by Perro Grande on December 9, 2011
Now that the Lakers deal for Chris Paul has been rejected by the NBA league office, the Los Angeles Clippers very quietly signed the biggest free agent today. The Clippers by signing small forward Caron Butler have filled the biggest hole on their roster from last season.
For most of last season , the starting small forward for the Clippers was Al-Farouq Aminu. And while he looks like a decent young player with an upside, he is inexperienced and still needs some seasoning.
Caron Butler on the other hand is a tenacious defender who doesn’t back down from anyone and probably most important with this Clippers team, he can run the floor. With Gordon and Griffin and now Butler on the wing the Clippers are going to be a big threat when they get out and run.
The Clippers didn’t get much production out of the small forward position last season and this is a huge upgrade for them. Butler averages about 15 points a game and shoots about 30% from three point range but where he’ll have the biggest impact with the Clippers will be on the defensive end.
The Clippers desperately needed someone tough to pick up the intensity on the defensive end to match Blake Griffin’s intensity on the offensive end. And Caron butler can be that guy especially if the Clippers don’t demand much from him offensively. This is a big signing in my opinion. The only concern with the Caron Butler signing is his health, particularly his knees. The good news is you have a good young small forward in Aminu who could use plenty of playing time to rest Butler for, gasp, the playoffs.
by Perro Grande on December 9, 2011
From: Yahoo Sports
NBA commissioner David Stern killed the New Orleans Hornets’ trade of Chris Paul after several owners complained about the league-owned team dealing the All-Star point guard to the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Also from Yahoo Sports:
This is an email from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to NBA Commissioner David Stern:
Commissioner,
It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.
This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.
Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.
I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make a trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).
I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.
I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.
When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?
Please advise….
Dan G.
Wow just wow.
The NBA has turned into a fantasy league…
The idea of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard playing with Kobe Bryant was too much for small market NBA owners to take. This had nothing to do with the Chris Paul three-team deal because that deal would actually improve the Hornets and Rockets. The Lakers were giving up the best sixth man in the league and and all-star power forward all be it a soft one for one aging point guard. There’s no way that deal is a slam-dunk for the Lakers, nor is it a lopsided deal particularly for the Lakers. The Lakers were giving up the most talent in this deal.
But Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban and the other small market owners saw the writing on the wall… they also saw Dwight Howard coming to the Lakers. And with the Lakers saving $40 million on this trade, as Dan Gilbert pointed out in his email, the Dwight Howard to the Lakers trade or eventually signing was a foregone conclusion. And there’s no way the rest of the NBA was having that. Mind you it was ok for the Miami Heat to trade for Lebron James and Chris Bosh…