LeBron FA saga is old to say the least; He need to man up...

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Weak trolling at its finest.

There's no doubt about that. I was kind of surprised I got a bite.

Spoiler: Slinky Catches Heatles

I'm out, man. Have a pleasant weekend.

 

[anotheridiot]

LeBron for President!

but the president only makes 400k.

 

[LAD]

All this flirting is getting me wet...

 

[Rockinkuwait]

If LeBron does not come back to Cleveland 2 summers ago the Cavs current roster COUL

not only that- but cmon- no one hits all the time---- look at the Twolves- they havent made the playoffs in over a decade.

the Cavs could have REALLY REALLY SCREWED IT UP- and LeBron would NEVER EVER HAVE COME BACK.

There were people that siad the Cavs should of taken D. Williams #1 overall and #4 take Brandon Knight- instead of taking KI #1---- that was FAR from a 100% consensus pick at the time

Instead of taking Wiggins- many people thought that Embiid was the best overall player and that he could have gone #1.....and your right about Wiggins--- many of the people who wanted the Cavs to keep Wiggins pointed to the fact that they thought he could help on defense right away- he has been a DISASTER defensively-- obviously the kid has amazing potential- but he is an awful outside shooter- and having LeBron- they wanted to try and win right away- not wait 3-4 years for Wiggins to develop (and then STILL be 2-3 years from his actual prime- at LEAST really)


obviously taking Bennett so high was a huge mistake and you get an F for that---- but out of the other guys that they were considering-- Otto Porter Jr, Ben MCLeomre, Victor Oladipo, Alex Len--- the only one that has been better than decent thus far is Oladipo- and this was a guy who FLEW up draft boards as a junior after being a non prospect--- not only that-but the Cavs already had 2 guys- Kyrie and Waiters- with similar size and skill set as Oladipo.


I think the worst pick was the Waiters debacle- because I thought they had settled on Harrison Barnes....not that Barnes is a world beater- but hes a LOT better than Waiters. Looking at the other guys on the board- I gotta think Barnes would have beenthe pick if not Waiters--possibly Jeremy Lamb or Drummond too i guess....--- this is after the Cavs offered a TON to move up and get Beal or MKG...



i couldnt imagine that, lol...imagine they draft D. Williams and Knight instead of Kyrie and Tristan...they draft Embiid instead of Wiggins---- NO WAY IN HELL LEBRON IS BACK IN CLEVLEAND....heck- no way in hell LeBron is back in Cleveland right now if Mickey Arison didnt get cheap- a LOT of things had to fall into place for him to get back to "The Land" in just 4 years.

I don't think Lebron would have cared which rookie who had yet to play a game they got between Embiid and Wiggins was drafted. But nearly every single mock I'd seen had Wiggins, Parker, Embiid. Only ones which didn't was before his foot surgery that I remember seeing.


Kyrie is the only real asset they had to interest Lebron. That and the fact that they were bad enough to get the #1 overall pick again. That's really it.




And yes, they could have absolutely drafted every single wrong player, but even a broken clock is right once in a while. I think just going off of anyone's basic "mock draft" would have given them about the same results that they ended up with.

You showed worst case there. Here's best case... That team could also have instead had...

Kyrie Irving
Andrew Wiggins
Kawhi Leonard
Draymond Green
Andre Drummond

with a bench of...

Chandler Parsons
Isiah Thomas
Khris Middleton
Victor Oladipo
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic


And I don't really think the plan was "hey lets be so bad without Lebron that we can accumulate 1st overall picks and use them for trade bait and lure Lebron back with that and cap space"..

 

[WiggyRuss]

I don't think Lebron would have cared which rookie who had yet to play a game they got between Embiid and Wiggins was drafted. But nearly every single mock I'd seen had Wiggins, Parker, Embiid. Only ones which didn't was before his foot surgery that I remember seeing.


Kyrie is the only real asset they had to interest Lebron. That and the fact that they were bad enough to get the #1 overall pick again. That's really it.




And yes, they could have absolutely drafted every single wrong player, but even a broken clock is right once in a while. I think just going off of anyone's basic "mock draft" would have given them about the same results that they ended up with.

You showed worst case there. Here's best case... That team could also have instead had...

Kyrie Irving
Andrew Wiggins
Kawhi Leonard
Draymond Green
Andre Drummond

with a bench of...

