Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert E-Mailed Stern, Called Paul Trade “Travesty”

The League insists that the proposed Chris Paul trade which would’ve landed the superstar point guard in LA was vetoed for “basketball reasons,” not because of pressure from owners.  However, this e-mail sent by notoriously-salty Cleveland Cavliers owner Dan Gilbert kind of suggests otherwise.  Via Yahoo! Sports…

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.

Well damn!  This is some leakage that the NBA is surely wishing it could’ve plugged right about now.  This confirms my speculation that owners were probably outraged by the financial aspect of the deal, and also confirms that at least one owner was as generally pissed off as reported. 

So, should owners be allowed to vote on trades to be made by New Orleans?  I don’t think so.  Despite the fact that they do collectively own the team right now, how can you let the 29 other teams, who are competing with the Hornets, make decisions on their behalf?  This is where David Stern should come in… and he did.  He made the wrong decision, though.  Before all of the alleged pissing and moaning from owners, the league had planned to allow Hornets GM Dell Demps to proceed with business as usual.  Serious trade talks involving Chris Paul had been going on all week and no one said a word.  He gets traded to the Lakers all of a sudden, owners b!tch about it relentlessly, and everything changes? ”Basketball reasons” my ass.  This is about money and competition, period.  David Stern caved to the owners’ demands and prevented a deal that benefitted the Hornets. 

Now that’s a travesty.