Yahoo! reports that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert e-mailed NBA commissioner David Stern as news of a trade that would send star point guard Chris Paul from the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to the powerhouse L.A. Lakers broke. Stern eventually vetoed the trade, citing "basketball reasons." Gilbert's reasons to oppose the deal were of the more emotional variety.

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. [...]

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?

Gilbert was considered a hardliner in the NBA lockout, where competitive balance and revenue sharing were major issues of contention.