and the team is not championship ready.
Pressure is on you now Mitch but props to him for getting Paul when he could have ended up elsewhere thus making a Howard deal more costly.
Chearn says
Say it ain’t so!!! One All-Star big and one close to an All-Star big for one injured All-Star? This cannot be so!
Man, I would have been okay with Lamar and Pau/Bynum for Howard but this does not make any sense!
But, hey I am just a fan.
Travis says
There’s no way Mitch pulls the trigger on this trad unless he knows another big trade trade is likely to follow (read: Howard).
We know we’re getting something besides just CP3 back for Gasol and Odom. Let’s hope it’s a piece to package with Bynum for Howard (draft picks, expiring contracts, maybe a huge trade exception?)
VoR says
Agree with the above. If this trade is it as is with nothing else coming and no other piece in process… man, I have no idea of what the Lakers are thinking. The Lakers’ frontline now consists of one injury prone center. Gotta believe there is more coming.
Ashish says
David West is still looking, so if the Hornets are trading Gasol (and hence, by implication keeping Okafor) then one logical missing piece is a sign-and-trade of West.
That gives the Lakers someone who is a pretty good replacement for Odom, and West might love to come play in LA.
Ken says
Trading 32 points and over 20 rebounds a game for one guy who has never won anything? Who grabs rebounds the first 5 games Kwame Brown. This is a stupid salary bunch. You know have no power forward, a terrible offensive player in Artest and no back ups in the front court. Some one is drinking heavy in the Lakers front office. Lakers went from great height to a speedy guard to not throw the ball to slow World peace and slow Bynam. This is a very bad move and Mitch better have a plan B because plan a stands for awful.
Brandon says
This deal doesn’t work unless the Lakers also get either: Okafor, or Ariza & Jack. If the former, they can send Okafor & Bynum to Orlando for Superman. And you can blame the Heat for it.
Rusty Shackleford says
Maybe the Lakers’ front office is trying to force Orlando’s hand. By trading Gasol & Odom they are guaranteeing that their offer (if and when they trade Dwight Howard to the Lakers) is now less than it was yesterday and “you’re in some Melodrama so let’s make a deal”.
Now Orlando can really only look at Bynum and dumping a bad contract on the Lakers. I’m not sure if the new CBA will allow the Lakers to send just Bynum to Orlando for Howard and TerdContract. The difference in the money involved might be too great.
Or maybe the Lakers want to move forward with Bynum.
lil' pau says
Mark Stein now reporting trade may NOT be happening. WTF?
http://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine
Ashish says
I take back my comment. Looks like we get back a large trade exception for Odom, and a smaller one for Gasol.
Simonoid says
It’s blocked.
sbdunks says
I’ve been wracking my brain to figure out why Odom was involved in this trade. First off, including him doesn’t work financially, and also it leaves us with ZERO power forwards (unless you count Caracter, who barely cracked the rotation last year), and gives New Orleans both Scola and Odom. Odom might have been cool with coming off the bench for the Lakers, but I can’t see him backing up Scola.
The money works and each team gets what they want if we were only to give up Pau, so what gives? My idea is that Orlando would rather swap Howard & Hedo for Bynum and Odoms trade exception, rather than Odom himself, because they are stacked at power forward. Obviously, we wouldn’t take back Arenas with CP3 and Kobe in the backcourt.
That’s the only logical idea I could come up with, that Orlando would rather have the trade exception.
So uhhhh, who plays power forward for us this season, and who plays center the first 5 games and if Bynum sits/goes down? Caracter is literally our only big man for the first 5 games.
Paul L says
Mitch must know something we don’t because this leaves the front court VERY thin and if Bynum goes down the season is over.
harold says
the trade is off, unless there’s a way around NBA veto.
wow, Buss must be pissed.
sbdunks says
Wow, so the rest of the owners have the ability to veto this trade now? Smells like anti-Laker collusion to me.
So us giving up Gasol AND Odom isn’t good enough, yet Clippers say Gordon is untouchable and Warriors say Curry is untouchable. New Orleans is not going to get more talent back than Gasol and Odom, no two ways about it.
Edwin Gueco says
Lakers will be compensated whether straight cash or some more players hopefully Ariza in the next few days. The most important ingredient here is Chris Paul. He is so far the best PG after Magic Johnson and that’s hard to find nowadays a high IQ PG with talent. There are lot of players who have high IQ in facilitating but have no basketball like Luke W. If you have CP3 in the line, can you imagine the influence he could emulate to aspiring PG Darius Morris. Within 24 hours, Lakers become a contender than just a pretender like in ’11. Perhaps, PJ and Jeanie Buss are gnashing their teeth, why did this trade not happen last season on his 12th attempt or 4th 3-peat.
For Odom and Gasol, thanks for the memories and I hope you could spread the LA goodwill to other teams. The only time you’d regret leaving LA is when you’re in another uniform.
They say, this place is bankrupt and yet multi million deals are happening every day. Pujols and CJ Wilson just chose Angels as their new team; AEG is bankrolling the pro soccer, pro NFL and its new stadium; billionaires are bidding for the defunct Dodgers they could see the money flowing in with multitude of fans from Southern California all the way to Vegas. Where else can you find that huge market in people and land area?
