CP3 to LA Mess

[PR07]

As a fan of a small-market team, I'm glad that Stern took a stand, but I question what kind of precedent this sets for the league going forward. What are other's thoughts?

[Grang33r]

As a fan of a small-market team, I'm glad that Stern took a stand, but I question what kind of precedent this sets for the league going forward. What are other's thoughts?

I don't see why there is such an outcry. This trade was very lopsided towards the Lakers. I wanted them to get Chris Paul, because it is their right to try to be as good as possible and to put help with Kobe Bryant. However, not only, do they get the super star player in this trade, they trade a 32 year old Lamar Odom who is over paid, and 31 year old Pau Gasol, also, very much overpaid at this point of his career. They trade 2 players that they would love to get rid of to fix their front line anyways. So, Lakers get rid of tons of money, give up ZERO future assets (prospects/picks) and get the best player in the deal?

As of right now, the deal doesn't look lopsided, but the flexibility this gives them will make them a favorite for about the next 5-7 years.

[Grang33r]

Also, the whole small market BS is over rated and a easy excuse for media. New York, Boston and Dallas i read very VERY much against the deal, in fact, Cuban was first to speak out. It was a terrible trade for "basketball reasons" as the NBA said, nobody how many jokes people will say about it.

[granger05]

I enjoy all the chaos. I didn't think this deal made sense for New Orleans. They're in a tough spot having to trade Chris Paul. Everyone knows that. Usually, when you send out a superstar, you get back young pieces, high picks and send out tons of salary. In this case, they took on salary and a bunch of quality players that were basically going to lock them into mediocrity for years. It's better to suck and not have the salary commitments. They got 0 prospects, 1 pick, and didn't unload Okafor or Ariza. Trades get upended by owners from time to time. I think Jordan nixed some Charlotte trade in the last couple years that had people upset. In this case, the situation is weird because the owner of the team is the league. It's been handled really badly all around. Dan Gilbert certainly isn't helping in the PR battle.

[granger05]

"Since the NBA purchased the New Orleans Hornets, final responsibility for significant management decisions lies with the Commissioner's Office in consultation with team chairman Jac Sperling. All decisions are made on the basis of what is in the best interests of the Hornets. In the case of the trade proposal that was made to the Hornets for Chris Paul, we decided, free from the influence of other NBA owners, that the team was better served with Chris in a Hornets uniform than by the outcome of the terms of that trade."

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1g45yVpAU

Stern's quote on the deal is pretty much dead on. The "owner" of the team had final responsibility. But, there are definitely conflicts of interest here and the league should have seen this coming. It's been discussed before when Phil Jackson brought it up and when Cuban complained about their trade last season that took on money.

[Boneman2]

As a fan of a small-market team, I'm glad that Stern took a stand, but I question what kind of precedent this sets for the league going forward. What are other's thoughts?

I don't see why there is such an outcry. This trade was very lopsided towards the Lakers. I wanted them to get Chris Paul, because it is their right to try to be as good as possible and to put help with Kobe Bryant. However, not only, do they get the super star player in this trade, they trade a 32 year old Lamar Odom who is over paid, and 31 year old Pau Gasol, also, very much overpaid at this point of his career. They trade 2 players that they would love to get rid of to fix their front line anyways. So, Lakers get rid of tons of money, give up ZERO future assets (prospects/picks) and get the best player in the deal?

As of right now, the deal doesn't look lopsided, but the flexibility this gives them will make them a favorite for about the next 5-7 years.

This deal is lopsided because the Lakers are in a situation with Pau Gasol, in regards to Kobe and his wifey, ratting him out to his ex-fiance. These guys can no longer coexist. What usually happens in these situations?? Players lose value. I don't know why the national media chooses to conceal this important detail.
http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/are-pau-gasol-and-kobe-bryant-fighting-over-girl-trouble/67044

I honestly believe that if nobody bites on Pau, then LA will be forced to amnesty him. I'd like to have Pau, but the only way possible is for the above to happen.

