Awwh, the sweet and sour taste of romance. One day you're in love, and the next day you're not. Such is the deal that would send Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. One day the league offices hate it, and the next day they love it.
All kidding aside, commissioner Stern took a lot of heat for killing the deal in the first place, but I have to believe that it didn't go down that way at all. I think we can come to that conclusion if we examine a quote from the commissioner back in 2008, which goes like this:
"Earlier this decade, during the height of the Shaq-Kobe era in L.A., commissioner David Stern was asked what his ideal Finals matchup would be. "The Lakers versus the Lakers," he said."
The Lakers versus the Lakers? lol! David Stern is no fool, and has a perfect understanding of what the Lakers mean to the league. There's no way he would try to kill a deal that would, essentially, keep the Lakers in the running for possible championships on his watch as the commissioner. No, he didn't kill the first deal. I have to believe that a group of small-market owners bombarded the commissioner with complaints to the point where he had to do something. And unfortunately, it was stopping the deal from going through.
I believe the reason why the small-market owners cried was because the deal came too soon; I mean, the new CBA hadn't even been ratified and already, it seemed, the Lakers were prospering like they always seem to prosper - under the old CBA -. With that idea in mind, the small-market owners had to be thinking: what has changed? The Lakers still come out on top. Hence, the bitter complaint to the commissioner.
But, after Dallas owner Mark Cuban sent out an email, or something explaining like that, how the new CBA has, indeed, hindered the big-market teams from just throwing money at their quest to put a championship team together, I think everyone has come to their senses. The deal in no way makes the Lakers any closer to winning a championship than before the deal was made, because they still have to sign Chris Paul to an extension. And that will push them to the limits of the salary cap.
The Lakers, if the new deal is approved, are setting themselves up for seriously limiting themselves in filling out the rest of their roster with quality players to compliment the superstars. And if they do, indeed, go after Dwight Howard, they are just creating a luxury tax mess for themselves. Again, how is the 3 superstar roster model going to win a championship without quality players to fill-out the rest of the roster? The 3 superstar roster model is a gamble and nothing more with the new CBA going into effect. I think that small-market owners are starting to realize that, and probably won't object to a new deal that has Chris Paul going to the Lakers.
It's easy not to be in love with what you don't consider to be attractive, but after getting to know a person better (the new CBA) it might allow for new feeling to grow into love. Oh, the sweet and sour taste of love never fails to provide drama, and keep us interested in possible new developments to the love story.
I hear the sound of a new trade coming! Brace yourselves. It could be that the league will love it or perhaps...love it not.
David Stern loves the Lakers, so you can expect the new deal to be approved because the small-market team owners are starting to realize the impact of the new CBA, and therefore, they probably won't complain, anymore.
mike t.
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