Dan Gilbert's Letter Regarding CP3

[TheOUTLAW]

This guy is a self made billionaire. Just think about that a second. And he is part owner of the NBA because he owns the Cavaliers. There is no way he's going to do something that he believes is wrong for the NBA and his franchise and not say something about it. Anyone who thinks that is a hold his tongue moment is deluding himself.

[Icness]

It seems like Gilbert is positioning himself as the spokesman for the small market owners. With Stern allegedly retiring soon, DG is consolidating power and looking to turn himself into a kingmaker. Other owners feel the sme way he does, he's just the one with enough lip to say it.

I am concerned that he doesn't appear to think through how doing stuff like this and the Lebron rant negatively impact the franchise.

[Roger Murdock]

I dont understand why hes getting a bad rep for this. Can someone explain why he is? Hes a part owner of the Hornets and was protecting an investment.

Because people against him love the Heat or the Lakers

I'm just concerned that he just ENSURED we will never get a good FA...I know historically they have never liked coming here anyway, but if we built a nice core and had a good PG that made players look better a la Nash, I just hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the ass. I love that he's not afraid of people hating on him, and speaks his mind. But seriously, does he just click "send all" every time or WHAT! It's just a bummer to have the best talent in the league look down on your franchise, because guys like Kyrie and TT look up to the CP3's and D12's of the league...

How does this affect what any free agents should think about the Cavs?

[Nanogeek]

Larry Coon tore Gilbert a new one in his critique of Gilbert's letter:

(note to mods - this is not an insider feature)

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/73365 ... ert-letter

To quote the great Vin Scully, "In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened." And we haven't even gotten to the first day of business yet. Welcome to the 2011-12 NBA season.

"Basketball reasons" has now joined the vernacular, as NBA commissioner David Stern put the kibosh on a trade that would have sent Chris Paul from the league-owned Hornets to the Lakers; Lamar Odom to New Orleans along with the Rockets' Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Goran Dragic; and Pau Gasol to the Rockets.

Now teams in three cities are reeling, Paul and the players' union are considering their legal options, and per ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the three teams in the trade are lobbying the league for Stern to reverse his ruling.

It wasnt an insider article, however you are still not allowed to post more than 3 paragraphs of a linked article.

- B Mac

[kam_soluusar]

As a Rockets fan, I never liked the trade in the 1st place. Houston had to give up too much. Scola is Waaaayyyyy undervalued in this league. And has the best low post footwork since Olajuwon, (in Houston I am talking about!) A lot of Rockets fans say that he is "Soft" on defence, I don't think this is true, but hey, that's just my opinion.

The problem with Scola, is that he is on a decent contract, so it is hard to find an even trade partner. I thought that getting Gasol would be a lateral move, and having to give up Martin as well. When there is a premium on decent SG's in the league is just dumb. And a 1st round pick, and Dragic as well.

I just don't get how this is not an "even" trade for New Orleans. I mean, unless they were to get Rose, or D.Williams, it would never be an even trade. Personally, I hope New Orleans loses Paul via FA for nothing, and that some "Super Team" signs him, continuing the Carmelo/LeBron/Stoudamire/Bosh situation.

Think I'm crazy, it gives other potential stars a chance to step up. Look at how Affoalo stepped up after Melo left Denver. And if anything, Miami proved that you still need a good supporting cast around your superstars to win a ring.

It would be easy to troll here, but completely pointless, (as the mods would just delete it.) so I will just leave it at that.

[Normalyute]

As a Rockets fan, I never liked the trade in the 1st place. Houston had to give up too much. Scola is Waaaayyyyy undervalued in this league. And has the best low post footwork since Olajuwon, (in Houston I am talking about!) A lot of Rockets fans say that he is "Soft" on defence, I don't think this is true, but hey, that's just my opinion.

The problem with Scola, is that he is on a decent contract, so it is hard to find an even trade partner. I thought that getting Gasol would be a lateral move, and having to give up Martin as well. When there is a premium on decent SG's in the league is just dumb. And a 1st round pick, and Dragic as well.

I just don't get how this is not an "even" trade for New Orleans. I mean, unless they were to get Rose, or D.Williams, it would never be an even trade. Personally, I hope New Orleans loses Paul via FA for nothing, and that some "Super Team" signs him, continuing the Carmelo/LeBron/Stoudamire/Bosh situation.