The next hunt is Dwight Howard. As the saying goes: ‘If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain’ It is just a matter of time because CP3 and DH12 are very close buddies.
harold says
Can they actually veto a deal like this, when they should be running the team for the best interest of New Orleans as opposed to the best interest of the ‘league?’
Wow.
mitun says
the owners don’t have the ability to veto it. basically what they did was pressure david stern and the league to veto the trade, which they are able to do because techinically THE LEAGUE owns the hornets right now, not an individual…, its stupid.
R says
You know, for quite some time I’ve thought Stern had “jumped the shark”.
For one thing, why is the league owning a frnchise, for pity’s sake.
And now, Stern is cnacelling the deal beacause of “owner’s complaints”?
Per ‘lil Pau@10 : WTF? X 2
Tyler says
First time back here since last year’s playoffs. Good to have basketball back.
This right here is why the NBA should have found an owner by now or contracted the Hornets. If the league allows a trade to go through with another team later, I’m crapping in a box and sending it to David Stern.
Igor Avidon says
#occupyStern
T. Rogers says
I don’t see how Stern and co. can really hold this deal up. It will truly call the legitimacy of the NBA into question if they do. The fact the “league” owns the Hornets already does. How can owners who have interests in competing teams make decisions that have direct effect on their supposed competitor? How can a group that includes Mikey Arison, Mark Cuban, Peter Holt, and Clay Bennet make decisions that directly affect the rosters of the Lakers and Hornets? Stern created a mess when he allowed Shinn to walk from the Hornets without having a buyer lined up. They should have either forced Shinn to hold onto the team until he found a buyer or contracted it during the labor stoppage. It’s clear having the team owned by the league is not a legitimate set up.
Ed says
I don`t like this deal,because we lose versatility,size,and depth, and one of the pieces (Odom) that might get Howard in the future. Right now the Lakers and NBA are blaming each other for the holdup. Is including West the only block,or is it the NBA ?
sean j. says
i don’t know how you guys can talk without knowing anything about how trades work in the nba, this time around.
let’s be clear: CP3 for Pau and Odom works under the current CBA. i have no idea why i keep reading about people that are so confused/perplexed.
Hou had dealt for Pau on a separate transaction; the trade landed pau and reduced their payroll.
get informed and educated first.
Glove says
Tweet from J A Adande The NBA should just save time and pre-emptively void Dwight Howard to the Lakers tonight as well.
R says
btw, I think Stern can block ANY deal between ANY team(s), not just deals involving the Hornets.
However, its very odd that he is doing so.
It’s kinda funny how effective the brand new CBA is at preventing superstars from moving around, isn’t it?
robinred says
As per ESPN, the deal is officially dead.
R says
Darius, thank you for labelling this botched mess for what it is: a “fiasco”.
My own first impressions weren’t suitable for posting.
This even though the trade seemed like a mixed bag for the Lakers, at best.
Snoopy2006 says
Incredible.
I was nervous about the deal because of how thin it left us up front, but my feelings for the actual trade are irrelevant when it comes to discussing what the league just did.
If I hear one more ignorant fan say the league favors the Lakers…
I’m at a loss for words. This is incredible. Douchebag owners, led by Mark Cuban, once again terrified of the Lakers, just made a personnel decision for us. Jerry Buss can’t take this sitting down. He’s the one dishing out over $50 million a year to these owners in revenue sharing! If the revenue sharing deal hasn’t been completely finalized, if I were Jerry Buss, I’d refuse to give a penny to other owners based on what just happened.
Reportedly Chris Paul is looking at what options he has to take legal actions against the league.
harold says
I think the Lakers, Hornets, NBAPA and CP3 should be suing the league over the veto because they shouldn’t be able to veto a deal without good reason.
I mean, this is something that could’ve happened during the Gasol trade too (ironic that Gasol is involved this time too), but didn’t because nothing was wrong with it and eventually both teams benefited.
Anyway, happy that Odom stays, happy that Gasol stays, not happy that CP3 won’t be here, if it makes any sense.
Buzz Lightyear says
I hope that CP3 and/or the Lakers management and/or the Hornet management and/or the players association is lawyering up and sending some polite but insistent questions to David Stern’s office.
I don’t see how this can remotely be legal, nor does it even make sense.
The Hornets are getting a pretty good haul for a player that they would otherwise lose for no compensation.
The Lakers are probably overpaying to get CP3. Trading two big All-Stars for one small All-Star almost never happens.
The only justification that Stern can possibly offer is “it looks bad”.
I’m pretty ticked about this right now….
sT says
I did not like it anyway (this trade), two of our three bigs gone, just like that. I agree that CP3 is a great PG, but PG’s need players around them to make the plays happen, and rebounding is still important, is it not?
Everything happens for a reason, and I believe that Lakers stay pat, except for Howard to replace Bynum, that would be fine.
LakerLord says
All these whiny small-market owners and their puppet stern are trying to make the NBA into the NFL…it will never happen, in a sport centered around a few stars, those stars wont have it! Basketball will always be a game for the BIG CITY!
