As I am sure most are aware, the NBA (read: David Stern) vetoed a trade the would've sent Chris Paul to the Lakers, Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets and Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic and a 2012 First Round Draft Pick to the NoLA Hornets. NBA analysts and commenters found, universally, that this was an eminently fair trade with many saying that Dell Demps, GM of the Hornets, did a fantastic job of getting a respectable haul back for Paul. Despite this, Stern and the NBA owners, with Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavs being the most vocal, decided to kill the trade for "basketball reasons" thinking that the Hornets were better served by retaining CP3 in a Hornets jersey.
There have been a lot of articles (some much better than this post) covering this, but the basic gist of all of them is that this is a load of horse shit. Other owners who have spoken out get closer to the truth; after the lockout recently ending, the NBA didn't want another NBA star to force his way out of a small market team to a team like the Lakers. Whiny school boy biatches like Gilbert threw a fit (again) and Stern, in his determined effort to destroy any legacy he might have, caved to their whims. This has created problems for every team involved with the trade and led to disgruntled players. The problem is that there is really nothing the NBA can do about preventing players from trying to dictate where they liked to play. Chris Paul has made it perfectly clear that there is absolutely no chance that he re-signs with the Hornets. Therefore, the teams options are they trade Paul for the best mix of established players and you building blocks for the future, which they accomplished in this trade, or lose him for absolutely nothing in free agency. Sure Paul's options would be limited in free agency and determined by who has enough cap room; but his options were limited in this situation. His expressed first choice, the New York Knicks, had nowhere near enough trade prospects to try and get Paul. He, therefore, was settling for the Lakers, who were taking a tremendous risk by trading a lot of size to create the best back court in the league. The trade, and the discussion regarding possible trades before it was consummated, also re-generated interest in the NBA immediately after the agony of the lockout. Just as people were forgetting about it, however, Stern reminded everyone by giving the Demps, the Lakers and the fans a giant middle finger. Additionally, he and the owners are exhibiting an epic conflict of interest as the Hornets are owned by the 29 NBA owner's collectively. I don't know about casual fans, but I'm incredibly offended by this abuse of power (and this comes from a self-avowed Laker-hater who was pissed to see them get CP3).
I do not know how Stern plans to next destroy his legacy but I'm looking forward to see what he pulls out of his ass in the way that people wait excitedly for a car accident once they hear the screeching of brakes. I fully expect, however, to see Stern walking back from this decision after some superficial changes are made to the trade. It is almost shocking to see a once prescient commish, who seemed to be 5 moves ahead at all times, become completely reactionary... but that's where we're at.
Eff you David Stern.
Image from Google Images (and probably a collection of pictures of people who look even douchier with beards. I call dibs on the rights to make that coffee table book...)
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