[granger05]

I was just looking up the salaries. In the deal that got axed by the New Orleans Hornets ownership, they failed to unload Okafor at 13.5 million for 3 more years and Ariza at 7.25 million for 3 more years. They also took on Kevin Martin at 12.5 million for 2 more years and Scola at 9.75 million for 4 more years. Those 4 players would eat up $43 million on their cap for the next 2 seasons. They also have Jarrett Jack as their PG at 5 million per. So their starting lineup of Jack, Martin, Ariza, Scola and Okafor would cost 48 million of a 58 million cap. That's an OK team and they'd challenge for a playoff spot but that's not really helping rebuild or sell the team. I left Odom out of this. He's due 9 million this year with a team option for 8 million the next. Would they exercise that? He's probably worth the money but they're already spending a lot. All of these guys are actually fairly paid when you look at the free agent market, but this is a team full of robins with no money for batman and no draft pick to snag him. We've been down this road ourselves.

[Miller4ever]

Don't think it's so lopsided. Chris Paul's best years are already behind him thanks to injuries. He's nowhere near as explosive and his defense is now average. He's a smarter player now, but a less effective one, ultimately.

[granger05]

I don't think it's "lopsided" either just not the kind of deal I would want to make for a team unloading a star to rebuild.

[8305]

I don't think the trade is that bad either. The NOH starting 5 is pretty good.

pg Jack, sg Matin, sf Ariza, pf Scola, c Okafor. Probably better than us and lilely better than the sum of its parts. Overall the team might have improved.

Houston needed a center and they have solid looking guys ready to step in for Scola and Martin. No one held a gun to anyone's head.

It just worked for the Lakers to get the biggest name. Not sure they are even any better.

An over reaction by the owner(s) of New Orleans.

[Scoot McGroot]

All I care about in this mess is that the NBA needs to move the Hornets on to a permanent owner ASAP.

[mizzoupacers]

All I care about in this mess is that the NBA needs to move the Hornets on to a permanent owner ASAP.

Yep.

The league running one of its own teams was a disaster waiting to happen. Now it's happened. You just can't have a conflict of interests like that.

[8305]

Yeah, an awful lot of conflict of interest potential as it works right now. Goes to show why the really good teams have solid gm's who are allowed to do their job.

[Indy2thaWindy]

I don't think the trade is that bad either. The NOH starting 5 is pretty good.

pg Jack, sg Matin, sf Ariza, pf Scola, c Okafor. Probably better than us and lilely better than the sum of its parts. Overall the team might have improved.

Houston had a better team and missed the playoffs. They do have Odom, but he might not even show up.

That's a lot of guaranteed salary for most likely a non playoff team that will be good enough to not pick top-10.

How many owner candidates want to buy

1. a non competitive team

2. locked into multiple big money, long-term contracts owed to mediocre players

3. with little chance at a top pick

4. almost no young players

5. and not the greatest of fan support

They get worse, lose a big name player, and take on A LOT of money.

Stern was right saying it didn't make sense for basketball reasons, but it made even less sense from a business standpoint.

[Grang33r]

They get worse, lose a big name player, and take on A LOT of money.

Exactly. And the Lakers get the exact opposite in ALL those things.

[Grang33r]

Per ESPN: Deal is dead. Lakers pull out of trade.

They are now trading Lamar Odom to the Mavericks for a trade exception, which they are including in an offer for Dwight Howard, which seems to be as good as a done deal.

[Indy2thaWindy]

Chris Paul is gonna be a Celtic.

Hopefully Bird stops thinking he can build a contender around Granger. He needs to send Granger and Collison to New Orleans and get Rondo. Next year's draft is stacked with power forwards and we'd have even more capspace then we do now.

Rondo
Gordon
George
Draft
Hibbert

We would be in a much better position than we would ever have been in with Granger.

[TJFordisGod]

This whole thing of players dictating where they want to go is annoying. Small market teams are never going to have a fair chance to compete. The Heat really F'd up the league.

[Scoot McGroot]

Chris Paul is gonna be a Celtic.

Hopefully Bird stops thinking he can build a contender around Granger. He needs to send Granger and Collison to New Orleans and get Rondo. Next year's draft is stacked with power forwards and we'd have even more capspace then we do now.

Rondo
Gordon
George
Draft
Hibbert

We would be in a much better position than we would ever have been in with Granger.

With David West signing, this might now be a possibility, especially if Bird goes out and gets Mayo. That would allow a lineup of:

Rondo/Hill/Price
Mayo/Rush/Lance
George/Dahntay/Posey(waived?)
West/Hansbrough/Pendergraph
Hibbert/Foster

[Pacersike]

Why settle for Rondo and help the Celtics revive?

Just get CP3 and a ring.