Ed says
NO made out like bandits from the deal, so no way were the “basketball reasons” for stopping the deal because it hurt Hou,NO,or the NBA.
sT says
And, I do like Bynum, just the injury issues, Howard is never injured and plays every game all year round.
Snoopy2006 says
@KBergCBS (Ken Berger): It should be noted that under new NBA rules invented today, Kwame Brown has been sent back to Glynn Academy for “basketball reasons.”
@MicahHart: As a Hawks fan, I’m hoping this is just the beginning of a process that leads to the Hawks drafting Chris Paul in 2005
Punchlines aside, I want to see some serious consequences taken. Get Stern out of there.
Mohan says
Great article by Adande on this. The NBA just took their summer and fall of self-inflicted embarrassment to a new level.
KenOak says
This was pretty damn ridiculous. That was the best deal that the Hornets could have hoped for for CP3. And they Lakers, in just that deal, were getting a little less back. Now, I think that we also had Howard coming along after this which would have made the deal worth it 10X over.
I just don’t see how the league has any legitimacy now. Does this mean that if the Lakers strike a deal for Howard that the small market owners can get together and have Stern veto it?
Texas Rob says
Has a commish ever done this before?
KenOak says
This was pretty damn ridiculous. That was the best deal that the Hornets could have hoped for for CP3. And they Lakers, in just that deal, were getting a little less back. Now, I think that we also had Howard coming along after this which would have made the deal worth it 10X over.
I just don’t see how the league has any legitimacy now. Does this mean that if the Lakers strike a deal for Howard that the small market owners can get together and have Stern veto it?
More importantly…do we change the name of the league to the WWF/NBA?
Anonymous says
Do Hornets have an executive officer (somebody above Demps)? Or is it Stern?
drrayeye says
Irony abounds–the Commish, under duress from irate owners, prevents the Hornets from starting over, way below the cap, leaving money on the table, and protects the Lakers from themselves.
Someone better throw Jimmy’s badly soiled underwear in the washing machine and lock the liquor cabinet.
harold says
Stern is stepping down regardless, so that’s moot.
I hope the Lakers and CP3 is pissed enough to do something really creative next season and join the Lakers regardless…
AndresGarcia says
“It is not true that owners killed the deal,” said NBA spokesman Tim Frank. “It wasn’t even discussed at the Board [of Governors] meeting. The league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons.”
Possible Translation: small market owners (ie: Jordan) talked with Stern before/after the Board of Governors meeting (not during). Under pressure from them, Stern killed the deal (not owners).
Stern is going to take a beating on this, whereas if he’d just let it go, it probably would have just blown over.
firewalker says
I told my wife that I would never watch the NBA again if the league was blocking this just to make the Lakers worse, and my 8-year-old daughter burst into tears. I will hate Stern forever for that.
really, the last couple of years he has been very open about his disdain for others and the limitlessness of his power, so I’m (barely) surprised to see the league try to pitch this as a basketball decision. No way. The Lakers payed a ton for this deal–enough for it to make sense even if Paul didn’t have the Hornets over a barrel. This is more than the Lakers got for Shaq, more than the Timberwolves got for KG.
Clearly, this is simply because of the destination, and possibly the fear that the $11 million in trade exceptions could go in a package to bring in Howard.
So, the NBA is on the verge of being dead to me. I will take my daughter hiking insted. We lobe that. Still, I can’t help wondering if ESPN would have turned their entire basketball department into a PR crew for the Lakers like they did for Miami….
Yueh_Fei says
The last time I checked, Jerry Buss is a major part of this league too and he had agreed to fork over a lot of his TV money to small market owners as a part of a bigger luxury tax.
The old owners built this league and made it thrive for the benefit of all. The major national media outlets will only cover sports that are big in the big media cities and it is news and TV that drives interest especially in small markets. The new owners just want a plantation.
It is time for the players, agents and the music industry to form a new league with Buss, Cuban and Arison. And see how the Gilberts, Sarvers and Jordans like it once they find out that it is the big markets that drive their advertising, merchandising and TV revenues in the first place. When no one watches in the big media markets, the news outlets stop reporting on them and the small market ‘fanbase” will go to a different major sport that has big city media coverage.
R says
firewalker @ 48 – Yeah, I love hiking too, and it’s a lot cheaper and healthier than going to NBA games.
I’ve alway had contempt for “professional” wrestling, and can somebody remind me how the NBA is better than that?
R says
Hey Mimsy, where are you??
harold says
At least, kudos to Mitch for almost pulling this off.
People were skeptical about DH coming to the Lakers, but Mitch actually was able to create a scenario where BOTH could have joined us.
Now let’s see what he has in mind for Plan B…
Warren Wee Lim says
Trading for Cp3 using Pau + Lamar = bad.
NBA vetoing this for #basketballreasons = evil.
Anonymous says
If I’m Chris Paul I say publicly that I will never sign an extension with the Hornets or any team other than the Lakers that trades for him. Why? Losing him for nothing will lower the value of the Hornets.. owned by the same owners that are jamming him now. He punches back a little.