Chandler Parsons
Isiah Thomas
Khris Middleton
Victor Oladipo
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic


And I don't really think the plan was "hey lets be so bad without Lebron that we can accumulate 1st overall picks and use them for trade bait and lure Lebron back with that and cap space"..

this is the most ridiculous post.....Draymond Green? you mean the guy that was passed on 25 times? You might as well put Giannis Antetekuompo on there- he would have been the #1 pick in all likelihood if the Bennett draft was re-done today.

and maybe one day Minnesota and Wiggins and Towns will be good- but right now- 2 of the more hyped guys to come into the league in years are losing BIG TIME...and i dont see that changing next year...maybe a year or two from now.....



the REALISTIC choices that the Cavs blew ------ Tristan Thompson over Klay Thompson--- the CAvs tried to move back up and draft Klay too- but he went 11th i believe... (AFTER such studs as Jan Vesley, Bismack Biyombo and Jimmer Fredette)...

REALISTICALLY- instead of Waiters- i think the Chris Grant tried to outsmart himself- and should have probably taken Barnes. Drummond had really underacheived at UCONN and everyone was scared after that stiff the Grizzlies took at center #2 overall didnt do anything.....Drummond should have probably went #2 if teams werent terrified of his work ethic and shitty year at Uconn........Cavs realistically- should have taken Barnes over Waiters in my opinion.....could have done better there

The Bennett draft?---- every says "should have taken Oladipo" but with WAiters and Irving- that wasnt gonna happen-adding another rim-penetrating tweener guard that cant shoot- Otto Porter Jr, Ben McLemore, Alex Len were the realistic options......I liked Len a lot but he had the foot issues going on.....im not sure who would have even been a realistic different option here that really helps- I guess youd have to go with Len...maybe Otto Porter Jr. who is finally playing decent after a couple really sucky years.....

-The Wiggins draft---- if LEBron doesnt come back obviously they keep Wiggins---- and build around Wiggins, Kyrie, a ton of cap space and a handful of other first roudners, Thompson, Zeller, etc.....

remember- Cavs didnt even have max cap space to get LeBron 2 summers ago until they dealt Tyler Zeller, Karasev, and a 1st rounder to unload payroll- that crappy first rounder the Celtics dealt to the Suns for Isiah Thomas actually...man the Suns have been really dumb lately! lol.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

this is the most ridiculous post.....Draymond Green? you mean the guy that was passed on 25 times? You might as well put Giannis Antetekuompo on there- he would have been the #1 pick in all likelihood if the Bennett draft was re-done today.

and maybe one day Minnesota and Wiggins and Towns will be good- but right now- 2 of the more hyped guys to come into the league in years are losing BIG TIME...and i dont see that changing next year...maybe a year or two from now.....



the REALISTIC choices that the Cavs blew ------ Tristan Thompson over Klay Thompson--- the CAvs tried to move back up and draft Klay too- but he went 11th i believe... (AFTER such studs as Jan Vesley, Bismack Biyombo and Jimmer Fredette)...

REALISTICALLY- instead of Waiters- i think the Chris Grant tried to outsmart himself- and should have probably taken Barnes. Drummond had really underacheived at UCONN and everyone was scared after that stiff the Grizzlies took at center #2 overall didnt do anything.....Drummond should have probably went #2 if teams werent terrified of his work ethic and shitty year at Uconn........Cavs realistically- should have taken Barnes over Waiters in my opinion.....could have done better there

The Bennett draft?---- every says "should have taken Oladipo" but with WAiters and Irving- that wasnt gonna happen-adding another rim-penetrating tweener guard that cant shoot- Otto Porter Jr, Ben McLemore, Alex Len were the realistic options......I liked Len a lot but he had the foot issues going on.....im not sure who would have even been a realistic different option here that really helps- I guess youd have to go with Len...maybe Otto Porter Jr. who is finally playing decent after a couple really sucky years.....

-The Wiggins draft---- if LEBron doesnt come back obviously they keep Wiggins---- and build around Wiggins, Kyrie, a ton of cap space and a handful of other first roudners, Thompson, Zeller, etc.....

remember- Cavs didnt even have max cap space to get LeBron 2 summers ago until they dealt Tyler Zeller, Karasev, and a 1st rounder to unload payroll- that crappy first rounder the Celtics dealt to the Suns for Isiah Thomas actually...man the Suns have been really dumb lately! lol.

Seriously, you said "they draft Embiid instead of Wiggins---- NO WAY IN HELL LEBRON IS BACK IN CLEVLEAND...."

I said that wouldn't have mattered and BEFORE Embiid needed foot surgery Wiggins was the guy most had picked as the #1... Why would Embiid needing foot surgery move him up their board??? I guess with Gilbert as owner, maybe that was something you feel he thought???

