But Lakers have had to lose 2 big players to get 1. Odom still played a big role and Gasol was the 2nd star behind Kobe. As it stands, if the trade were to go through, they would be weaker.

NO getting Odom, as well as the 3 very solid players from Houston was fantastic when faced with the prospect of getting nothing for Paul in a years time (which is now likely to happen).

Same for Houston, they've shed some players they didn't need, and were getting a bonafide superstar in Pau Gasol to replace Ying.

New Orleans were going to be no weaker after the trade, if anything a tad stronger across the park, Houston were definately getting stronger as well as getting that franchise player, and the Lakers were left with only Bynum that is any good around the basket.

As for the "small owners" getting their way, New Orleans and probably Houston also are definately in that category, this deal made them bigger, but yet it was blocked. New Orleans in particular are now going to lose out so much more.

Whats the alternative though? Paul is ONLY likely to go to the Lakers, Boston or NY. This is the best deal that NO could have got, as well as strengthening another small market team in Houston.

Absolutely ludicrous decision. And whats worse, Dan Gilbert was one of those to complain, so now he's just created a situation where another franchies is going to be LeBron'd.

Thing is, NO wanted the deal to go through, but because the league owns them, for whatever reason, they overruled the GM.

I can see why LA want Paul, a lot of teams are taking the PG route and there aren't many better than Paul. With Kobe aging and a 1st overall pick massively unlikely, they may as well look for a new franchise player and get rid of some players that were partly blamed for the humiliation against Dallas.

I just can't believe that three teams were able to work out a trade that worked for all of them, only for the league to turn around and say no, it defies the point of the trade market and it's extremely unfair on teams and players. What is the LA coach supposed to say to Odom and Gasol now? Likewise with Houston.

Exactly.

No one was a loser in this deal. As I've mentioned, if anything the two "smaller market" teams which the new deal was supposed to protect, and the reason why the league overrules it, came out better than the big market team.

LA would still need to make further deals to stay at the same level as before, the other two already were stronger.

I understand that this trade was the best deal that NO will more than likely get, and the fact that both they and the rockets would have got better. However I have to stress that everybody knows that the lakers would have only been weaker for the few day before they went and got Howard, and this is the real stumbling block.

This whole lock out has been about the league losing millions of dollars every year. The easiest way to stop the wrot is to make the league more competative instead of having a league where only around half a dozen teams (usually the same half dozen) have a real shot at winning the championship. If this deal had been allowed to go through it would have been another example of the "rich getting richer". It the short term it mat seem a strange decision, but for the long term I 100% believe that this is the best decision for the NBA going forward.

Chandler to knicks almost done.
Hill resigns with Suns, due to Knicks losing mdi-level exception
Brandon Roy retires
Arenas amnesty
D12 to Nets expected soon
Billups expected to be released(amnesty)


I expect the CP3 trade to go through after D12 is traded, albeit with a slight tweak.

The commissioner can't veto the deal because the Lakers MIGHT then do an additional trade.

This trade, on a stand alone basis, doesn't make a new superteam, doesn't destroy a small market team. It doesn't do any of that.

THIS DEAL WOULD HAVE PLEASED ALL THE TEAMS INVOLVED.

What on earth else do they want? If they aren't going to allow Paul to go to the Lakers, they won't want him going to the Knicks, to the Celtics. So they are effectively screwing the type of side that the whole deal was supposed to protect and improve.

New Orleans are more likely to be competitive with Odom, Scola et al, than being a complete mess next season when they lose Paul for nothing. Which is now what will happen.

What do you make of the D12 nets? Similar to Deron Williams in that they're the only team willing to take on an expiring contract without any guarantees of an extension?

Probably worth the risk for them as it makes it a heck of a lot more likely both will sign than just a single one of them. They would instantly become contenders imo.

A lot of speculation that NYK are still in pole position for next years free agency, with Deron Williams + possibly CP3 still available.

Surely signing Chandler means that they won't have room for another max level player? If they are having to amnesty Billups contract to get Chandler in then what hope do they have next year?

Bibby? Really? Rather just go with Douglas + a rookie!

Defence and 3 point shooting.

NBA league pass free from 25th dec to 9th Jan...enjoy.

Clippers get Billups for just $2mil. Bargain. Now it's just a question of whether he'll actually show up.

Free as in you give them your card details with them hoping you dont remember to stop the free period or free as in you go online and watch? Either way im interested. Really want to get back into the NBA properly this year. I started getting back into it last season but only from a distance. It was my main sport as a kid.

Have ESPN released any schedule of what they're showing yet?

CP3's gone to the Clippers.

They finally caved and gave the Eric Gordon + the 2012 pick.

Big move, instant contenders now. We'll have to wait and see if it was worth it for 2 years of Paul, personally, I think it is. Go big whilst you've got it.

Only question now is that they've got 3 good PG's, will Mo Williams get traded out to add some scorers off the bench to replace Eric Gordon?