I have never been less excited for the NBA in my life
Looks like this is what happened to the deal (similar to the story in DGX's link):
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...chris-paul-offWithin an hour of the Hornets striking an agreement in principle with the Lakers and Houston Rockets on a three-team trade that would have landed Paul in the same backcourt as Kobe Bryant, Stern informed the Hornets that they couldn't make the trade, stunning team officials who had been working around-the-clock for days in hopes of bringing an end to the Paul saga before the season officially started.
Amid a stream of reports that angry owners were demanding the trade be vetoed, on the same day those owners had gathered in New York to ratify a new labor pact purportedly designed to foster competitive balance and prevent small-market teams from being raided for their stars, league officials tried to dispute claims of a revolt by insisting that the decision was Stern's.
Even though I didn't want to see CP3 go to the Lakers, I can understand why NO did. Unless they find a new partner they're gonna lose him for nothing cuz let's face it CP3 is not staying there when he becomes a free agent. In other news I was happy to see the Pistons re-sign Tayshaun and Jonas Jerebko.
I am fixed
"Somedays I wake up and feel like nobody loves me. Other days I wake up and feel like I love nobody. Sometimes I wake up and feel tired, and worn out. Sometimes I wake up and feel like I cannot face the day. But someday I'll wake up and realize that waking up is pretty stupid because it just makes you feel like crap."
I have no idea how the new bargain will pan out. At any rate, I think it's not a bad thing that the league nixed the Lakers' deal with Chris Paul. If the idea is to keep a handful of wealthy franchises to combine almost-allstar rosters, that's laudable. I think it takes a lot of the magic away if teams willing to rebuild or improve their roster don't have to do anything but pay luxury tax and sign anyone they can get. If memory serves, most of the past dynasties were at least partly the result of clever draft picks and/or clever trades.
The NBA is way out of whack when it comes to competitive balance. Unless they do something drastic (and blocking that trade was a good start), this will continue to be the league of the haves and the have nots.
The bad teams may be able to draft and then 'rent' good players out of college, but that doesn't help those teams when those good players bolt to a big market team (like Boston, Chicago, Detroit, the Lakers) as soon as their rookie contract is up.
The NBA needs a hard salary cap, that's the only way to solve the problems.
Oh, and now that they can't get Paul, it appears the Lakers want to make a run at Howard now
sure, the luxury tax should have been abolished altogether, but at least they're trying to curb the worst excesses by now. Come to think of it, if the Lakers were to lose Gasol on top of Odom in exchage for Dwight Howard, they would probably not be much stronger than last season and look where they ended up then.
As far as dallas are concerned, I'm much more excited about Vince Carter's arrival than that of Odom. At anyrate, they might be able to compensate the departure of Butler, Chandler and Barea fairly well. This said, they're obviously far above the salary cap as well...
I am fixed
"Somedays I wake up and feel like nobody loves me. Other days I wake up and feel like I love nobody. Sometimes I wake up and feel tired, and worn out. Sometimes I wake up and feel like I cannot face the day. But someday I'll wake up and realize that waking up is pretty stupid because it just makes you feel like crap."
i just want rodman back... then i'd watch for sure
looks like CP3 is going to LA afterall, just to the Clippers not the Lakers
I am fixed
"Somedays I wake up and feel like nobody loves me. Other days I wake up and feel like I love nobody. Sometimes I wake up and feel tired, and worn out. Sometimes I wake up and feel like I cannot face the day. But someday I'll wake up and realize that waking up is pretty stupid because it just makes you feel like crap."
I am fixed
"Somedays I wake up and feel like nobody loves me. Other days I wake up and feel like I love nobody. Sometimes I wake up and feel tired, and worn out. Sometimes I wake up and feel like I cannot face the day. But someday I'll wake up and realize that waking up is pretty stupid because it just makes you feel like crap."