T-Bob says
I’m starting to believe that:
1) Stern DID rig the 1985 Draft Lottery order
2) Stern DID know about the Tim Donegy situation well before everyone else
3) Stern DID tell the refs to let the Lakers beat the Kings in the 2002 WCFs.
Welcome to the WWF everyone!!!
Aaron says
It’s a very dark time for the NBA. But still look for the trade to go through. That way Stern saves face with the owners, the Lakers start their super team, the Hornets get the best package for a FA superstar in the history of the NBA, and the NBA again gets a lot of publicity. No pub is bad pub right?
chibi says
wow. dan gilbert is a scumbag.
guest says
here is Dan Gilbert’s email to stern:
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/12/08/free-agency-craziness-kicks-off/
Commissioner,
It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.
This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.
Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.
I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make a trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).
I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.
I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.
When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?
Please advise….
Dan G.
robinred says
Dan Gilbert alleged email to the Commish via yahoo:
Commissioner,
It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.
This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.
Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.
I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make a trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).
I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.
I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.
When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?
fifth_rune says
(not sure if this is allowed here so please delete if not)
Please sign this petition to have David Stern removed as NBA League Commissioner:
http://www.change.org/petitions/nba-fans-have-david-stern-removed-as-nba-league-commissioner
robinred says
Oops–didn’t see someone beat me to it.
Lakers8884 says
CRAP Dwight Howard supposedly is demanding a trade to the Nets immediately according to Chris Broussard.
Funky Chicken says
Dwight Howard’s desired destination is the NJ Nets per ESPN report.
No CP3, no Howard, a sulking L.O., and a shattered Pau Gasol.
Welcome to your first day of work, Mike Brown.
Ken says
Whereas I am glad this trade has been booted, this latest double black eye has made David Stern and the NBA a joke.
Funky Chicken says
What makes Dan Gilbert’s investment in the Cavaliers so valuable is the presence of real teams like the Lakers that historically take big risks and make the NBA successful. For that, they get stabbed in the back by this whiny little cretin?
sparky says
I pray Broussard is wrong (as he is 93.2% of the time), although I’ve always thought the Nets and Clippers were the only real competition for the Lakers to land Howard.
If Nets do land D12 and the league’s veto of the CP3 trade stands, the Lakers are toast. How do you repair that locker room? And there are no other moves to make that will improve this team…
sparky says
…how do Brook Lopez and two draft picks get you a Dwight Howard?!? The league better veto that trade too–the Nets are now a “big city” team afterall…
harold says
lamar and pau are obviously hurt by this, big time.
are our chances of chemistry killed? obviously they must think Kobe ‘approved’ this or at least knew about it (although judging from how the lakers work, he probably didn’t; see Mike Brown).
not to mention andrew, who must be fairly dense if he doesn’t get the fact that he too was to be traded for Dwight…
ouch.
Igor Avidon says
Lamar is genuinely heartbroken over the trade. Now he’s not actually traded. Can only imagine what Pau is feeling. Stern has killed LA’s and NO’s season, and seriously hindered their future. And Dwight is on his way to the Nets now?
…….sigh…….
Warren Wee Lim says
Talk about a ruined bunch…
sbdunks says
Anyone think the CP3 trade falling through and Dwight’s now insistence on a trade to NJ is a coincidence? Yeah, I didn’t think so. The word is Dwight and CP3 have been wanting to play together, but now that that can’t happen here, Dwight obviously doesn’t want to go to the Warriors or Clippers.
So we lose on CP3 and in turn, Dwight. Awesome. And now I’m sure Gasol and Odom are just thrilled to show up in El Segundo tomorrow morning right? Hey Stern, thanks for ruining our season/future!
milesaugust says
Wow, what a joke…
Mitch obviously had something else up his sleeve, this was not the only trade coming…
Hey Stern, Hornets will not do better than this-Scola (pretty much same stats as Gasol), K. Martin (scoring machine), Dragic (possibly an up and coming guard, played well for Phoenix), a #1 from the Knicks..AND Odom…
Wow, actually sounds kind of one sided in FAVOR of the Hornets…
Lakers8884 says
Stephen A Smith is reporting that Chris Paul is preparing to sue the NBA for nixing the deal. This could turn into a soap opera that hangs over the Lakers season for a while. Bad news all around, although if rumors are true I’m heartbroken over Dwight wanting to go to New Jersey
lil' pau says
CP3 absolutely should sue. For obvious reasons, he only wants to S&T to good teams in a major market… which is absolutely his right to request.., and that’s being denied. As a result, his only option is to wait for a free agency pickup by teams not over the cap; by most estimates, this will cost him 40M contractually in addition to whatever endorsement revenue he would have gained as a Laker. To these ends, he absolutely should sue in the 60-75M range, and I can’t imagine him not winning… The new CBA penalizes teams for going over the cap; it does not preclude players from exercising their leverage in contract years. Paul did nothing wrong, nor did Deeps, nor did the Lakers. That Stern intervened is the height of hypocrisy.