And you went off the board showing how they could have drafted the worst possible choices no matter how dumb they sounded, I showed the best. I think they were a lot closer to the worst than the best considering all the picks and high picks they had.


And what was the actual player that really mattered for clearing cap space for signing Lebron... Why'd you skip out on that 4 year 25 mil Jarrett Jack deal that was their best FA pickup of the non-Lebron era? They weren't over the cap to get Lebron because of Zeller and Karasev making bottom 2 money on that team. They were over because Jack was their 2nd highest player and Earl Clark was their 5th highest.


All I am saying is outside of Lebron, I think the Cavs under Gilbert have made more bad moves than good.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Seriously, you said "they draft Embiid instead of Wiggins---- NO WAY IN HELL LEBRON IS BACK IN CLEVLEAND...."

I said that wouldn't have mattered and BEFORE Embiid needed foot surgery Wiggins was the guy most had picked as the #1... Why would Embiid needing foot surgery move him up their board??? I guess with Gilbert as owner, maybe that was something you feel he thought???

And you went off the board showing how they could have drafted the worst possible choices no matter how dumb they sounded, I showed the best. I think they were a lot closer to the worst than the best considering all the picks and high picks they had.


And what was the actual player that really mattered for clearing cap space for signing Lebron... Why'd you skip out on that 4 year 25 mil Jarrett Jack deal that was their best FA pickup of the non-Lebron era? They weren't over the cap to get Lebron because of Zeller and Karasev making bottom 2 money on that team. They were over because Jack was their 2nd highest player and Earl Clark was their 5th highest.


All I am saying is outside of Lebron, I think the Cavs under Gilbert have made more bad moves than good.

i think this is what you are failing to understand.

I was not giving "worst case scenarios"... I was giving scenarios THAT WERE ACTUALLY discussed and realistic at the time. I mean- what is an actual "worst case scenario" that instead of Kyrie they take Jr SMiths brother? lol

Your giving "best case scenarios" that have absolutely no basis in any kind of fucking reality there is. I mean- a COLD HARD FACT is that there is not one single personnel guy in the league that would have selected Draymond Green above Anthony Bennett in that draft- not one- its just how the draft works. For you to act like that is a scenario that is even FATHOMABLE is insane. People screw up. JAN VESLY WAS TAKEN BEFORE KAWHI LEONARD and not one single person on draft day said it was this RIDICuLOUS INSANE PICK.

What I tried to do was actually present an accurate picture of what the debates were at that time- and how it could have differed if the Cavs made different choices with the guys that were the consensus value players at the times they drafted.

you are living in fantasy land.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

i think this is what you are failing to understand.

I was not giving "worst case scenarios"... I was giving scenarios THAT WERE ACTUALLY discussed and realistic at the time. I mean- what is an actual "worst case scenario" that instead of Kyrie they take Jr SMiths brother? lol

Your giving "best case scenarios" that have absolutely no basis in any kind of fucking reality there is. I mean- a COLD HARD FACT is that there is not one single personnel guy in the league that would have selected Draymond Green above Anthony Bennett in that draft- not one- its just how the draft works. For you to act like that is a scenario that is even FATHOMABLE is insane. People screw up. JAN VESLY WAS TAKEN BEFORE KAWHI LEONARD and not one single person on draft day said it was this RIDICuLOUS INSANE PICK.

What I tried to do was actually present an accurate picture of what the debates were at that time- and how it could have differed if the Cavs made different choices with the guys that were the consensus value players at the times they drafted.

you are living in fantasy land.

Who the fuck was discussing Embiid at #1 after his foot surgery right before the draft????? Like who even still had him at the top of the board after that? Please come back to reality on that one. Seriously, every decent person had Wiggins clearly at #1 after he now had the back and the foot injury. Fucking Oden was probably even saying "better stay clear of that".



And AGAINNNNNNNN... WHO THEY CHOSE DIDN'T AFFECT LEBRONS DECISION TO COME TO FUCKING CLEVELAND. HE WASN'T RETURNING TO PLAY WITH WIGGINS OR EMBIID!!!!!!



Look... I am completely for them keeping Kyrie as you are... It is few and far between that that front office makes the best personnel choice available to them, and they did in picking Kyrie. I doubt they could use whatever they get in return well. That 2013 draft you could say they spent their two picks and got the two worst players in the first round.

