TITLE: NBA Blocks 2011 Chris Paul Deal That Would Have Sent Star Guard to Lakers
SLUG: nba-vetoes-2011-chris-paul-to-lakers-trade
CONTENT:
On Dec. 8, 2011, a proposed three-team blockbuster that would have paired then-New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul with the Los Angeles Lakers collapsed when the NBA office rejected the agreement.
The deal, negotiated immediately after the 2011 lockout, involved the Lakers, Hornets and Houston Rockets. Los Angeles agreed to trade forwards Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom in exchange for the 26-year-old Paul, already regarded as one of the league’s elite playmakers.
Because the league was operating the Hornets at the time, final approval rested with commissioner David Stern. According to Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, New Orleans general manager Dell Demps authorized the trade without clearing it with Stern, creating what she later called a “miscommunication” that led the commissioner to nullify the arrangement. Rival teams also voiced concerns that the move would give the Lakers an overwhelming competitive advantage, especially with ample salary-cap space that could be used in future deals.
Former Orlando Magic guard Gilbert Arenas later claimed owners feared Los Angeles would dominate the NBA if Paul joined Kobe Bryant and, potentially, future acquisition Dwight Howard.
Paul still landed in Southern California that month but with the L.A. Clippers, where he remained until 2017. The Lakers, meanwhile, entered a prolonged downturn that did not end until LeBron James signed with the franchise in 2018.
Pau Gasol Recalls Aftermath
Gasol, who had been informed he was part of the trade package, returned to the Lakers once the deal was voided. He later said he met with general manager Mitch Kupchak and head coach Mike Brown to reaffirm his commitment to the team, acknowledging that the experience was “difficult” because it underscored how quickly a player’s situation can change.
The failed trade remains one of the most memorable transactions never completed in NBA history, illustrating both league oversight during ownership of a franchise and the competitive tensions among team governors.
Source: Lakers Nation