The more interesting question, I suppose, is if the Lakers themselves have any legal options…
What a day. We went from being the best team in the league for the next 7 years to a team lacking a PG and with two incredibly disgruntled players. I’m drinking the best scotch I own, and plenty of it…..
sparky says
How on earth does the NBA allow Brook Lopez for D12 minutes after they kill the CP3 for two freaking, 7-ft ALL-STARs deal as lacking “fair value”…
I’m beside myself. The lockout’s small-market v. big-market class warfare B.S. was bad enough, now the league is literally picking winners and losers. I might be done with the NBA (maybe I need some sleep)…
Warren Wee Lim says
I am obviously heartbroken as this site’s Gasol proponent several years back… part of me died when I heard the news.
After 15-20 minutes and a shower later, along with a giddy perspective, I broke the news out to my non-NBA fan workmates/employees. Part of me got excited that I was going to see a new version of basketball in LA this season.
25 minutes too late (Michael Learns to Rock) and later… I am still bittersweet at what the NBA has come to. VETO.
My thoughts summed up in a nutshell: LMFAO. Atleast that group is making a lot of money in the music industry.
Now we have 2 heartbroken players and millions of disappointed fans. Sad to say, me included.
R says
‘lil pau @ 74 – “The new CBA penalizes teams for going over the cap …” and apperently the new CBA has an unwritten clause that doesn’t allow teams over the cap to reduce their luxury tax/salary liabilities (per the D Gilbert email).
AndresGarcia says
I posted 44 under anonymous (thought I plugged my name in but guess not). If no exec officer, inherent confilict of interest if owners (and really league office itself) have say in the management of Hornets.
han says
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7334150
“Former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik breaks down why David Stern rejects three-team trade sending Chris Paul from Hornets to Lakers.”
granik says legal action against the league will be futile, since each owner owns 1/29 of the hornets.
for #basketballreasons
Warren Wee Lim says
OCCAM’s RAZOR = the simplest explanation is the best/truth.
When they announced that “league owners” vetoed the deal, and later on changed to NBA office and “basketball reasons” along with Dan Gilbert’s comic sans/calibri font joke of the day, what is more believable?
Stern took the hit for his owners to save his owner’s bloodlust. But the simplest explanation will still prevail – Dan Gilbert just revealed his full house too soon.
harold says
Dan’s letter basically said that the NBA should veto the deal because it prevents them from getting paid by the Lakers.
If I’m Jerry Buss, I’m seeking legal actions and will be seeking to do everything in my power to screw Dan… except that we can’t screw over somebody who is not dedicated to anything meaningful basketball wise.
Geez.
Travis Y. says
Hate how Gilbert was crying to their mommy that the big bad Lakers are taking all the stars.
However, I would much rather have Gasol and Odom than Chris Paul. If we had gotten back Emeka Okafor I could have been sold.
The only way I give up those two is if we get Howard.
Sheisty!
Travis Y. says
Major props to Dell Demps, this was a hell of a deal and would have set New Orleans up for a great future. Now they’re going to get worse offers and have zero leverage as teams know Chris Paul won’t resign next season.
How do you think Pau and Odom will respond this season?
clover says
Let”s see: NO, which may get nOthing for CP3 is offered three top fifty players, a guard who dropped 23 on the Spurs in a play-off game … quarter, the president says OK and Stern (after getting an earful from the likes of Gilbert about the benfits to LA, not addressing NO’s, nixes the deal. Guess players’ wishes aren’t supposed to drive decisions. Now, NO is screwed and LA is screwed cause it was made public cause it was done. And DH wants to play in Brooklyn with DWill cause he can’t play with CP3. And Stern denies any rigging from the league, refs or anything. Sad.
clover says
Forgot the first pick, too.
SomeGuyInSanDiego says
I posted 54 under “anonymous”…
Maybe I’m overthinking this… but, given the ramifications of *not* making a deal to the Lakers’ psyche… maybe they should just do the direct deal with the Rockets? I mean.. I like those pieces.. and you use one/some of those plus Lamar to get something else? Really.. it would be tough for Pau and Lamar to be a part of this moving forward. The team gets younger and more explosive at times with Martin and Kobe and Dragic on the court with Scola and Bynum. Am I crazy?
At the same time… I think that by this time tomorrow.. CP3 could be a Laker after all.
AndresGarcia says
@85. They send us that pick too and that really isn’t a bad haul.
sean j. says
so many issues with this ‘veto’, not just pertaining to this trade.
this calls into question the integrity of the entire league.
The Dane says
This is really crazy! This is something that people in Europe will find disgusting and confusing, it strengthens the idea that the NBA is show more than a competitive sports league.
It is so weird how you can overrule a trade that follows the rules. So can you overrule a score in an important game too? Because Kobe is too good, so some of his ridiculous scores must be counted for another team?
This is really bad PR… and I am saddened that my kids cannot grow up watching CP3 in a Lakers jersey.
Aaron says
This is from Yahoo… Who quoted a rival league executive close to the trade talks…
As one rival executive with strong ties to the league office said, “Stern cared about two things: Selling that franchise for the best possible price; and showing the players that they weren’t going to dictate where teams could trade them. But now, there’s no way that the league can allow Chris Paul to be traded at all, otherwise Stern is basically deciding where one of the top players in the league is going versus having any fair process.”
