Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban isn't known for keeping his mouth shut and that continued last night when Cuban made comments regarding how the NBA handled the eventual Chris Paul trade to the Los Angeles Clippers. Here is what Cuban told ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon
"You're better off just taking the camp room, or whatever," Cuban said.
Cuban was against the Paul trade to the Los Angeles Lakers as well. It isn't so much he wanted Paul on the Mavs, he just felt the league handled its first major situation post-new CBA poorly.
"I don't think it was about the Lakers, per se," Cuban said before the game. "I think it was just the way they did the deal, which was ridiculous. I don't think it was about which team. I think it was the fact that, even with the Clippers, we just went through this whole (collective bargaining agreement) and said the incumbent team still has the advantage and then the team the league owns (wimps) out. And look how it's worked out for them... Bad management gets you bad results."
The Hornets are the worst team in the Western Conference at 5-23 and the deal they made looks worse and worse by the day as the prime pieces they received in return - Eric Gordon and Minnesota's draft pick - don't look so attractive anymore. Gordon will most likely be too expensive to keep when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer and Minny's pick won't be as high of a lottery pick as people originally thought.
The Clippers are of course happy to have Paul and are one of the best stories in the league. But Cuban's point still remains. And as time moves on, he may be proven more and more correct.
(pause for dramatic effect...)
Ah well! LOB CITY!