The CP3 deal is off. According to Woj, owners have pressured David Stern into killing the Lakers' trade for Chris Paul. It's over. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are still Lakers.
Needless to say, this is super bizarre and grotesquely shady. When the league took over ownership of the Hornets David Stern emphasized that they'd be allow to operate autonomously, without interference from the league office. That's been exposed as total nonsense. He's on a short leash being yanked by owners whose teams will suck forever and therefore have no choice but to drag the smart and successful down to their level.
This is a deep stain on Stern's reign as commissioner. He got bullied by small-market owners into prolonging the lockout, and they just did it to him again. His stewardship of the sport is a bad joke. It's time for him to go.
I don't understand how the players' union can be OK with this. They fought a four-month lockout and lost 16 games' worth of paychecks to preserve the right of players to move between teams, including by trade. Now the commissioner is facilitating collusion among owners to block fairly negotiated deals.
Dr. Buss, rise from your hospital bed. It's time for your terrible swift vengeance.