Officials from New Orleans, Houston and Los Angeles were stunned Thursday night. The killed trade had ripple effects everywhere in free agency and potential trades, and literally pushed the market into paralysis on the eve of training camps opening up.
“We were all told by the league he was a trade-able player, and now they’re saying that Dell doesn’t have the authority to make the trade?” said an NBA executive who had periodic talks with New Orleans throughout the process. “Now, they’re saying that Dell is an idiot, that he can’t do it his job. [Expletive] this whole thing. David’s drunk on power, and he doesn’t give a [expletive] about the players, and he doesn’t give a [expletive] about the hundreds of hours the teams put in to make that deal.
“How do the Lakers explain this to Odom? How does Houston deal with the guys it just tried to trade? Scola and Martin are going to be pissed at them, and who knows how long that takes to get over? Explain to me how the league kills this Pau Gasol deal, but allows Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol?
“To me, this makes the league feel like it’s rigged, that Stern just does whatever Stern wants to do. He’s messed up the competitive balance of this league a lot worse by killing the deal, because you’ve completely destroyed the planning that New Orleans, Houston did and left them in shambles over this. I’ve never been so discouraged about this league, never so down.
“I mean, come on: Chris Paul is leaving New Orleans in 66 games. He’s gone. And what’s Dell Demps, and that franchise, going to have to show for it?”
mud says
WWE
sam says
warren in the house… how are you my friend~!
this back and forth affair have completely ruin my day, and like many of you, i do believe mitch does have another trade up his sleeve.
yet even without, a lineup of bynum/okafor(or west/ariza as a throw in for the deal)/kobe/paul would still kick some serious butt…
Warren Wee Lim says
Hey there sam. Still hanging a bit to the right… 😉
Lets examine:
The trade had been “agreed in principle” by Demps and Kupchak. They are, by all legalities, the ones that are authorized to sign, trade and waive players. LEGALLY.
Upon hearing the news, (insert expletive here) owners like Dan Gilbert who have done nothing but complain since his boyfriend left him, causes the team owner (David Stern) to nix the deal. For all intents and purposes, its now a matter of principle that Stern has backed out of a deal that his GM did for the team. Regardless if it was a pretty bad or good or great deal, there was an agreement.
Per definition of Law, a contract is the “meeting of minds” … and Demps and Kupchak agreed. The only problem here was, the legality was not to be done yet since league office basically officially starts tomorrow.
I, along probably with Drrayeye, am the strongest Pau supporter on the team. I let it beknownst to ya’ll that I would 100% support any deal coming over but Pau is essential to the puzzle. Even the more sensible deal, D122LA, I would sign off as long as it didn’t include Pau.
However, my sentiments regarding the makeup of my (in this case, our) team is the least of the concerns. We are dealing here with principles of palabra de honor. As in leyman’s terms: “my word is my bond.”
So in case Stern gets to bump into this post for w/e reason, check yourself. Check if you still have any form of integrity left in you for doing such a thing.
I am partly happy (more happy actually) that Pau Gasol remains a Laker, but it saddens me that you have stooped into this level.
What a sad day.
atheno says
no stars will agree to go to cleveland and new orleans now.
a few may go just to get paid but will not kill themselves to win for gilbert or stern.
The Dane says
The worst thing is not so much that the Lakers don’t get CP3 as it stands, it is that the Lakers just drop a huge monkey on the back of both Gasol and Odom, and to a minor extend on just about everybody else on the team. Of course Bynum considers himself half traded (half amazing) as it stands.
Warren Wee Lim says
My comment still awaits moderation ^^.
What hurts the most here is that Odom and Gasol, the 2 guys I wanted to keep, now have damaged hearts.
I am pretty sure both will remain consummate professionals but the damage has been done.
CGomez says
Never again need we doubt that the lockout was the small market losers vs. the Lakers, Celtics and Heat. There’s no reason to believe everything isn’t affected, including how much support the Lakers will get at board meetings when they’ve been jobbed by officials.
The petulant losers of this league want trophies without any regard for what it takes to win them. They’ve gotten it in their heads that all it takes to be a super rich team is to win some championships. They look at Boston, Dallas, and L.A.
It wasn’t that long ago Dallas was considered a small market team. Funny how things change when you have an owner who fundamentally rebuilds and reshapes a franchise. Cuban may be a buffoon sometimes but he has the drive to win and I’m sure he is getting rewarded on his investment now.
The NBA just risked losing Laker fans in droves. Why should I ever counter a Laker fan who says the fix is in ever again? It apparently is.
Gabriel R. says
This is so weird. If a deal was made within the rules, what is the problem? Why is Gilbert and other owners like him dictating the Lakers moves. If the team followed their direction instead of Buss’ then we would have a lousy lottery team and no history of success. It takes risk, guts, and smarts to be a winner. Doc Buss understands but the rest don’t. Even if the trade went through othing in life is guaranteed. This was a vote and veto supporting small market teams with owners that have small minds and are scared to take chances!
Explain yourself Stern. “basketball reasons”
Explain yourself little man.
