Criticizing How David Stern Screwed Up the Chris Paul Trade

The NBA is now a month done. In the offseason, one of the biggest storylines was the trade demand of Chris Paul. Throughout the saga, there were so many twists and turns that it seemed like it was never gonna end. Ultimately, the Los Angeles Clippers were the winners of the sweepstakes. How did the Hornets make out though?

New Orleans received Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon and a Minnesota draft pick this year. At the time, it seemed like the Hornets received so much from the Clippers. Now it doesn't appear that way. Kaman was added because his contract expires after the season and Aminu hasn't shown his true potential yet.  

People assumed the Minnesota pick would be a top-five pick for sure. But at 8-10, it doesn't seem likely that Minnesota will finish with a record as bad as most people predicted. The Timberwolves aren't a playoff team, but they aren't a deadbeat team either. The pick, right now, looks to be in the 10-12 range in the draft 

The draft this year is supposed to be a deep one, but even so, especially with a high lottery pick, there are uncertainties. Even in deep drafts (like 2003) there are more duds than real deals, and elite players are still rare. There is still a possibility that the pick could be in the top three, but this is highly unlikely.  

Eric Gordon was the centerpiece of the deal. It is unfortunate that he has been injured for pretty much the entire season (so far he has played in two games). Reports are saying that Gordon may be sidelined for up to another six weeks, and David Stern wasn't able to negotiate a contract extension with him. He'll become a restricted free agent after this season, and with the possibility of him leaving, the Hornets may have received very little for Chris Paul.