Just Kidding....Chris Paul Isn't Going to the Lakers, Oklahoma City Breathes a Sigh of Relief

Via CBSSports.com Eye on Basketball:

Yahoo Sports reports that the NBA, which owns the Hornets and has veto power over all personnel moves, stepped in after prompting from unnamed NBA owners at Thursday's Board of Governors meeting.

So, the NBA decided it didn't like the trade, and that's it! The deal doesn't go through.

It's rare for a veto to come from the NBA itself, but considering that the NBA owns the Hornets and that this move would change the landscape of the NBA as we know it, the veto is semi-justified. Still, considering Paul wants to leave New Orleans, where does the league think the Hornets are going to get a better deal?

The Hornets got three near All-Star level players in that deal, two of which are at a relatively young age. Considering Lamar Odom is a "proven winner", he could have fetched some value on the trade market as well. But now, the Hornets are back to square one, stuck with a All-Star that wants out and a grim future.

Fortunately for the Thunder, this means the Lakers remain as an old team. Sure, Gasol presents matchup problems, but the only younger player they have is Bynum, and they totally imploded during last year's playoffs. I'll take that over a potential Paul-Bryant-Howard combination any day.

View the Initial Trade Reaction Post Here