Too bad the league vetoed the CP3 trade

by nischwartz on Dec 9, 2011 10:34 AM PST

If you have been in a cave for the last few days, the Lakers made a major play to get Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets. They basically were going to give away their entire front court for him. In the meanwhile, NO actually seems to get the better of the deal player-wise (Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Rockets guards Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic and forward Luis Scola) which would be quite a team. Don't forget the Houston Rockets who get Pau Gasol out of this.

I don't think that the Lakers benefit from this move. The only way it works out is if they are able to get Dwight Howard or one of the other few top-top centers in the league. They are putting a lot of eggs in one basket just to match Paul with Howard one day (Yes, I know Kobe Bryant is still around, but this is a move for the post-Kobe era). It certainly doesn't make them my favorite to win anything until they address the front court (all they have left over is Andrew Bynum who's knees are reminding me of what is happening to Brandon Roy).

But this wasn't about winning championships! Gilbert Brown didn't buy the Cavs thinking he really had a chance to win anything until LeBron came along. This is about money, just like the new CBA. If all the superstars go to all the large market teams, then the small market teams will have no draw for fans nor large TV contracts, etc. That means that there is less revenue to share.

New Orleans would be a lot better after this trade. A lot of guys who are unselfish, who can score and play as a team. Think about if the Warriors had all those pieces? We would be juiced. But in the end, this was not about Wins and Loses, it was about money and the owners whining away once again about how they can't maintain their riches.

While everyone thinks that LA got screwed in this deal, I think the opposite, they got saved. Just like the rest of the owners. The league office is always looking out for their own...

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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Comments

I was thinking the same thing.

No Gasol, No Odom, and with Bynum here and there…

Paul would be throwing alley oops to Derrick Caracter. The only downside would be Howard coming to the Lakers if Paul was there.

by G-State on Dec 9, 2011 10:50 AM PST reply actions

I think it was implied that Dwight was coming.

The Lakers were dumping a ton of salary in the deal and getting a huge trade exception while still getting the best player in the deal. I think that was the problem.

by Lacob's Ladder on Dec 9, 2011 10:53 AM PST up reply actions

How would they really get him there?

The big three in Miami are all making far less than they could (16 for LeBron and Bosh, 15.5 for Wade). Paul is due 16.4, then 17.7 while Kobe is getting 25 this year (goes up to 30 in two more!). Where is the money to sign Dwight unless he goes for change.

The Lakers will already have 41.4 on the books this year for Kobe and Paul and 45.5 next year. I just don’t see how they can get Howard without some crazy sign and trade. Maybe someone can explain how that would work while Dwight still getting his 18Mil+ (and that would be low)?

by nischwartz on Dec 9, 2011 11:18 AM PST up reply actions

It's called a soft cap...

Serving it up night in and night out -Steph "The Chef" Curry

by dont_stop_believin' on Dec 9, 2011 11:30 AM PST up reply actions

Exactly.

Hardcord Luxury Tax doesn’t happen for another 2-3 years, so it’s business as usual for the Lakers until then.

by Lacob's Ladder on Dec 9, 2011 11:50 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah too bad

now they are going to get Dwight and be the best team in NBA. With CP3 they are vulnerable

by SDtotheBay on Dec 9, 2011 10:55 AM PST reply actions

things i wish would have happened

1. trade goes through
2. NY ships amare and chandler to orlando for dwight
3. bynum gets hurt, leaving the lakers with no frontcourt whatsoever
4. kobe goes into “eff you” mode and starts hogging the ball again
5. paul says “f*k this”, leaving the lakers at the end of the year for NY
6. kobe is left with no paul, no odom, no pau, and a hurt bynum

by bigkino217 on Dec 9, 2011 11:14 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

7. warriors still have no free agents...

curry & iggy TEAM USA buddies.

by bimmercirem3 on Dec 9, 2011 11:35 AM PST up reply actions

meh you win some you lose some

by bigkino217 on Dec 9, 2011 8:29 PM PST up reply actions

Thank God

For the veto.

I completely disagree with you guys. I’m glad they vetoed it. The Fakers would save $40million over the next 3 years AND get Chris Paul. They would have been able to turn around and offer Dwight a max contract as well. At least this way they are stuck with Odom’s terrible contract and Gasol is good but he’s soft.

Adding Paul to the Lakers would make it a set finals….Lakers vs. Heat for the next 5 years. Thank you NBA for stepping in and now allowing the Fakers to unload two huge contracts and bringing in the best PG in the league in it’s place.

by sauceycor on Dec 9, 2011 11:51 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

It's vetoed AS OF NOW

I honestly think it will get turned around. I am a much bigger warriors fan than hornets, but my dad has told both the mayor and governor to call Stern requesting it be allowed, plus chris paul is suing. Honestly, we just sold 10,000+ season tix which is huge for us and this not going through is a devastating blow to our economy and the NBA is a business. The complaints were from other small market teams, but we are a very small market ourselves and the state is in the midst of considering offering the hornets 60 mill to stay for the next 10 years, and there is no reason for the state to do this unless we got our unfair mega-team via this trade haha. I sorta hope it doesn’t happen though because if the situation just stays at a stalemate like now then the hornets are doomed and Dubz will take their playoff spot baby lezz go.

by letrusloose on Dec 9, 2011 3:29 PM PST reply actions

EDIT: sorry i didn’t see an edit option I dont mean to double post but Jack Sperling has now also been contacted and he is calling david stern aswell. It really looks like this is going to be rescinded because stern appointed Jack sperling to come straighten out the hornets situation in new orleans a bit back.

by letrusloose on Dec 9, 2011 4:04 PM PST up reply actions

Gilbert Brown?

You mean Dan Gilbert… The Comic Sans advocate and sometimes mouthy owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

A Sonics fan without a team... but after 7 seasons now of GS Warriors season tickets have convinced me to adopt the boys from Oakland.

by mcwalter44 on Dec 9, 2011 3:47 PM PST reply actions

if that trade went thou, Hornets would still better without CP3.

Martin, Odom, Marc Gasol, scola, and Okafor on one team. That team would had been stack . They would had been a playoff contender there. no question ask.

by yimoney on Dec 10, 2011 4:15 PM PST reply actions