Man, how pissed off are the Los Angeles Lakers this morning?
First, the NBA commissioner David Stern (and Cleveland Cavaliers owner “Whiny” Dan Gilbert) killed a trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers – along with Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets and Lamar Odom to the New Orleans Hornets. Next, the Lakers had to send an unhappy Odom to the defending champion Dallas Mavericks for practically nothing (a conditional draft pick).
And now this: the Los Angeles Clippers completed a trade for Paul by sending the farm to New Orleans.
So let’s see. The NBA didn’t think the trade to the Lakers was kosher, but it was cool with the Clippers. That does not pass the smell test folks.
Look, I understand that the league owns the Hornets and is trying to make the franchise more viable for a potential buyer. I just think the commissioner and friends wanted to prove a point to the players. He essentially cut off his nose to spite his face.
Let’s not forget that it was a HUGE conflict of interest for the league to own the Hornets in the first place.
At any rate, if I were the Lakers, I would make life for Stern a living hell as much as possible. Let’s see how Stern can deal with one of the glamorous franchises in all of sports.
Categories: NBA, sports story
I guess it isn’t the market as it is the team. Chris Paul can play in Los Angeles, just not for the Lakers. I guess the purpose of the lockout was to punish the most successful franchise of the last 30 years. I have one piece of advice to Chris Paul. Insure those knees. Clippers players have a history of knee problems going back to the late 70’s and Bill Walton. Shaun Livingston, Blake Griffin’s rookie season, etc. etc. Not that I wish him ill, I love CP3 as a player, and watching him toss alley-oops to Blake will be a Sportscenter staple for the next 2 years at least. As for the Lakers, they got screwed over by envy (Dan Gilbert) and bitterness at past success (Mark Cuban). Hey Cubes, any qualms taking Odom for nothing? Didn’t think so.
Now they are left to try and get D12 from an organization that hates them for signing Shaq away from them 15 years ago. Good luck with that!
At least we have the best coach in NBA history to guide us through that. Oh, wait, no. He retired. At least we have our 6th man coming back to infuse us with talent off the bench. Oh, wait, no. We traded him for nothing.
At least we have a focused team steeled in their resolve. Oh, wait, no. They are all ticked at the failed trade and the executed trade.
At least we have 82 games to get things sorted out in time for playoffs. Oh, wait, no. Its a shortened season with as many games packed together as possible.
This season is gonna suck.