Bye.
mindcrime says
Re: Former deputy commissioner Granick’s comments on “futility” of legal action–the owners’ (ostensible) respective 1/29 shares of the Hornets doesn’t give them free reign to veto anything. To avoid conflicts of interest, a caretaker administration was set up in NO to make basketball/personnel related decisions. The league was only supposed to interfere if there were financial ramifications. The owners can take the action they took, but that action is subject to review–did they take that action in the best interest of NO as a franchise, or in their own interests? Given the huge debate about which side was giving up more in this deal (and the fact that, if Paul doesn’t get traded, he walks next year for nothing in return) the answer is clear. It is possible to seek legal action asking an judge/arbitrator to find that the league violated its fiduciary obligations where the NO franchise is concerned, at the expense of NO (which will be hard-pressed to get anyone to trade for Paul now) and for the benefit of some unidentified mass of disgruntled owners.
Renato Afonso says
@The Dane
Yes, we all have problems understanding this. We have no such things as salary cap or revenue split in football (the true football, not the thing they call football in the US) and we’re fine with it. The big clubs are always contenders and nobody is upset by it.
Even in the US, in the MLB, you have temas who are perennial contenders and others who can’t contend at all. I simply fail to understand the logic behind this…
The Dane says
I am in a tail spin, keep going back to this site and refreshing. Anger and frustration… what a fiasco this is. I wish the NBA would collapse and the players would spread across the euroleague clubs instead.
mikeinchitown says
this hatred for large market teams, and the lakers in particular, makes me sick. hey newsflash cleveland- do what you can to improve your own team, not make yourself better “relatively” by making others worse through whining.
pau and odom are not making contributions this year given their respective psyches and now mitch has to scramble to make some deal to ship them out and take pennies on the dollar. just flat out closed kobe’s window, then and there. lakers are now far worse than they were, where despite all of the consternation on this site, still could consider themselves a top contender.
i understand that small market owners want balance, but this reeks of class warfare, not unlike the stupidity happening across the rest of the country w/”occupy”- jealousy, sense of entitlement, pettiness, etc.
The Dane says
Exactly mikeinchitown – this is what sport was supposed to be about. Rise above all the mediocrity, be great by delivering. Instead the league is becoming as petty and bureaucratic as the world that I want sport to take me away from, to rise above.
Renato Afonso says
Now, let’s distance ourselves from the veto…
Unless we would get Superman, our roster would be:
Fish, CP3, Blake
Kobe
World Peace, Luuuuuuuuuuuke, Ebanks
Caracter
Bynum
Even if we filled the holes with the vets for the minimum, I don’t see how such roster would be better equipped to win the West than with Odom and Gasol.
How can we recover Gasol and Odom for this season? And in NO, will CP3 start shooting at his own basket?
exhelodrvr says
Mixed feelings on this. I definitely don’t like the precedent of the league stopping the trade. However, I also didn’t like the trade itself, unless there was a second deal already (essentially) in place to get Howard, and I don’t see how they would be able to swing that after trading both Gasol and Odom. But history has shown that we should trust Kupchak’s judgement – maybe there was another three-team swap figured out?
mikeinchitown says
i also did not like the trade initially, but after finding out about the trade exceptions, i believe they could have gotten howard plus a serviceable big to remake the front line. so effectively gasol + odom = paul + howard + backup PF/C.
that would have set up beautifully. sigh.
drrayeye says
104 Is it Kupchak’s or Jimmy’s judgement that we must/should trust?
Jerry’s in the hospital, and Mitch was talking about tweeking–and Brown was drawing analogies to Robinson/Duncan.
They tried to trade Gasol/Odom (two bigs) for a small–and they kept Bynum . . .
Doesn’t sound like Mitch to me
mikeinchitown says
that should read gasol + odom + bynum= paul + howard + backup PF/C
Funky Chicken says
This marks the second time that Dan Gilbert has screwed Mike Brown.
exhelodrvr says
Bill Simmons column on this is really good:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7334835/the-sixth-day-nba-christmas
Edwin Gueco says
Darius, I posted last night but unfortunately the system was down, was it also hijacked by David Stern? He used to play the role of Darth Vader, now a King Herod with his cohorts like Dan Gilbert as Mr. Grinch.
What I said in my post that this is a Pyrrhic victory for King David, it will not last because he set a wrong precedent. He has carved his own downfall in the next few months. Meanwhile, Lakers may have lost the newly acquired PG but it would also be temporary. Come July, 2012, guess what will be his move? Presumably, Mr. Grinch Gilbert will not be able to stop freedom of movement among NBA player because it violates their own civil liberties to work where they want to be. Being owned is similar to slavery with higher price attached to it. There are arcane rules that owners could levy to protect their flock. With this situation, it also connect the dots on DH, he knows now what is at stake in coming to the Southland, he has to cross several mine fields to get to the promised land.
I don’t know what it is that Mr Gilbert could not comprehend. He keeps on comparing Cleveland to Los Angeles in asserting the importance of his team in this 3-team- trade “me-too theory. Where will this jealousy of this big market conceptualization end? It is time to stop comparing or minding business of other teams, just tinker your own small market team and make them competitive.
