Hating At An All Time High! Cleveland Cavs Owners’ Email To David Stern

News broke last night that the Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers trade was officially dead. According to an NBA Spokesman, the deal was called off citing “basketball reasons” for why the league office blocked the trade. If you ask me, I think its just a cop out to cover all the NBA owners who hated on the trade, especially Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilbert, certainly still feeling the losses of Bron taking his talents to South Beach, took the role of player-hater #1. Yahoo obtained his email to Stern & other NBA colleagues. Peep the jealousy.

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.