My thoughts on the vetoed Chris Paul/Lakers trade

[LarBrd33]

I'm mostly posting this, because Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are both on my fantasy team and I'm annoyed at how much they have sucked so far this year.

Hornets would have received Luis Scola, Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic.  What a garbage trade that would have been.

Scola has been severely underwhelming.  15 points 6 rebounds, 46% shooting.  The guy is 31 years old.  Bleh

Odom has done jack crap in Dallas: 7 points, 5 rebounds, 33% shooting.  The guy is 32 years old.

Kevin Martin has been "ok"... 18 points.  40% shooting.  31% from three point range.  He's 28 years old.

Who the heck is Goran Dragic?

The problem: 
Hornets would be paying Martin 11.5 mil this year, 12.5 million next year.  They'd be paying Odom 8.9 million this year.  They'd be paying 31 year old underwhelming Scola 8.6 million this year, 9.4 million next year, and 10.2 million in 2013/14.   

Anyone still confused on why Hornets ownership decided against committing 62 million to mediocre talent? 

The trade they did instead: 

Chris Kaman (12 mil expiring)
Al-Farouq Aminu:  21 years old.  Was the 8th pick last year.  2.7 mil this year, 2.9 mil next year
Eric Gordon:  3.8 mil this year.  23 years old.  Averages 22 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves' unprotected first round pick in the 2012 draft (right now it would be the 14th pick)

I know Eric Gordon has been hurt... but can you see the clear difference there?  Keep in mind that the Hornets have lost money consistently over the past several years.  Their ticket sales probably suffer either way once you dump Chris Paul.  Personally I think they would have been INSANE to take on 60 mil of garbage veteran salary and I'm surprised more people don't bring that up in their David Stern hate-fest.

[LarBrd33]

What I mean to say is... instead of treading water with overpaid vets (not like Martin, Odom and Scola was going to win a championship)...  The Hornets are in a position to build around Eric Gordon, their own pick (probably a top 5), the Timberwolves pick (#14 right now) and cap space.

Road A is the path Celtic fans want to take when they say we should trade KG and Ray for guys like Paul Millisap or AL Harrington.

Road B is the path I think the Celtics should take when I suggest trading Pierce for an expiring contract + (young prospect or a 1st round pick).

[chambers]

exactly, it was an absolute joke.
Instead of rebuilding they would've been a fringe playoff team for years to come with no hope- not crap enough to get lottery picks and not good enough to make or get out of the first round of the playoffs.

I mean, the Lakers would have lost Gasol and Odom for Paul which is fair enough, but the Hornets fans would be furious if it went through.

Can you imagine if Danny swung a trade like that?
Rondo for those bums when we don't have KG, Ray or Paul Pierce either?

[LooseCannon]

Rondo for those bums when we don't have KG, Ray or Paul Pierce either?

I've contemplated the idea of KG, a first round pick, and Avery Bradley for Scola and Martin, with Houston wanting the big expiring contract and trying to clear cap space, perhaps for a run at Dwight Howard.  Ray Allen would be traded to another team in this scenario.

[slamdunk]

You are exactly right. I'll never understand why the media got so up in arms about the veto. The Hornets are much better off getting quality young talent than mediocre veterans. (And if Odom was so good, why were the Lakers so eager to dump him on Dallas for a ham sandwich?)

[LarBrd33]

Lets revisit this.  

Aside from MAYBE Dragic, is there any doubt that the Hornets ownership (NBA/Stern) made the best move here??  

Now they can build around Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis (#1 pick) and the #10 pick.

Does anyone really believe that treading water with the likes of Scola, Martin and Odom and their vastly ridiculous bloated contracts would have been the better move??

I rest my case.  Big picture, folks.  Big picture.

[indeedproceed]

Lets revisit this. 

Aside from MAYBE Dragic, is there any doubt that the Hornets ownership (NBA/Stern) made the best move here?? 
Now they can build around Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis (#1 pick) and the #10 pick.

Does anyone really believe that treading water with the likes of Scola, Martin and Odom and their vastly ridiculous bloated contracts would have been the better move??
I rest my case.  Big picture, folks.  Big picture.

Turned out okay, but other than collusion an conspiracy, ain't nobody able to guarantee Davis here. They got a little lucky.

That said, the clippers trade was better, but the other trade was not a poo poo platter at the time, and nobody coulee seen odom's swan dive coming.

It turned out well, but let's not pretend the NBA saw this coming, or, if they did, it's conspiracy.

[BballTim]

Lets revisit this.  

Aside from MAYBE Dragic, is there any doubt that the Hornets ownership (NBA/Stern) made the best move here??  

Now they can build around Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis (#1 pick) and the #10 pick.

Does anyone really believe that treading water with the likes of Scola, Martin and Odom and their vastly ridiculous bloated contracts would have been the better move??

I rest my case.  Big picture, folks.  Big picture.

  Would they be in great shape with the 4th pick and not the first? Gordon's injured a lot and they have to decide whether to give him big money and take a chance on his health or let him go for free. I don't know that Gordon and the 10th pick is a great deal for CP3.

[Smokeeye123]

We would of had like the #12 pick in the draft, but w/e.

[LarBrd33]

Lets revisit this. 

Aside from MAYBE Dragic, is there any doubt that the Hornets ownership (NBA/Stern) made the best move here?? 
Now they can build around Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis (#1 pick) and the #10 pick.

Does anyone really believe that treading water with the likes of Scola, Martin and Odom and their vastly ridiculous bloated contracts would have been the better move??
I rest my case.  Big picture, folks.  Big picture.

Turned out okay, but other than collusion an conspiracy, ain't nobody able to guarantee Davis here. They got a little lucky.

That said, the clippers trade was better, but the other trade was not a poo poo platter at the time, and nobody coulee seen odom's swan dive coming.

It turned out well, but let's not pretend the NBA saw this coming, or, if they did, it's conspiracy.

This was a best case scenario but regardless... it made little to no sense for a rebuilding team to take on the contracts of Scola, Martin and Odom... all 3 in their 30s.  It's not like that team would have been a contender.  The Rockets didn't even make the playoffs this year.  It would have been a dumb trade and did nothing for their long term future.  People initially acted like Stern blocked it, because he didn't want the Lakers to get Chris Paul.  Fact is, that trade would have been horrible for the HOrnets organization.  As the owners of the Hornets, Stern had an obligation to reject it.  It was dumb from the beginning... especially for a team that had been losing money every year and needed a buyer.

People scoffed at the eventual Clippers trade as being "worse".  Not true.  It was a "big picture" trade.  They tanked the season, landed the #1 pick... got the #10 pick from the Clippers... and have a young allstar caliber player in Eric Gordon to build around as well.  Far better trade.  Kudos to Stern for not sinking that franchise with a crap sandwich of Odom, Scola and Martin.

[indeedproceed]

Oh I never thought the clippers trade was worse. I just didn't think if the goal was to stay competitive that the previous trade was drastically worse.

Also keep in mind however that the previous trade didn't hinge on CP3 staying the extra year. It was an extremely ballsy move from everyone besides Houston.