For any Los Angeles Lakers fans who have only begun watching the team after their rejected trade for Chris Paul known only as “The Veto,” first of all I’m sorry. You’ve had to watch some terrible basketball.

As a refresher, the Lakers agreed in principle to a three-team trade with the New Orleans Hornets and Houston Rockets that would’ve allowed Los Angeles to dump salary while ending up with Chris Paul in possibly the biggest trade heist of all-time.

That was not to be, however, with then-NBA Commissioner David Stern stepping in and infamously vetoing the trade for “basketball reasons” (yes, that’s an actual quote).

Since that fateful day, Stern has said many times he rejected the trade in his capacity as acting owner of the Hornets (the NBA owned the team at the time), not as commissioner, but during an appearance on the “Nunyo and Company” podcast, Stern revealed some new information: The Lakers still could have potentially completed a deal for Paul (emphasis mine).

“(My decision) was only based on what was good for New Orleans, or what was not good for New Orleans. It had nothing to do with the Lakers at all. And in fact, in the course of the weekend, we thought we could re-do the deal. We really thought that Houston would be ready to part with Kyle Lowry; and we had a trade lined up for Odom that would have gotten us a good first round draft pick. Not we, but my basketball folks. But Mitch Kupchack at the time panicked and moved Odom to Dallas. So the piece wasn’t even there for us to play with at the time. So that was it — just about what was good for the then-New Orleans Hornets."


It’s important to note here that this is just Stern’s view/statement on what happened, and the Kupchak wasn’t given a chance to tell his side of the story. The former Lakers general manager might have seen the situation differently, or seen variables Stern is either unaware of or ignoring.

That being said, if Kupchak really did trade Odom to Dallas with a Paul deal potentially still on the table, it’s impossible to argue that decision didn’t hurt the Lakers. The team only received a trade exception and a top-20 protected first-round pick in exchange for Odom, so it’s not like they had some massive haul on the table that couldn’t wait.

It’s understandable if Kupchak felt pressure to trade Odom in the wake of his reaction nearly being traded for Paul, but if the deal for Paul was still somewhat on the table like Stern says it was, he should have been more patient.

We’ll likely never know for sure what exactly happened in some of the weirdest and most controversial trade talks in NBA history, but it seems like new details about “The Veto” won’t stop trickling out anytime soon.








 http://www.silverscreenan .. k-podcast-veto

Mitch fu*ked up his last 6 years in LA.

It's like he lost all his magic.

Stern, shut the fu*k up

Old fu*king gremlin trying to save face. Go die in peace f*ggot. We know what you are and what you did to the Lakers

David stern >>>

Sure David, sure...
We all know, Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban bi*ched and moaned..

Trotty Glizzy said Mitch fu*ked up his last 6 years in LA. It's like he lost all his magic.

I mean, they recovered decently with the Howard and Nash trades. Easy to say now it was terrible, but it was the best chance possible to keep Kobe's window open for another title.

After that though, it kinda seemed like there was no plan in place to get guys here. The negative feedback Magic got from free agents was the end for him and Jim.....and the Deng and Mozgov contracts. Good God those were atrocious.

4evaabso said Sure David, sure... We all know, Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban bi*ched and moaned..

and owned the team, so...

Clutch City Kid said Stern, shut the fu*k up

[pic - click to view]

Mr Harrow said [pic - click to view]

The Melo remix is BX suicide

Stuart Scott said David stern >>>

Facts....

Silver listens to bron too much talking bout cutting down on back to back to backs after Bron complained. Stern would of told him to kick rocks

Glove said Old fu*king gremlin trying to save face. Go die in peace f*ggot. We know what you are and what you did to the Lakers

Why are you so angry?

ThirtyThree said They were gonna get dragic, why do they need Lowry? They were gonna get some picks too

Not sure, but doubt they would have complained about taking him as well. Wonder if the Rockets still regret moving Lowry btw

Glove said Old fu*king gremlin trying to save face. Go die in peace f*ggot. We know what you are and what you did to the Lakers

Oooooooh I get it now. No wonder you hate Bron so much, you're a Kobe stan


It all makes sense

dUb IV said Why are you so angry?

I just figured it out, he's a Kobe stan.

Trotty Glizzy said Mitch fu*ked up his last 6 years in LA. It's like he lost all his magic.

He never had Magic. He just had Kobe.

Let that dumpster fire burn. Along with the knicks

But there was no cp3 deal the story keeps changing.

sh*t was a funny situation at time. The hornets have been trash since then and so have the Lakers. Instead of having one sh*tty team now you created another sh*tty team with the Lakers. This was good for basketball eh? A lot of Lakers fans haven't recovered....That hurts ratings

Lonzo, DLo, bi > cp3

didnt odom want out after the failed trade? and odom chose dallas too right?

As a lakers fan I'm really not that bitter anymore this all happened I mean if it wasn't for stern and his corrupt ways the stars wouldn't have aligned for us getting Lonzo this year's draft, getting Ingram and Russell hell randle wouldn't have been here either so to that thanks David stern thank you and god bless your righteous soul


I've always been a Silver type of guy anyways

Eazy123 said Lonzo, DLo, bi > cp3

Add randle Larry nance Jr and Clarkson to that bruh >>>>

Stupid a*s Laker fans think the world is out to get them Stern himself said if he could, he'd have a "Lakers vs Lakers" finals every year

It's obvious that trade was a terrible deal for New Orleans, that is why Stern who was the ACTING OWNER for the Hornets at the time, rejected the trade. It is not that difficult people.

dj31590 said Oooooooh I get it now. No wonder you hate Bron so much, you're a Kobe stan It all makes sense I just figured it out, he's a Kobe stan.

I'm a Laker fan and have always said the Lakers are bigger than Kobe. It's understandable you would conflate my Laker fandom with Kobe stans since a great portion of them are fans of Kobe himself rather than the team as a whole. First and foremost I recognize Kareem and Jordan as the GOAT. My fave team is the Lakers, and Le-Larry is a fraud. Part 3 later this afternoon. Stick around.

4evaabso said Sure David, sure... We all know, Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban bi*ched and moaned..

Meant to prop