The Hornets and Clippers agreed yesterday "to terms on a blockbuster trade" for G Chris Paul, according to John Reid of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. The Hornets acquired G Eric Gordon, C Chris Kaman, F Al-Farouq Aminu and a first-round draft pick in '12 for Paul. NBA Commissioner David Stern, "who nixed two earlier trades with the Lakers and Clippers involving Paul, signed off on the deal." Stern said that this transaction "got his approval because it provided young players for the NBA-owned franchise and gave the team building blocks for the long term." Stern: "Tonight’s transaction is better for the Hornets than the transaction that I did not sign off on four days ago. ... I know there has been a fair amount of comment about an email that I received from Dan Gilbert. I assure all that first, my decision was made long before I received that email. And second, I wouldn’t have acted upon it even if I had received it because my goal here was how to improve the Hornets." Reid notes with the trade, "search for local ownership and continued negotiations with the state on a long-term lease agreement, Stern remained optimistic about the franchise’s future." Stern said, "The future of the New Orleans Hornets is looking better today that it ever did before" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 12/15). More Stern: "I knew that we were doing the best thing for New Orleans. That was my job" (USA TODAY, 12/15). He added, "Our sole focus was and will remain, until we sell this team, hopefully which will be in first half of 2012, how best to maintain the Hornets, make them as attractive and a competitive as we can and ensure we have a buyer who can keep them in New Orleans." Stern said that the team "is in negotiations with several potential ownership groups, who, if all goes to plan, will have to accept a new long-term lease in the state-owned New Orleans Arena in order to buy the team" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/15).
FANNING THE FIRE: In L.A., Mike Bresnahan cites a source as saying that the Lakers "were privately fuming" yesterday following the announcement of the Paul trade. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak "declined to comment" but on Monday said the NBA's rejection of a deal that would have sent Paul to the Lakers was "completely unexpected." Kupchak said Monday, "We did the best we can to express our displeasure" (L.A. TIMES, 12/15). Also in L.A., Broderick Turner notes Stern "took the blame for the Lakers-Paul deal not happening and for the Clippers and Hornets having to deal with his office during negotiations." But Hornets GM Dell Demps said that the "commissioner's office was 'unfairly portrayed' as being heavy-handed" (L.A. TIMES, 12/15).
WINNERS & LOSERS: ESPN.com's John Hollinger wrote, "Call it a win-win." The Clippers are "more relevant than they've been in years, and will stay that way as long as [F Blake] Griffin's and Paul's knees remain intact." Meanwhile, the Hornets "get a second chance." The "unwritten story behind the Paul trade is how badly the New Orleans franchise squandered the prime years of Paul and David West with a series of bloated contracts and bizarre decisions" (ESPN.com, 12/14). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kevin Clark writes the NBA "can claim some vindication here," as it "earned the Hornets a better deal" (WSJ.com, 12/14). In N.Y., Mitch Lawrence cites an Eastern Conference scout as saying, "This is a good deal for the Hornets. They get some good young talent and if they want to move Kaman to a contender for more young talent, this might allow them to do it" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/15). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said, "Let’s give it up for the Commish! He got New Orleans the best deal I could ever have imagined.” ESPN’s Mike Golic said, "They wanted to make the team attractive to a potential buyer" ("Mike & Mike in the Morning," ESPN Radio, 12/15).
BRACING FOR THE NEXT CONSPIRACY THEORY: In Houston, Jonathan Feigen wonders if Stern "announces that the Hornets win the next lottery, will the conspiracy shouts ever end?" Feigen: "They would be unfounded, but shouldn't the league, which now announced that it has acted in the interests of a team, be above the appearance of conflicts of interest so obvious?" (CHRON.com, 12/14). CBSSPORTS.com's Ken Berger writes, "These were ugly, ugly times for the business of basketball, and for professional sports. And you know what? That's pretty much how the sausage is made, and it's probably safe to say that we're all glad we can avert our eyes now. The conflict of interest inherent in Stern and league executives Joel Litvin and Stu Jackson negotiating a trade for one of the game's brightest stars ... will not go down as the proudest moment of Stern's tenure as commissioner. And that's saying something" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/15). CBSSPORTS.com's Ray Ratto wrote now that Stern "can stop being the De facto general manager of the Hornets, he can get back to considering his exit strategy." Between the "boxing-glove-handed negotiating tactics of the lockout and the bumbling embarrassment of the Paul trade talks, Stern has become a target of ridicule, scorn and dismissal." Ratto: "Even after you allow for the money he makes doing this, this is not what he signed up for. He's had too many good years to let it end with him as a figure of fun. ... Here's our guess -- this is Stern's last year in the big leather chair" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/15).