Warren Wee Lim says
IN related news, assuming Stern wakes up and he’s still in the US and not in Venezuela (hello Hugo) or Turkemenistern, the Knicks are looking to amnestize Chauncey Billups (who will likely join Heat, yuck) they are looking to shed Ronny Turiaf.
His salary fits that of the Sasha TPE.
Aaron says
What a sad way for Stern to end his great career. I’m guessing, like I said this before trade goes through but within the next six months David is forced to retire.
fifanatic says
That Simmons column is absolutely fantastic, couldn’t have put it better myself.
mindcrime says
exhelodrvr–instructive Simmons column for sure–just read it myself–it speaks volumes that the self-proclaimed world’s biggest laker-hater thinks this is garbage….
Stepping away from the fact that I am a Laker fan (as much as I can) this truly is a dark day for the league–the ramifications on a “going foward” basis are tremendous.
Query–what will the Players’ Association do once all of this sinks in–anyone who hopes to be able to explore free agency someday should be scared of this—this is a clear message that free agency will be “free” in name only….will the NBAPA rise up and say “if this is what is going to happen under the new deal, screw you….”
Ryan says
Blocking the deal smells funny. The NBA specifically set up someone to run the Hornets to bypass any problems with the league owning a team, then they step in and block a deal that the person they put in charge agreed upon. It sets a really bad precedent and makes the NBA look really bad.
chownoir says
@#107,Drrayeye, C’mon. I’m not a big fan of Jim, but this kind of deal takes hundreds of hours. You don’t think Jerry and Mitch were in it all along and at least agreed to do it.
Jim already went on record he’d move Bynum in the right deal.
Mitch isn’t dumb enough to think the team could go to battle with Bynum as the only legit front court player. There had to be mulitple deals going down. Probably all contingent on this first step.
Lakers would have had Bynum and 3 Trade Exceptions. Sasha’s 5.5, the 8.9 and whatever other amount they got for Pau.
I’m inclined to believe that Jerry AND Jim were rolling the dice and shooting for the moon. Whether it was Dwight or someone else. Everybody remember right before Jerry West got Shaq? He completely stripped the roster and kept shipping guys out to make sure he had enough to go get Shaq.
It was a pretty risky gamble if Shaq did stay in Orlando. As things were happening last night, I started thinking something similar was going down. No way Mitch just ships out Pau/LO and expect Bynum to handle the frontcourt by himself. Even if he was healthy, he still had to sit out 5 games. In a 66 game season, that’s a ton to give up and play without any kind of front court player.
Something was going down and last night’s trade was just the first step of a new plan.
Darius Soriano says
A new post is up.
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2011/12/09/the-friday-forum/
harold says
Gotta love Simmons as a fellow Basketball fan.
How much of a chance do we have of an appeal? Wow, this is just unreal. Can the 3 teams impose their own mini-lockout, except this time they do it against the small-market teams?
Man, maybe the Lakers should just forfeit games against Cleveland and see how well they do then.
Snoopy2006 says
Someone above said it perfectly: Dan Gilbert is determined to ruin the NBA with his bitterness.
But Gilbert’s email should not absolve the other owners. Mark Cuban was one of the most vocal behind this. He doesn’t want to pay his team to come back and defend their title, and wants to bring us down with him.
The best part of Gilbert’s email that few are talking about:
Gilbert didn’t just complain because the Lakers were getting a star. He complained because LAL’s luxury tax payments would decrease, meaning he pockets less money. Gilbert is nothing more than a beggar. He has no pride, he is interested only in scrounging for change in Jerry Buss’s pockets.
It’s time for the Lakers organization to make a statement. Dr. Buss supported Stern through all the revenue sharing nonsense. Dr. Buss singlehandedly brought up the stature of this league. He needs to make a statement and remind Stern who exactly he is screwing over.
With all that said, I’m glad we don’t lose our frontline. (Trading Odom, as much as I love him, was a smart move – it’s unlikely his trade value will be this high again. Trading Pau on top of that is not a smart move).
Our players can respond two ways:
1) Realize how close they were to having their legacies ending, and use that as motivation. Pau, if he stays in LA and continues to win, may be on track for the HOF. Gasol/Odom should realize not to take anything for granted and work even harder, use it as motivation, and play angry.
2) They dislike playing for an organization where they don’t feel wanted, no longer trust the organization, and our chemistry is thrown into a funk. This could submarine our chances very quickly. We’ve seen what Pau plays like when distracted and in a funk.
It’ll probably be a combination of the two. Reportedly Odom won’t show up to camp, so looks like he’s starting out with #2.
Death Grip says
Wow… Stern just screwed over all three teams.
The Hornets could get the very worst of it. Instead of having an instant high level playoff team for a long while, they may be left at the end of this season with Paul walking and they will get NOTHING for him.
The Rockets have been building for this trade and with Pau they too are an immediate playoff contender. They have to be furious.
The Lakers are hurt the least. They Now can trade Bynum straight up for Howard and work on an Odom for a good (not great) point guard. It will leave the Lakers with a lineup that is second to none and actually better than this trade: Howard, Gasol, Peace, Bryant, (Good Young Point Guard).
I had a lot of respect for Stern… that has all vaporized in one swift monumental bad decision. But, thankfully, I believe the Lakers are better for it.