Since Lebron left they have had 5 picks in the top 4, and 13 in the top 34. They have used them to build a team around Lebron that is 4-11 the past two years when Lebron isn't playing (pace for a 22 win season without Lebron).

That to me isn't success of a front office or ownership, that to me is failing but lucking into the best player in the league because he wants to be near his hometown. I actually like the Cavs and Lebron, just not a homer jumping in Gilbert's lap every chance I get.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Actually, Gilbert had a lot to do with it. The trade was already a done deal and had even been announced when Gilbert and Cuban had their hissy fits. Without him and Cuban bitching about the trade and claiming it was unfair, the trade goes through with no issues. The trade was actually fair all the way around. It left the Hornets without a superstar (which they lost anyway when CP3 went to the Clippers), but with a slightly better team overall.

He had nothing to do with the trade but everything to do with nixing the trade. Him and Cuban. The league was perfectly fine with trade. Stern had no issues. It was a great trade for the league. Keep the league cash cow on top. The optics and timing were just bad. They shouldn't immediately have done the trade following the new CBA. The trade wasn't awful. New Orleans hasn't exactly been lighting the league up since.

Take off your Laker-colored glasses. The trade was awful for New Orleans. They would have been saddled with needless contracts on three players who had plateaued at that stage of their careers. Odom was a disaster after he left the Lakers (he was shortly after the nixed trade moved to Dallas). Scola was amnestied by the Rockets not long after, while Kevin Martin has always been a bit one-dimensional.

Eric Gordon, who they got in the eventual trade with the Clippers, isn't exactly a world-beater. But, had the original trade gone through they would have been mediocre enough to not have a shot at A.D. - And stuck with bloated contracts their broke franchise (as it was) had no need for.

And yeah, if the NBA doesn't own the Hornets at the time, Gilbert and Cuban can't do squat with regards to the proposed trade.

It's been five years now and it's time to get over it. There's a good reason it didn't go down, and everyone associated with the NBA outside the cities of Los Angeles and Miami is happy it didn't go down.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

The trade at the time was actually viewed as beneficial for all teams involved at the time. Initially, the league didn't have issues with the trade, it was owners like Cuban and Gilbert who pushed for the league to veto the trade.

I don't have to get over shit. Gilbert doesn't cause me grief in my life or anything related to it. I think he's a douche bag and a horrible owner. He also likes to take subtle cheap shots (as he did in the Finals last year) through twitter (I don't follow him). His personality and actions have proven this. Like I said before, you and Wiggy get a long so well because you two are simply dumb fucks.

What did he say in the finals? And why do you care so much about him to pay attention? It's Dan freakin Gilbert, who gives a fuck? He's not the best owner nor is he the worst. I don't care about NBA owners, yet I can name three right off the bate that are worse than him at overseeing pro sports franchises - Robert Sarver, Glen Taylor, and James Dolan.

You sure seem to hold such inner-hate toward people in general.

I don't know you and you don't know me, but you sure have been consistent in your cowardly name-calling the last three years since we've been glued together on this message board.

Whatever it is what is. Message boards in this generation have become pointless dick-measuring contests anyway. It's why I only have just over 1500 posts.

 

[Heatles84]

What did he say in the finals? And why do you care so much about him to pay attention? It's Dan freakin Gilbert, who gives a fuck? He's not the best owner nor is he the worst. I don't care about NBA owners, yet I can name three right off the bate that are worse than him at overseeing pro sports franchises - Robert Sarver, Glen Taylor, and James Dolan.

You sure seem to hold such inner-hate toward people in general.

I don't know you and you don't know me, but you sure have been consistent in your cowardly name-calling the last three years since we've been glued together on this message board.

Whatever it is what is. Message boards in this generation have become pointless dick-measuring contests anyway. It's why I only have just over 1500 posts.

So you're leaving? No, please don't. Stay.


/sarcasm

 

[Heatles84]

HurricaneDij, I'm going to put this as simple as possible. I just don't like you. I think you attempt to bring an honest and objective opinion to this board, I really do. It's just that you're so soft. I actually get along with most of the members on this forum, except for you and Wiggy. I personally think you're both just lacking in personality department. You need to grow a pair of balls, and Wiggy could use some logical thinking and from someone to surgically remove his homer glasses.

Shit, CL67 and I didn't get along all that well (you could probably throw Shaqdaddy in there as well) during Lebron's Miami years. But neither side of those arguments ever cried and bitched, and we threw out much better insults then what I've dished to you. You could think I'm the biggest prick in the world. It's probably not going to shock you much, but I couldn't really care. No, I don't know you. Quite frankly, hearing your endless dribble on this forum (or dick-measuring stick), I certainly feel that this is one of life's blesses that I've experienced.

