The Hornets have traded Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blockbuster deal. This is an incredible move by the Charlotte Hornets, and it will be interesting to see how this affects their future playoff chances.
In exchange for PG13, the Hornets received Jeff Teague and draft picks from Oklahoma City. This trade has created some major headlines around the NBA, as PG13 is one of the most coveted players on the market right now. Be sure to check out our dedicated coverage of this blockbuster trade to learn all you need to know about what happened.
Why Did Stern Stop Chris Paul?
Hornets owner Michael Jordan has announced that the team will be temporarily locked out from the NBA until an agreement can be reached on a new collective bargaining agreement.
This means that teams like the Pacers and Grizzlies are going to have to find other ways to fill their rosters while George is unavailable for selection in upcoming games. The trade deadline is fast approaching, so expect some big moves to happen as teams try to stay ahead of potential competitors in the race for playoff spots.
Paul George is one of the best players in the league, and his absence will definitely hurt both teams involved in this deal – but it’s still something that needs to happen if he’s ever going to reach his full potential as a player. We’ll see how everything plays out over time, but this was definitely an unexpected development with far-reaching consequences for all involved.
Lockout
Stern abruptly dropped Chris Paul from his show last week, and it has left many wondering why. Some believe that the firing was related to CP3’s recent comments about the league and its player’s union.
Others think that Stern may have been unhappy with CP3’s on-court play recently. Whatever the reason, this is a huge loss for both Chris Paul and Stern fans alike. The lockout is already taking a toll on NBA teams – can Chris Paul’s departure make things even worse?
Basketball Trade
Stern stopped Chris Paul from being traded to the Houston Rockets because he felt that the team would not have been able to make the playoffs with him on their roster.
The Clippers had discussions with other teams about trading CP3, but they could not find a willing buyer in time for the deadline. Stern believes that it is important for different players on each team to be battling for playoff spots and having CP3 on another team would have weakened Los Angeles’ chances of making it this year.
As long as Chris Paul remains under contract with LA, then there is no need for them to trade him at this point in time since his value will only increase over time. It seems that Stern may still be trying to protect CP3 even though he has already decided not to re-sign with LA next season.
Paul George
Stern stopped Chris Paul because he was unhappy with his play and didn’t think he would be a good fit on the show. He then went to talk to George about possibly joining him on the show, but George turned down the offer.
Paul George is one of the best players in basketball and has a lot to offer as an analyst, so it’s surprising that Stern didn’t consider him more seriously for the job. It’s possible that Stern wasn’t sure if George would want to leave Oklahoma City or move away from his family and friends.
Although Stern hasn’t announced who will replace Paul George on the cast, there are plenty of other analysts out there who could take his place on The NBA Show.
2012 First-Rounder
Stern stopped Chris Paul because he didn’t think the veteran point guard would be a good fit for the new direction of the Lakers. The move came as a surprise to many, including CP3 himself, who was told of his release just minutes before it happened.
Stern’s decision likely has more to do with finding younger and cheaper replacements than anything else – like Jordan Clarkson or Julius Randle – in LA this season. It’ll be interesting to see how things play out now that Paul is no longer on board in Lakerland…or if they even survive at all without him.
As always, stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Hornets
Stern said that Chris Paul was “incompatible with the direction of the team.” The Hornets selected Frank Kaminsky with the #4 pick in this year’s NBA draft, and Stern believes he’ll be better suited as a point guard than CP3.
With so much talent on their roster, there wasn’t room for both players under one roof – especially considering how egocentric CP3 can be sometimes. New Orleans will now turn its attention to signing other free agents over the next few months and see if they can build an even better squad without Chris Paul on it.
It’s always tough to say goodbye to a player like CP3, but at least his stay in New Orleans was memorable – even if it did come to an end sooner than expected.
Why did Stern block CP3 trade?
There are a number of possible reasons why the commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig, blocked a trade that would have sent Cuban defector Yasiel Puig to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some say Selig was worried about how Puig would integrate into American culture and others believe he was concerned about how Puig’s arrival might impact attendance at Dodger games.
- David Stern blocked a trade for Chris Paul in December of 2011 because the Hornets were not an ownership property that was desirable to the NBA. The package that was offered to Paul did not meet his expectations and he decided to stay with the Clippers.
- In May of 2012, CP3 made a request for a multi-year contract from the Clippers but this was also rejected by Stern. He felt that it would be unfair to give him such an extended deal when other players have shorter contracts and are able to play more games than CP3 due to injuries or suspensions.
- The Hornets were not considered as an ideal ownership group by the NBA commissioner at this time since they had been struggling financially in recent years and their stadium situation was questionable too.
- Even though Stern wanted CP3 on his team, he didn’t believe that giving him a long-term contract at this point would be beneficial for either party involved – mainly because it wasn’t guaranteed that they would eventually win trophies together as part of ClipperNation..
- AlthoughCP3 agreed to rejoin LA later on in 2012 after being traded back from Houston, he ultimately chose New Orleans instead as there were more favourable terms available on offer from them (despite their own struggles).
Did David Stern veto the Chris Paul trade?
Yes, David Stern vetoed the Chris Paul trade. The trade would have paired CP3 with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Other moving parts were involved in the veto, so it’s still unclear what will happen next with Paul and the Clippers.
It remains to be seen if other teams will pursue Paul now that he’s available on the market again.
To Recap
There is no definitive answer to this question, as Stern’s decision could have been motivated by many things. Some theories suggest that Stern was upset with Paul because he believed the player was not giving 100% effort on and off the court, while others believe that Stern simply grew tired of Paul’s antics.
Whatever the reason may be, it is clear that Chris Paul will never play for the New York Knicks again.
