Fallout Continues Over NBA Nixing Trade Involving Chris Paul

The Clippers and Hornets “were working vigorously Sunday night to consummate a blockbuster deal” that would send G  Chris Paul to the Clippers. Both Clippers owner Donald Sterling and the NBA have to sign off on the deal, and this would come after a deal from the Lakers for Paul “was turned down by the league” ( L.A. TIMES, 12/12 ). NBA Commissioner David Stern ’s move to nix the Paul-to-Lakers deal late Thursday night continued to be criticized over the weekend.

ESPN’s Jemele Hill : “He did more damage to the NBA’s reputation and their image by killing this deal than the lockout could ever have done” ( “The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 12/11 ).

N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica said it is time for Stern “to start moving towards the door and to start thinking about what his exit strategy is” ( “The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 12/11 ).

ESPN’s Chris Broussard : “David Stern has been the best commissioner in American professional sports, but this last year for him has been a PR nightmare” ( “OTL,” ESPN, 12/9 ).

L.A. Times’ Bill Plaschke : “How can he still be commissioner and have this happen?”  ( “Around The Horn,” ESPN, 12/9 ).