The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to right the ship after struggling in the early part of the season.
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Paul Trade Would Have Helped Pelicans
The vetoed Chris Paul trade would have greatly helped the New Orleans Pelicans.
The team just played Kobe Bryant the Los Angeles Lakers, another of the three teams on the deal that was veteod by then-NBA commissioner David Stern.
The trade in December 2011 would have sent Paul to the Lakers, Lakers forward Pau Gasol to the Rockets, and Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Rockets forward Luis Scola, and Rockets guards Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic to the Hornets along with a first-round pick.
“This was one of those rare win-win-win deals for all involved. It would’ve given the Hornets a starting power forward (Scola), a starting shooting guard (Martin), a backup point guard (Dragic) and a player (Odom) who could play both forward positions off the bench. Yes, at the time, Odom was 32, Scola 31, and Martin approaching 29. But they also were tradable assets with solid pedigrees,” wrote Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune.
But Stern nixed the trade citing competitive reasons, and the Hornets are now left with very little from the trade that did go through--Eric Gordon and Austin Rivers.
“I believe Stern had the Pelicans’ best intentions at heart. But he clearly botched this one. By acquiescing to small-market owners, he unwittingly torpedoed the rebuilding process of the small-market Pelicans. Officials from the Lakers and Pelicans politely declined to discuss the matter this week and their reticence is understandable. They work for the NBA and have little to gain by criticizing the deal three years after the fact,” Duncan said.
“Fact is, there’s not much to say. The results are apparent on the court. The large-market Clippers benefitted from the trade. And the small-market Pelicans are still trying to recover from it.”
Griffin Facing Misdemeanor Charge