 

[tlance]

i think this is what you are failing to understand.

I was not giving "worst case scenarios"... I was giving scenarios THAT WERE ACTUALLY discussed and realistic at the time. I mean- what is an actual "worst case scenario" that instead of Kyrie they take Jr SMiths brother? lol

Your giving "best case scenarios" that have absolutely no basis in any kind of fucking reality there is. I mean- a COLD HARD FACT is that there is not one single personnel guy in the league that would have selected Draymond Green above Anthony Bennett in that draft- not one- its just how the draft works. For you to act like that is a scenario that is even FATHOMABLE is insane. People screw up. JAN VESLY WAS TAKEN BEFORE KAWHI LEONARD and not one single person on draft day said it was this RIDICuLOUS INSANE PICK.

What I tried to do was actually present an accurate picture of what the debates were at that time- and how it could have differed if the Cavs made different choices with the guys that were the consensus value players at the times they drafted.

you are living in fantasy land.

Nobody would have taken Green ahead of Bennett. I agree with that.

The Cavs also passed on Green (twice I think) in round 2. That is where they could have snagged him.

Regardless of what you say, every single draft analyst was floored when the Cavs chose Bennett number 1. Absolutely nobody had him rated as the best player in the draft class. This was not a case of a talented player who everybody rates as the guy not panning out (Greg Oden). This pick was a major reach the day it was made and it looks epically bad today.

Seriously, can you name another top 3 overall pick who played his way out of the league in less than 4 years without a major injury or a crime? Bennett got cut because he sucks, yet Gilbert thought he was the best player in the draft class.

 

[tlance]

Take off your Laker-colored glasses. The trade was awful for New Orleans. They would have been saddled with needless contracts on three players who had plateaued at that stage of their careers. Odom was a disaster after he left the Lakers (he was shortly after the nixed trade moved to Dallas). Scola was amnestied by the Rockets not long after, while Kevin Martin has always been a bit one-dimensional.

Eric Gordon, who they got in the eventual trade with the Clippers, isn't exactly a world-beater. But, had the original trade gone through they would have been mediocre enough to not have a shot at A.D. - And stuck with bloated contracts their broke franchise (as it was) had no need for.

And yeah, if the NBA doesn't own the Hornets at the time, Gilbert and Cuban can't do squat with regards to the proposed trade.

It's been five years now and it's time to get over it. There's a good reason it didn't go down, and everyone associated with the NBA outside the cities of Los Angeles and Miami is happy it didn't go down.

This post is spot on.

The problem was the fact that the NBA ever controlled the Hornets in the first place. Because they were calling the shots, Stern had to step in and veto the deal that would have made them mediocre for life.

The other deal yielded Gordon (who was a premium asset at the time) and the ability to suck and pick AD. The current regime has put together a bunch of pieces that don't fit around Davis, but at least hey have a franchise player to build around if they can figure it out.

 

[tlance]

I don't think Lebron would have cared which rookie who had yet to play a game they got between Embiid and Wiggins was drafted. But nearly every single mock I'd seen had Wiggins, Parker, Embiid. Only ones which didn't was before his foot surgery that I remember seeing.


Kyrie is the only real asset they had to interest Lebron. That and the fact that they were bad enough to get the #1 overall pick again. That's really it.




And yes, they could have absolutely drafted every single wrong player, but even a broken clock is right once in a while. I think just going off of anyone's basic "mock draft" would have given them about the same results that they ended up with.

You showed worst case there. Here's best case... That team could also have instead had...

Kyrie Irving
Andrew Wiggins
Kawhi Leonard
Draymond Green
Andre Drummond

with a bench of...

Chandler Parsons
Isiah Thomas
Khris Middleton
Victor Oladipo
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic


And I don't really think the plan was "hey lets be so bad without Lebron that we can accumulate 1st overall picks and use them for trade bait and lure Lebron back with that and cap space"..

This would not have happened because they would not have gotten all those picks as this team started to come together. Still though, it drives the point home. That is a ridiculous collection of talent.

By the way, I would start Middelton and Isaiah over Irving and Wiggins. Irving would be perfect as a bench scorer with no other responsibility.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

This would not have happened because they would not have gotten all those picks as this team started to come together. Still though, it drives the point home. That is a ridiculous collection of talent.

By the way, I would start Middelton and Isaiah over Irving and Wiggins. Irving would be perfect as a bench scorer with no other responsibility.

