bullshit

they could have totally flipped the houston/lal deal into more future stuff if that was all they were after - more 'now' value can be leveraged into more 'later' value with a little work

the clippers clearly did not offer more value (talent for talent) than the hou/lal deal - the latter would have required more work for NOH to leverage into future value but they could have leveraged more dealing odom/scola/martin et al than they got tonight

not one analyst is calling this a better deal

meanwhile stern just rewarded one of the worst owners in the history of the game at the expense of one of the best for what? - I will (and fbi please take note) throat punch him if I ever get in arms reach

OK well let's see, the Rockets gave up Carl Landry for Kevin Martin when he was 2 years younger and had more prime left, the Lakers gave up Odom for a TPE and a handy, and I doubt Scola carries considerably more trade value than any of those guys.

So GLHF at trying to break those guys up into a 22 y/o top 50 player on his rookie deal, a high unprotected lottery pick in a stacked draft, and a guy one year removed from being the #8 overall pick.

Also this deal 100% curbstomps what the Lakers gave up for Gasol when he was 4 years younger.  So all in all

1) Memphis got a solid return for Gasol
2) Gasol was a better return for NO, after Morey came in for the double penetration and diluted the **** out of him

lol dude, take off the laker shades for half a second you're being insane.  your multi year trade machine is saying 4 late 1st round picks - 4 years of prime Pau divided by Luis Scola > 2 assets of high lottery value and 1 asset of late lottery value.

Those picks could be garbage.  Nobody knows.  Odom, Scola, and Martin could quite possibly all be better than anybody NO got in this deal.

Eric Gordon is already better than any of them, and he won't be washed up in 2 years.

And the picks are more valuable anyway, since Odom, Scola, and Martin wouldn't have been good enough to get NOLA into the playoffs anyway.  In their position the fact that they have a prospect + pick of uncertain value is good, because rebuilding teams want to add variance that they might luckbox an all-star.

If winning now was so important for NOLA, they'd be better off just letting Paul walk.  But seeing that they're not, you want the Clippers package over the OdScolMart crap.  And.  It's. Not.  Even.  Close.

 

Stern owned the **** out of this situation.

At least all those "old" guys can stay on the court: something Gordon can't do.  IF he figures-out how to do that for a couple years, then he'd be what Martin already is.  The chances of either of the picks being as good as Odom or Scola are 50-50 at best.  I'm sure possible owners are now lining-up to buy a team with "potential" (the potential to s*ck for a lot of years) and no fan base (because they won't support a 10-win team). 

i.e. if crappy teams traded their draft picks for odom/scola rentals every year, they would end up being a perpetual 30 win team without ever having a prayer of making the playoffs.  this isn't all that difficult to grasp.

I really disagree with the way this whole thing went down. But, I like this trade for the Hornets. Though, I will be surprised if they keep Eric Gordon long term. Really doubt he'll sign an extension there. May stay 2 years. They may even trade him next year depending on who they get in the draft.

The Minnie pick may not be as great as they are hoping either. Expect a decent improvement in that team this year.. not playoffs but not top 5 in the lottery either. Especially with the Hornets and Bobcats clearly worse.

The best part of this trade is the top 3 lottery pick they will get from being terrible. The original deal would have left them near the bottom of the playoffs for the next few years.

The best part of this trade is the top 3 lottery pick they will get from being terrible. The original deal would have left them near the bottom of the playoffs for the next few years.

Exactly.  The other trade gave the Hornets a better team for a couple of years, but not good enough to amount to any real success.  They'd be about like the Rockets have been... decent, at times good, but not good enough to make a serious run.  And then what happens?  Back to being terrible.

At least with this trade, they're going to be so bad that they'll have a chance of getting a top pick that might turn into an all-time great... who they might be able to keep long enough to build a winner.

But realistically?  I don't think this team is going anywhere positive anytime soon.

that's just it - this is a cash dump - they didnt want to take on the salaries

Anyone want to bet that Kaman will be around after this season?

they get that pick and a promising young player in Gordon - the pick could be something special or not - but what they really get is a 29m payroll starting next year

so David Stern's 'basketball reasons' are complete nonsense - this is a cash dump plain and simple - just like letting West go without trying to resign the second best player on the team was a cash dump

this is not about putting a good product on the floor for the Hornets fans, this is about selling the team and if so fine but call it what it is which Stern cant or wont

meanwhile back to Laker talk


McRoberts is an ok add for the money as a stand alone thing and now they're  talking with Troy Murphy who came in today - decent rotation fit for the system if he could return to his 09-10 form but we can only offer him vets min

and here's this random thought - could Metta be an effective, Chuck Hayes-esque 4 as his lateral quicks have dropped off but he remains strong and weighing in at 250 has the mass to hold his own on the block positionally? especially early without Bynum they might have to find out

Is Bynum hurt again?

no, he's suspended the first 5 games for that flagrant foul against Dallas

Suspended 5 games for cheap shot.