Chris Paul Trade Rumors: Nothing Settled as David Stern Set off NBA Nuclear Bomb

It's hard to write amidst the dust and debris of the nuclear fallout from the utterly ridiculous decision from David Stern to void the three-team trade sending Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Thursday, the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets agreed in principle to a deal that would send Chris Paul to Los Angeles. Upon seeing the possibilities of the Lakers securing one of the best guards in the league, the other owners threw what I can only describe as a whiny little fit. 

Adrian Wojnarowski breaks down what we know as of Thursday night in respects to the destroyed Chris Paul deal. 

The report cites an NBA source who states the following: 

"

The owners half-pushed this, and Stern took it the rest of the way. In the end, David didn’t like that the players were dictating where they wanted to go, like Carmelo had, and he wasn’t going to let Chris Paul dictate where he wanted to go.

"

So the Hornets, in need of some return for Chris Paul who will walk, is not allowed to get what would have been Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and Luis Scola. 

They also would have received a 2012 first-round pick. It was a deal that wouldn't replace Chris Paul, but would have been a million times better than seeing him walk out the door this coming summer. 

And that is what will happen, or shall I say, should happen. If Stern doesn't want players to get their way, say goodbye to any deal to the Knicks. Hell, you can even cross off a trade to a contender. 

Somehow the small-market teams are aptly playing David Stern like a marionette. It's quite a sight, but not the entertainment I signed up to see. 

If you want to know how this was received by the masses, here is the fallout ala Twitter. 

CBS writer Will Brinson tweets a fanciful if not valid argument. 

Or Lakers columnist tweets an even odder turn to this farce. 

But if we really want to place a voice to the millions who find fault with this decision, I have to refer back to the Wojnarowski report once again. 

An NBA executive who had talks with New Orleans stated: 

"

We were all told by the league he was a trade-able player, and now they’re saying that Dell doesn’t have the authority to make the trade? Now, they’re saying that Dell is an idiot, that he can’t do it his job. [Expletive] this whole thing. David’s drunk on power, and he doesn’t give a [expletive] about the players, and he doesn’t give a [expletive] about the hundreds of hours the teams put into make that deal.

"

And that is what I mean by dust and debris. This is some caustic stuff that is sure to have NBA fans and those covering the league gasping for air. 

Make no mistake, this has lasting effects for every single team and the players playing for them. This is not over by a long shot, and will only get uglier as Stern and his cronies try to explain what has been the most ludicrous event I can think of. 

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