NBA 2012......Maybe

[texasdave]

If this league is really headed in the direction of a handful of super teams and everyone else competing for the right to get blown out in the first round of the playoffs, then color me an ex-NBA fan.

[texasdave]

The Lakers, Hornets and Rockets have re-engaged and are exploring possible ways of completing a proposed three-way deal involving Chris Paul, multiple sources connected to the deal told SI.com.

Before the sides re-opened discussions, one source close to the process was told the deal was simply put "on hold," as opposed to completely dead.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz1g5F3Rltf

That is one way to spin things. We just put the trade 'on hold'.

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."

And I always wanted a longer nose, said Commissioner Stern.

[texasdave]

From the Houston Chronicle: Liar. Liar. Pants on fire. What else is new?

They also have to bring back three players they just traded. Kevin Martin and Luis Scola could not have been more gracious (though until the Rockets have a center, the team could be as on edge as in the days before the trade deadline.) But Chris Paul and Lamar Odom are furious. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and the Lakers’ Mitch Kupchak spent countless hours hammering out the deal, as they and GMs around the league had been given the clear understanding that Demps was fully authorized to do his job with the only stipulation that he not exceed the luxury tax line.

They were also never told that they had to make a deal that would appeal not only to the teams involved, but to the commissioner.While Stern is in no way qualified to judge the quality of players or trades, he ought to be able to do better than this as commissioner. Instead, he hammered the league’s credibility, actually living up to the sort of doubts that drive the conspiracy theorists.One can assume that Leslie Alexander and Jim Buss have been calling Stern and hitting him as hard as he smashed their trade. But they are badly outnumbered. And as wrongfully as they must feel that their employee mistreated their teams, he did not do anywhere near the damage as to the team the NBA owns. At least he made the league’s other owners look better by comparison.

[cincrazy]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27

This isn't Dan Gilbert's fault. The NBA put themselves in this stupid situation. Both sides are right. The trade was fine, but to the league owning the team it isn't a good trade. I'm glad Stern looks like an idiot right now because this is 100% his fault.

The NBA is what it is. And it's why it's my third favorite sports league. It's ALWAYS been this way. MJ was in Chicago, Kareem forced his way to LA, Bird was in Boston. Gilbert should've known what he was getting into when he bought the club. It's a risk you take in owning a professional sports team. The Cavs got lucky when they landed LeBron, and couldn't take advantage of that luck. They've been a poorly run franchise for years, and it doesn't look like that's changed any.

[texasdave]

CP3 trade resubmitted to the Commissioner's office. No details on the particulars. This per ESPN.

[Chip R]

It looks now that CP3 might be going to LA after all. But it's the Clipers, not the Lakers that he would be traded to.

I sure didn't like to see him going to the Lakers but the NBA really put themselves in a huge conflict of interest when they did this.

[reds1869]

Stern looks really bad in the CP3 situation. Why do commissioners feel the need to play dictator so often?

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Stern looks really bad in the CP3 situation. Why do commissioners feel the need to play dictator so often?

Because they can.

[WVRed]

CP3 to the Clips

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ris-paul-trade

Clips gave up a LOT in this deal. To think Eric Bledsoe(CP3lite) might have been the difference in this trade getting done or not.

With the TWolves unprotected pick next year, the Hornets look to be players in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Originally Posted by WVRed

CP3 to the Clips

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ris-paul-trade

Clips gave up a LOT in this deal. To think Eric Bledsoe(CP3lite) might have been the difference in this trade getting done or not.

With the TWolves unprotected pick next year, the Hornets look to be players in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes.

As a kinda sorta Clippers follower, I don't really love this trade. Eric Gordon is a stud. Obviously Paul is a great player, but I think eventually the Hornets would have caved on the trade with Bledsoe and maybe another pick and the Clips could have kept Gordon. A line up of Paul, Gordon, Griffin, Jordan I guess Billups is really solid.

[texasdave]

Clippers don't make that trade unless they are certain they can sign him to an extension, right? Otherwise....

[BuckeyeRed27]

Originally Posted by texasdave

Clippers don't make that trade unless they are certain they can sign him to an extension, right? Otherwise....

They have him for at least two seasons and can also sign a big free agent next off season, like Dwight Howard.

[nmculbreth]

It looks like the CP3 saga is finally coming to an end.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ris-paul-trade

I like this deal a lot for both sides. I'm still not convinced that the original three way deal wasn't a better immediate return but in the long run they probably were able to get more talent back in this deal, particularly if the Timberwolves unprotected pick ends up being a top five pick. I'm not sure Eric Gordon ever becomes an elite player, but he should be very good for them for a long time.

I think this move takes the Clippers to the upper echelon of the western conference and IMHO makes them the best team in LA. They gave up a lot but at the same time they're getting two years of Chris Paul and by making the deal (and keeping Jordan) they've positioned themselves beautifully to be able to re-sign both Paul and Blake Griffin once their deals are up. Losing Gordon hurts, but holding onto Eric Bledsoe was a real coup.

[Ohayou]

Originally Posted by nmculbreth

I think this move takes the Clippers to the upper echelon of the western conference and IMHO makes them the best team in LA.

They've been trying some thirty years to do that - and it hasn't happened yet. I think you should hold on for a while...

[BuckeyeRed27]

Originally Posted by Ohayou

They've been trying some thirty years to do that - and it hasn't happened yet. I think you should hold on for a while...

It will be interesting to see what the Lakers do in the next couple weeks though. On paper the Clippers do have the better team and I just can't see the Lakers sitting around with what they currently have.