So the sports world has been pretty hectic these past couple days, or for that matter, the past month or so. I never got around to finishing the 2nd half of my last post, but I definitely have some things to say about what has transpired in that time.
The biggest thing and the thing angering me the most right now, is the Chris Paul-deal-that-wasn't. I think this is unfair and completely unethical. David Stern has overstepped his boundaries as commissioner and is meddling in things he should not. I also do not care what Dan Gilbert thinks. He is an owner of the Cavs, not the Hornets, Rockets or Lakers. He should mind his own business. If he doesn’t like it, too bad! Maybe he should have put up a trade offer that was better, or not embarrassed himself after Lebron left. What player is going to want to play for this fool?
J.A. Adande wrote an excellent article tonight about the trade that wasn't, so I want to link to it since a lot of my opinions coincide with things he said, as well as because I also think it is a really well written, and thoughtful piece. His article can be seen here.
First of all, this trade was NOT unfair. In fact, all the teams, in my opinion, gained something and lost something. The Lakers lost one of the top power forwards in the game, at least offensively, by trading Pau Gasol. They also lost Lamar Odom, who is one of the most versatile players in the league, and was also important to the Lakers as a 6th man as well as someone who could start when Bynum or Gasol was hurt. The Rockets lost Luis Scola and Kevin Martin, both of whom are good players. Martin is a 20 point scorer, and Scola is a double-double guy. The Hornets were not going to get a better package of players than they would have gotten in this deal. It is RIDICULOUS that this trade is not happening!!!
I don't even want to get into how wrong it is that the NBA is controlling the Hornets in the first place, but it is even worse now that Stern is vetoeing trades. I have never EVER seen a commissioner nix a trade because "he didn't like". His apparant excuse was "basketball related reasons" but who actually believes that? He nixed the trade because he didn't like!
I understand the NBA currently owns the Hornets, but their general manager, Dell Demps, is still the man in charge of making trades. He decided that it was in the best interest of the HORNETS to make this trade, so it is his call. As I stated before, the trade was perfectly fair. Heck, the Pau Gasol trade the Lakers made a few years ago was a lot worse than this. If the trade was so bad, the owners have no reason to complain. 27 other teams had the opportunity to offer up a trade—Demps decided this was the best offer. Stern has no right whatsoever to nix a trade, and there is no precedent for this.
Now what does this mean for the future of the NBA? How can teams operate and make trades now that they know Stern might possibly decide to come down with an iron first and block the trade? How can the Lakers even make a trade now, they have the NBA playing big brother over their every move now. Same thing with the Hornets. They will not get a better package of players then they would have gotten in the nixed deal. What team is going to offer them a reasonable trade now? The Hornets have no leverage at all. Now the NBA has made it so the most likely scenarios is Paul plays for the Hornets and then leaves in the offseason and the Hornets get no compensation. Way to go NBA!!!
I also feel for the players involved. Paul thought he was leaving, and now he is in the difficult situation of being stuck on a team that he doesn’t really want to be on, and he thought he was gone. I mostly feel for Odom though. He was already distraught enough for being traded. He really loves LA, and he loves being a Laker, which I appreciate. Now he is back in LA, and feels unwanted. Now the NBA has put these players in a situation where it will be really awkward and uncomfortable. This, after a lockout in which the owners and players got into such a strong argument they almost had no season. Completely asinine.
I hope the NBA is satisfied with what they have done. They had a lockout because they wanted to become richer, even though they used basketball as the excuse. Now they are doing the same thing with this trade. This trade has nothing to do with competitive balance. Stern didn’t like the trade, so he didn’t allow it; it’s as simple as that.
I'm not even angry about this because I'm a Lakers fan. I'm angry about this because as a sports fan, I do not like seeing the commissioner of a league meddling in the affairs of team transactions and abusing his power. By blocking this trade, he has done more to upset the competitive balance than he is maintaining it. As a sports fan, I think this is unfair and unjustified; it makes me furious.
The biggest thing and the thing angering me the most right now, is the Chris Paul-deal-that-wasn't. I think this is unfair and completely unethical. David Stern has overstepped his boundaries as commissioner and is meddling in things he should not. I also do not care what Dan Gilbert thinks. He is an owner of the Cavs, not the Hornets, Rockets or Lakers. He should mind his own business. If he doesn’t like it, too bad! Maybe he should have put up a trade offer that was better, or not embarrassed himself after Lebron left. What player is going to want to play for this fool?
J.A. Adande wrote an excellent article tonight about the trade that wasn't, so I want to link to it since a lot of my opinions coincide with things he said, as well as because I also think it is a really well written, and thoughtful piece. His article can be seen here.
First of all, this trade was NOT unfair. In fact, all the teams, in my opinion, gained something and lost something. The Lakers lost one of the top power forwards in the game, at least offensively, by trading Pau Gasol. They also lost Lamar Odom, who is one of the most versatile players in the league, and was also important to the Lakers as a 6th man as well as someone who could start when Bynum or Gasol was hurt. The Rockets lost Luis Scola and Kevin Martin, both of whom are good players. Martin is a 20 point scorer, and Scola is a double-double guy. The Hornets were not going to get a better package of players than they would have gotten in this deal. It is RIDICULOUS that this trade is not happening!!!
I don't even want to get into how wrong it is that the NBA is controlling the Hornets in the first place, but it is even worse now that Stern is vetoeing trades. I have never EVER seen a commissioner nix a trade because "he didn't like". His apparant excuse was "basketball related reasons" but who actually believes that? He nixed the trade because he didn't like!
I understand the NBA currently owns the Hornets, but their general manager, Dell Demps, is still the man in charge of making trades. He decided that it was in the best interest of the HORNETS to make this trade, so it is his call. As I stated before, the trade was perfectly fair. Heck, the Pau Gasol trade the Lakers made a few years ago was a lot worse than this. If the trade was so bad, the owners have no reason to complain. 27 other teams had the opportunity to offer up a trade—Demps decided this was the best offer. Stern has no right whatsoever to nix a trade, and there is no precedent for this.
Now what does this mean for the future of the NBA? How can teams operate and make trades now that they know Stern might possibly decide to come down with an iron first and block the trade? How can the Lakers even make a trade now, they have the NBA playing big brother over their every move now. Same thing with the Hornets. They will not get a better package of players then they would have gotten in the nixed deal. What team is going to offer them a reasonable trade now? The Hornets have no leverage at all. Now the NBA has made it so the most likely scenarios is Paul plays for the Hornets and then leaves in the offseason and the Hornets get no compensation. Way to go NBA!!!
I also feel for the players involved. Paul thought he was leaving, and now he is in the difficult situation of being stuck on a team that he doesn’t really want to be on, and he thought he was gone. I mostly feel for Odom though. He was already distraught enough for being traded. He really loves LA, and he loves being a Laker, which I appreciate. Now he is back in LA, and feels unwanted. Now the NBA has put these players in a situation where it will be really awkward and uncomfortable. This, after a lockout in which the owners and players got into such a strong argument they almost had no season. Completely asinine.
I hope the NBA is satisfied with what they have done. They had a lockout because they wanted to become richer, even though they used basketball as the excuse. Now they are doing the same thing with this trade. This trade has nothing to do with competitive balance. Stern didn’t like the trade, so he didn’t allow it; it’s as simple as that.
I'm not even angry about this because I'm a Lakers fan. I'm angry about this because as a sports fan, I do not like seeing the commissioner of a league meddling in the affairs of team transactions and abusing his power. By blocking this trade, he has done more to upset the competitive balance than he is maintaining it. As a sports fan, I think this is unfair and unjustified; it makes me furious.