Yeah, I know, it wouldn't have happened that way if they'd hit more than they did, but it's a LOT easier to pick the worst possible scenario, because so many of the picks were close to that already. And you have to dig a lot more for the best scenario. I know the 2013 draft was bad but they took a player you could argue was the worst in the first round... FIRST. They then took Karasev.. who you really could argue with his ceiling already falling out in year 3 is the next worst pick of the playing guys (not taking chances on Jean Charles, Noguiera or Nedovic coming to the NBA). Then they took Carrick Felix, 34th overall congrats, quickest NBA washout in the top 40 picks (38 minutes). And of course, Allan Crabbe, Actually by far their best pick of the draft. Currently putting in quality minutes with a nice outside shot in Portland (they waived him before ever playing him).

I mean there's 4 picks in the top 33 you had there, this was your wheeling and dealing to get this haul... can you pick a worse thing to do with them?

 

[trojanfan12]

Take off your Laker-colored glasses. The trade was awful for New Orleans. They would have been saddled with needless contracts on three players who had plateaued at that stage of their careers. Odom was a disaster after he left the Lakers (he was shortly after the nixed trade moved to Dallas). Scola was amnestied by the Rockets not long after, while Kevin Martin has always been a bit one-dimensional.

You need to take a look at the trade when it was first presented, not what happened with players afterward. Yes, Odom turned into a basket case after he left the Lakers, but at the time of the trade, no one knew that would happen and he was a very good role player with size and an all-around game. Scola was also considered a very good role player at the time. Also, some "needless contracts" are actually gold to a rebuilding team because they are generally expiring contracts that can be used to create cap space.

As I said, if the trade goes through, the Hornet become a slightly better team, but they lose a superstar in CP3 that they were going to and did lose anyway. It just enabled the league to hold on to him while trying to sell the team. Which was the excuse that the league used rather than just admitting to the obvious that the trade was vetoed because of Gilbert and Cuban bitching and crying.

Folks can try to claim otherwise all they want. I can't think of time before or since where a trade that got to the point that it was announced publicly was then vetoed by the league later after a couple of owners complained.

 

[lakersrule]

This post is spot on.

The problem was the fact that the NBA ever controlled the Hornets in the first place. Because they were calling the shots, Stern had to step in and veto the deal that would have made them mediocre for life.

The other deal yielded Gordon (who was a premium asset at the time) and the ability to suck and pick AD. The current regime has put together a bunch of pieces that don't fit around Davis, but at least hey have a franchise player to build around if they can figure it out.

New Orleans has been doing so great since the trade right? They could very well be in a better position now if that trade was allowed. That's speculation for sure, but so is claiming they would have been mediocre for life.

 

[lakersrule]

Take off your Laker-colored glasses. The trade was awful for New Orleans. They would have been saddled with needless contracts on three players who had plateaued at that stage of their careers. Odom was a disaster after he left the Lakers (he was shortly after the nixed trade moved to Dallas). Scola was amnestied by the Rockets not long after, while Kevin Martin has always been a bit one-dimensional.

Eric Gordon, who they got in the eventual trade with the Clippers, isn't exactly a world-beater. But, had the original trade gone through they would have been mediocre enough to not have a shot at A.D. - And stuck with bloated contracts their broke franchise (as it was) had no need for.

And yeah, if the NBA doesn't own the Hornets at the time, Gilbert and Cuban can't do squat with regards to the proposed trade.

It's been five years now and it's time to get over it. There's a good reason it didn't go down, and everyone associated with the NBA outside the cities of Los Angeles and Miami is happy it didn't go down.

Take off you Laker hater colored glasses.

 

[tlance]

New Orleans has been doing so great since the trade right? They could very well be in a better position now if that trade was allowed. That's speculation for sure, but so is claiming they would have been mediocre for life.

Again, you guys are missing the point.

The NBA was in control of the Hornets, and they never should have been. If the trade had been made with any other franchise, Stern stays out of the way for sure.

Stern was forced to act because he knew that trading a superstar for 3-4 solid players is a terrible way to build a team. The Hornets were clearly headed toward a rebuild and they needed to hit the reset button, not collect a bunch of average joes.

Of course Laker fans were upset because they were clear winners of this deal. Stern put an incompetent in charge of the team and then was forced into a bad position when the incompetent made a terrible move for the Hornets future. 2 high lotto picks + Gordon is ALOT more attractive to a potential buyer than Scola, Odom, etc.

But again, the issue was that the NBA was controlling the team to begin with.