Right.

More to the point, Stern later said that Paul was more valuable on the Hornets than he was anywhere else. More valuable to who? Or is it whom? who? whom? Who the freak cares, all I know is Stern is full of crap.

It's either Stern is completely megalomaniacal, completely delusional, or completely powerless. Neither of the choices should make anyone who is a fan of professional basketball feel good in their gut.

By the valuable comment, obviously he is referring to the pathetic ownership of the Hornets. Oh, that's right, the NBA owns them. And for that reason decision cannot be appealed because Stern made it clear that he did not block the trade as commissioner, he blocked it as an owner. You see he wears completely different pants when he's playing owner rather than the ones he wears when he plays commissioner. Duh.

The fiasco also stinks to high heaven when you read the email Cleveland Cavaliers' owner and resident crybaby Dan Gilbert sent to Stern calling the trade a "travesty" and asking the Commish whether 25 other franchises should just change their name to the "Washington Nationals". I assume that last comment was an attempt at humor on Gilbert's part, however it's not nearly as funny as how he handled having one the top 3 players in the league on his team.

The Hornets have their own GM who was authorized to work out trades. He managed to score a fairly decent one getting Odom along with other highly regarded players from the Houston Rockets only to have the rug pulled out from under him by "ownership".

And on that front, how toxic of an investment are the Hornets now? It's clear that if a deal isn't worked out Paul will leave as a free agent and what will the Hornets have to show for it? Exactly.

And the Lakers now have to deal with their own crisis because in the wake of this rescinded deal, Odom decided he wasn't feeling the love and decided to skip the first day of delayed, shortened training camp.

Gotta hand it to ya, Dave. You not only exposed yourself as the emperor with no clothes you managed to enhance the chaos in the New Orleans and create chaos in one of your franchises that has managed to be successful to placate a franchise that has failed.

Retirement is not a dirty word, Mr. Commissioner. By all means, feel free.