David Stern had better take his phone and email off the hook if he doesn’t want another tirade from Dan Gilbert. The league-owned New Orleans Hornets finally traded Chris Paul with the Los Angeles Clippers picking him up to play alongside Blake “I can dunk over cars” Griffin. It came after Stern last week nixed a deal that would have sent Paul to the cross-city rival Lakers after Gilbert had piped up. The deal sends Paul and two second round picks to LA with the Hornets receiving Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota’s 2012 first-round pick.
In a city where you’re constantly in the shadow of the other team, this a huge move. Don’t utter it too loudly but with two great young players to build the team around, the Clippers could well make a run at the post-season. It makes the Western Conference more exciting than it would ever have been if Paul had ended up at the Lakers. Most of all it could be the best move to make with regards keeping Griffin when his contract ends.
Look at the situation Gilbert had in Cleveland with LeBron James. Whilst Griffin isn’t at the level of James, his stock will only rise with the addition of Paul. James didn’t have a Paul level of assistance in Cleveland and only now has he been able to benefit from the kind of world-class help in Miami that Paul will give to LA’s quieter franchise.
This about-turn from Stern wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Clippers would freely admit that they were one of the league’s worse franchises and we’re imagining they’re one of the “25 of the 30 teams” that Gilbert is alluding to as changing their names to the Washington Generals. Before the trade went through, we were half hoping Stern would get gazeboed and give Paul a call begging him stay ala former Orlando Magic CEO Bob Vander Weide (for the record, the Magic are keeping Dwight Howard after failing to agree a trade).
Deals like this just go to show why North America, and the world, weren’t looking forward to a whole season without NBA on the screens. It was good enough already that Christmas Day gives us the chance to follow the NBA once again and now the curtailed season is set more exciting than if it had started in December. A lockout every year? No thanks. Where would sports betting be then!
