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NBA fans were a buzz on Thursday (December 8 ), when news surfaced that the Los Angeles Lakers had agreed to a deal to trade Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for New Orleans Hornets' superstar guard Chris Paul.
But, Lakers fans' dreams were crushed when NBA commissioner David Stern nixed the trade, due to "basketball reasons" -- the NBA owns the Hornets... by the way.
The news came within hour of the Hornets striking an agreement, in principle, with the Lakers and Houston Rockets on a three-team trade that would have sent Paul to the Lakers to play alongside Kobe Bryant; Odom would go to New Orleans; and Pau would go to Houston, who were going to send Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and draft picks to the Hornets.
Stern, however, was the kill buzz, when he 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.
Various reports claimed that angry owners were demanding the trade be vetoed. However, league officials dispute claims by insisting that the decision was Stern's.
"It's not true that the owners killed the deal," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. "The deal was never discussed at the Board of Governors meeting and the league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons."
Yahoo! Sports quoted an email sent to Stern from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who called the proposed deal "a travesty" and urged Stern to put the deal to a vote of "the 29 owners of the Hornets," referring to the rest of the league's teams.
The trade blockage left several players surprised and even in disbelief.
"WoW," Paul reacted via Twitter.
In an interview with the L.A. Times, Odom said he just couldn't believe it, admitting to being "shocked" and surprised" at the news.
"I guess that means I'm a Laker if the trade didn't go through. I don't know what to do for the Lakers. I'm even weirded out by the league doing what they did. I don't know what to do," the Lakers' forward said.
He continued, saying he first thought it was "a lie".
"And, then it doesn't go through. Oh, lord. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll pray about it."
According to ESPN, Paul is angry and will not be reporting to Hornets camp on Friday (December 9). Insteady, he plans to explore his legal options with NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter, while maintaining the stance the deal is merely "on hold" as opposed to squashed.
ESPN cites numerous sources close to the process expressing skepticism that the deal has any chance of being revived, especially after a new labor deal which hoped to help small-market teams' ability to retain star players.
However, this may, in fact, hurt the Hornets. Thinking they had avoided the drama that the Denver Nuggets went through for months last season until they finally traded Carmelo Anthony, they are now left with a disgruntled star who can still opt out of his contract and leave the franchise with nothing as of July 1, 2012.
"Stern's decision to block the deal has likewise raised the question of whether New Orleans can trade Paul anywhere until a new buyer for the team is found, since any deal that does go through could create the appearance that Stern hand-picked the destination," said ESPN.
Stay tuned...
But, Lakers fans' dreams were crushed when NBA commissioner David Stern nixed the trade, due to "basketball reasons" -- the NBA owns the Hornets... by the way.
The news came within hour of the Hornets striking an agreement, in principle, with the Lakers and Houston Rockets on a three-team trade that would have sent Paul to the Lakers to play alongside Kobe Bryant; Odom would go to New Orleans; and Pau would go to Houston, who were going to send Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and draft picks to the Hornets.
Stern, however, was the kill buzz, when he 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.
Various reports claimed that angry owners were demanding the trade be vetoed. However, league officials dispute claims by insisting that the decision was Stern's.
"It's not true that the owners killed the deal," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. "The deal was never discussed at the Board of Governors meeting and the league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons."
Yahoo! Sports quoted an email sent to Stern from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who called the proposed deal "a travesty" and urged Stern to put the deal to a vote of "the 29 owners of the Hornets," referring to the rest of the league's teams.
The trade blockage left several players surprised and even in disbelief.
"WoW," Paul reacted via Twitter.
In an interview with the L.A. Times, Odom said he just couldn't believe it, admitting to being "shocked" and surprised" at the news.
"I guess that means I'm a Laker if the trade didn't go through. I don't know what to do for the Lakers. I'm even weirded out by the league doing what they did. I don't know what to do," the Lakers' forward said.
He continued, saying he first thought it was "a lie".
"And, then it doesn't go through. Oh, lord. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll pray about it."
According to ESPN, Paul is angry and will not be reporting to Hornets camp on Friday (December 9). Insteady, he plans to explore his legal options with NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter, while maintaining the stance the deal is merely "on hold" as opposed to squashed.
ESPN cites numerous sources close to the process expressing skepticism that the deal has any chance of being revived, especially after a new labor deal which hoped to help small-market teams' ability to retain star players.
However, this may, in fact, hurt the Hornets. Thinking they had avoided the drama that the Denver Nuggets went through for months last season until they finally traded Carmelo Anthony, they are now left with a disgruntled star who can still opt out of his contract and leave the franchise with nothing as of July 1, 2012.
"Stern's decision to block the deal has likewise raised the question of whether New Orleans can trade Paul anywhere until a new buyer for the team is found, since any deal that does go through could create the appearance that Stern hand-picked the destination," said ESPN.
Stay tuned...
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