I dont consider the CP3 deal a G move. At the time the NBA technically OWNED the Hornets. Any owner can veto a trade. He saw thet CP3 was being given up for nothing and PAUSED it. Thats all. I wish he would have stepped in when McHale delivered KG to his boy and fellow Celtic Ainge on a platter.
Except what you typed is completely wrong.
It was a 3 team trade between the rockets, lakers, and hornets
Rockets get : Pau Gasol
Lakers get : Chris Paul
Hornets get : Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, Lamar Odom, Keven Martin, AND a 2012 1st round pick the Rockets got from the Knicks...
But Stern nixxed that deal because...well it was not best for the hornets...who remind you had a GM at the time...who put the deal together...and I think that is a collection of good players...
And so...Stern vetoed that deal...but...when the clippers offered Kaman ( not their anymore ) Gordon ( possible chronic knee issues ) Aminu (who?) and a 1st rounder...stern thought that was okay.
So Stern decided a deal giving the hornets 4 pretty good players and a 1st rounder was not in the best interest of the hornets...but giving them 3 lesser players and a 1st round was...
Because you know what makes the NBA more money than having 1 really good team in LA? Having 2 really good teams in LA...i would love to see just how much money the league made just off of televised Lakers vs Clippers games...cause i don't really remember them being on TV that much before...
And didn't all the other owners slam the deal and say it wasn't fair the lakers were getting another all star and fleecing the hornets again ( although they would have lost Pau and Odom so i don't see how anyone could say that)...didn't the owners demand a vote since the league owned the horntes and well...the owners view themselves as "the league"
All the TV spots and commercials about "the battle for LA"...none of that stuff...and money...is made if Paul goes to the Lakers.