Chris Paul Traded to Clippers, Multi-Tasking Stern Continues To Confuse

New Orleans Hornet “Godfather,” and sometime NBA Commissioner, David Stern needs to explain himself yet again.

The on-again, off-again Chris Paul trade would seem at long last to have been consummated.

Paul indeed will relocate to Los Angeles and as a Clipper.

The Hornets will receive promising guard Eric Gordon, former All-Star center Chris Kaman, young big man Al-Farouq Aminu and a likely lottery pick.  A couple of No. 2 draft picks will go west with young Mr. Paul.

Is this deal really more advantageous to the New Orleans franchise than the three-team transaction that Stern saw fit to veto last week?

They’re receiving one fewer player this time and almost certainly a higher draft selection, while surrendering some secondary draft flexibility.  Getting less, giving up more.  Hmmm.

Obviously, only a fool would assess trade value with so simple an equation.

The former Clippers are younger, average age 24 compared to 29 for the rejected quartet.  Gordon supplies the potential star power being lost in CP3, while Kaman provides immediate front court help.

The haul from the original trade, however, was not unattractive—two proven front-court scorers in Lamar Odom and Luis Scola along with a guy in Kevin Martin who can put up 20 in his sleep.  That’s a fair bit of fire power right there.

Each deal included a project, Aminu or point guard Goran Dragic.

The differences in the two trade packages involve subjective preferences and priorities regarding team need, rather than a significant gap in quality of personnel.

So, why has this version of the Clipper swap been approved while the Rocker-Laker maneuver induced Stern’s scorn?

Certainly, the Commissioner or one of his minions will deliver a saber metrically sound justification for their actions, but it can’t help but ring hollow.

Methinks that, short of a straight-up exchange of stud players—Paul for Rajon Rondo, perhaps—Stern had every intention of overturning the first serious offer for Paul, no matter how realistic.

He did not share this plan with Hornet GM Dell Demps so as to ensure a legitimate proposal and consequently a legitimate opportunity to exert his authority with the NBA-owned franchise, an authority about which we’d heard precious little during five long months of contentious negotiation.

Of course, the Godfather can’t or won’t give us this explanation—that’s why God invented tell-all books and the National Enquirer.

Strikes and lockouts may come and go, but contentious negotiation never ends.

At least they’ll play ball until 2017…let’s hope.