Lakers Trading for Chris Paul

[SenorSpur]

The Hornets did not agree to this deal. Their owners reneged.

Now what? There are now 3 teams (NO, HOU and LA) with roster situations that are now in limbo, as a result. This whole thing stinks.

[rascal]

From a purely selfish standpoint I'm sad this didn't go down. Paul, Bryant and Bynum is a much better matchup for SA than Bryant, Odom, Gasol, Bynum.

The lakers were not finished. It would be easier getting Howard with Paul on board and cap space.

[rascal]

This whole thing stinks. I was not a fan of this trade, but all teams involved had every right to do the deal. The deal fit within the rules/parameters established by the league, so it had every right to go down.

As others have said, there is a conflict of interest. Dell was told that he full authority to do any deal that he saw fit. But because of the player being traded, and the team the player was going to, many of the owners threw a fit. For the simple reason being that they didn't like the Lakers getting a star player.

And think about it, were the Lakers really improving that much? We would have lost our Sixth Man of the Year, and our All-NBA power forward! And it wasn't like the Hornets were getting screwed...they were getting serviceable players and solid trade pieces to further improve the team down the road. That's a lot better than keeping a disgruntled Chris Paul for 7 more months, only to lose him for nothing in July!!

Yes, the Lakers were improving that much, that is why you are sore about it.

[Mel_13]

The lakers were not finished. It would be easier getting Howard with Paul on board and cap space.

They weren't going to have any cap space. Don't let the facts get in your way.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I think the biggest issue was that the other owners feared LAL was gonna get Howard as well. Their frontline would be way too exposed with just Bynum. I think the NO/LAL wouldn't have been s bad had rumors of D12 going over not been going on.

That's what also pushed the owners over the edge.

[ChumpDumper]

Now what?

Now sell the Hornets.

[Obstructed_View]

Now what? There are now 3 teams (NO, HOU and LA) with roster situations that are now in limbo, as a result. This whole thing stinks.

It's day 1 of the free agent period after a lengthy labor dispute. Everyone's got roster situations in limbo. If only every team had 50 million ignorant fans to cry every time an invalid trade was rejected.

[rascal]

It was too obvious. They will make another deal.

They are trying to work another deal just like I said yesterday.

[rascal]

They weren't going to have any cap space. Don't let the facts get in your way.

They were shedding salary with the players they were sending out.

[SenorSpur]

Now sell the Hornets.

and move 'em to Seattle, baby.

[elec99]

Just like others here were eluding to, the talks are back on. Wonder what will be different about the next deal...

[rascal]

Just like others here were eluding to, the talks are back on. Wonder what will be different about the next deal...

The lakers have to sweeten what they send out. How much they are willing without thinking they are getting a steal of a deal is another ? that may hang up the deal.

[rascal]

The key for the Lakers is to make a deal that enough of the league owners won't about.
Stern wants a powerhouse Laker team. A powerhouse team with all star power in LA( Lakers) is great for TV ratings and revenue.

Stern was only pressured to veto the trade because of the objections of the league owners. If no owners said anything about it the trade goes through as is and stern is on his way to getting that star packed power team in LA.

If he gets enough of the league owners to sign off on it it is a done deal.

Being the commissioner Stern has to appear fair minded, like he is not for building power teams in big market cities but smaller market league owners know what his motives are, that is why the fest happened in the first place.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

They weren't going to have any cap space. Don't let the facts get in your way.

They were set to save ~$15m per year over all. Gasol makes $18m for the next three years. Odom is an expiring contract but makes ~$10m. Were they that far over? And the Howard scenario would have required moving more contracts which they were prepared to do with Artest+.

[Mel_13]

They were set to save ~$15m per year over all. Gasol makes $18m for the next three years. Odom is an expiring contract but makes ~$10m. Were they that far over? And the Howard scenario would have required moving more contracts which they were prepared to do with Artest+.

They're sitting more than 30M over the cap right now.

[rascal]

They're sitting more than 30M over the cap right now.

Still they shed salary and are in better position to make a play for Howard if the trade went down.

[Mel_13]

Still they shed salary

True, just not what you said before. The Lakers will never have cap space.

and are in better position to make a play for Howard if the trade went down.

That's your opinion and very much debatable.

[picnroll]

I've only been loosely following this and see people complaining about owners interfering with the deal, but aren't those owners all part owners of NO and if they had let that crappy three way deal go through with NO getting no good picks or good young players they'd never be able to sell NO or have to sell it at a bargain basement price. Seems whoever for NO made that deal should be fired for being a knuckle head and screwing the owners.

[rascal]

True, just not what you said before. The Lakers will never have cap space.




That's your opinion and very much debatable.

What is your problem following me around looking to start arguments.

Stick with the main issues and stop nit picking.

[Mel_13]

What is your problem following me around looking to start arguments.

Stick with the main issues and stop nick picking.

[Maddog]

Demps should have operated under the edict of making his team better. This deal has 4 guys from the age of 29-32 changing teams and the best one by far wasn't even going to New Orleans.

The Laker end of the deal as is was reasonable: Pau and Lamar.

New Orleans not getting Pau, not getting young talent beyond the retread Dragic, and not getting any lottery picks . . . the deal for them was a bad deal.

I never understood it from the Hornets side- they where getting crap.
Sure they could have turned around and traded those guys- but not sure they would have got much.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Totally incredible that Stern vetoed the orginal trade. There was nothing dodgy about it at all. It made sense for all teams involved. Massive conflict of interest by Stern.

Stern allows trades like the Pau trade, which at the time was one of the most lopsided trades of all time (it looks a bit more even in hindsight), yet blocks a trade like this which is fair and helps out all 3 teams? WTF!?

[Mel_13]

Totally incredible that Stern vetoed the orginal trade. There was nothing dodgy about it at all. It made sense for all teams involved. Massive conflict of interest by Stern.

Stern allows trades like the Pau trade, which at the time was one of the most lopsided trades of all time (it looks a bit more even in hindsight), yet blocks a trade like this which is fair and helps out all 3 teams? WTF!?

He acted in his role as Hornets owner, not as NBA Commissioner.

[irishock]

1 year anniversary. Let's discuss. How would've things turned out for LA had the deal not been vetoed? Does Howard still come?

[will_spurs]

Do you mean "can Howard still come"? or "does Howard still come"? If Howard doesn't come (rush!) to a team with Paul as PG, he's even dumber than I thought (and I think he's really, really dumb, btw).

If Paul goes to the Lakers, the Clippers are still a lottery team, and the Lakers aren't below .500 for sure.