Think I'm crazy, it gives other potential stars a chance to step up. Look at how Affoalo stepped up after Melo left Denver. And if anything, Miami proved that you still need a good supporting cast around your superstars to win a ring.

It would be easy to troll here, but completely pointless, (as the mods would just delete it.) so I will just leave it at that.

+1

[Jan_Sobieski]

He is Boss, anyone who supports the IDF is a boss to me.

[Amon_Ones88]

How great is it to have an owner who at least cares about his team. It people like that who really make great teams. Love him or hate him, he loves us and thats all that really matters.

[gflem]

Looks like Paul ended up in LA anyways, but it was a much better deal for the Hornets imo, if Gordon re-ups with them after the season. I wonder how Gilbert feels about this deal? Paul still ends up on a large market team. Kudos to the Hornets for making this move and not getting screwed during or after the season.

[Dupp]

Looks like Paul ended up in LA anyways, but it was a much better deal for the Hornets imo, if Gordon re-ups with them after the season. I wonder how Gilbert feels about this deal? Paul still ends up on a large market team. Kudos to the Hornets for making this move and not getting screwed during or after the season.

Man the deal is so much better for NO. They got some young talent and whats going to be a high pick in a good draft. Gordons a stud. Yeah he could leave but so could cp3 in two years, thats the risk you take.

As for the letter, Dan's a boss. Agreed with everything he said and it eventuated in the lakers losing paul and potentially howard. Any day LA gets screwed over its a good day.

[heathmalc]

As was already mentioned by another poster, Dan Gilbert is a self-made millionaire, and is also a partial owner of the NO Hornets. So, even if a person knew nothing of the man, but those two things, it would seem to me that they would tend to side with those who believed Dan said what he said for business reasons, and not personal reasoning.

As it turns out, the Hornets got a better deal, Paul got to go to a big-market team (that can likely contend in the west this year), and Houston was saved from themselves.

For those who think that what Dan said hurt the Cavaliers - I disagree. Players want two things: #1 They want paid as much as they can get (like all of us). #2 They want to win. If two teams offer the same money (or nearly the same) and one is definitely gonna have a better shot at winning, then the player will go to the team that will win.

In the case of the Cavaliers, they have not lost out on free agents - rather, the free-agents that turned them down were either offered more money, or believed that there was a better chance of winning with the team they chose over the Cavaliers. When LeBron was with the Cavaliers, a couple players said publicly that they didn't sign with Cleveland because LeBron refused to sign... meaning that although the Cavs were winning then, that they likely wouldn't be winning for long... and it turns out they were right.

If any of you were in the same situation, can you say that you'd have done any differently?

[CarMalone]

Because people against him love the Heat or the Lakers

I don't think that's a fair assumption. A lot of people that were against Stern's decision (and Gilbert's letter) felt that the veto was largely based on politics. I thought the trade was bad for the Hornets but bad trades happen all the time. I didn't think the offer was so bad that it required the league to intervene.

[tidho]

^
Just to clarify the league didn't intervene, the ownership group intervened. That is a perfectly common and justified occurance in the NBA - even if in this case it comes with an extra twist.

[ParrottK]

^
Just to clarify the league didn't intervene, the ownership group intervened. That is a perfectly common and justified occurance in the NBA - even if in this case it comes with an extra twist.

You say tomato. I say tomato. (This doesn't work as well when it's written out.)

[gflem]

Well, fwiw this is exactly why the NBA shouldnt have ownership of a team. We all know this, but now that the labor agreement is in place, job one should be getting an ownership group in place for that team. I said a long time ago that Stern's job was on the line if the labor impasse went on for an extended period, but it seems that he dodged that bullet for now.
However there are obviously owners that arent at all happy with the way things turned out, and if that team isnt sold I think its an indictment of how the labor deal is viewed by any prospective owners for a small market team.

[Triumph36]

Well, fwiw this is exactly why the NBA shouldnt have ownership of a team. We all know this, but now that the labor agreement is in place, job one should be getting an ownership group in place for that team. I said a long time ago that Stern's job was on the line if the labor impasse went on for an extended period, but it seems that he dodged that bullet for now.
However there are obviously owners that arent at all happy with the way things turned out, and if that team isnt sold I think its an indictment of how the labor deal is viewed by any prospective owners for a small market team.

ya this. it's such a massive conflict of interest.

team could've been sold already but the NBA wouldn't let it happen because Ellison wanted to move the team.