The New Orleans Hornets have put center Chris Kaman on the trading block. The team just announced that along with the news that there will be no new contract terms with guard Eric Gordon during the season, leaving him open for free agency.
Gordon and Kaman were two of the large pieces shipped to New Orleans by the Los Angeles Clippers when coveted point guard Chris Paul landed in L.A.
Kaman came with a cap relieving expiring contract of more than $12 million .
Forward Al Farouq Aminu and an unprotected first round draft pick the Clips had in their pocket from the Timberwolves, completed the package.
The Hornets are under the control of the NBA, and its Commissioner David Stern. Stern loved the Clippers package of players and pick, touting the deal as just what the doctor ordered for the long term health of the New Orleans franchise.
As reported at the time by media, including the L.A. Times, he had nixed the previous agreed-to package from the Los Angeles Lakers in combination with the Houston Rockets. It would have netted the Hornets one player shy of an entire new starting lineup.
The NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Lamar Odom was ready to land in New Orleans from the Lakers. The deal included playoff tested point guard Goran Dragic, high scoring Kevin Martin and lineup mainstay Luis Scola and a first round pick from the Rockets, via the Knicks.
A glance at the current NBA standings show the Hornets at an abysmal 4-15 and without the services of Kaman, announced as non-participating until a trade can be arranged.
Eric Gordon is now free to dream of a contract with another franchise for next season.
Although conspiracy theories abounded at the time of the NBA's refusal to go forward with the Lakers-Hornets-Rockets proposal, they were denounced by Stern who kept up the patter about the Clippers trade pieces being infinitely better.
Six weeks of hindsight, including the Hornets decisions about Kaman and Gordon may create a different perspective.
Expect to hear more about the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" in light of the Lakers struggles in the new Mike Brown offense without ball distributing point guard.
The state of affairs has not been mentioned since the early part of the new season but it is only a matter of time before Stern's fur is ruffled about his refusal to accept the business decisions of his team under NBA protection as well as the Lakers and Rockets.
Dreamed up conspiracy theories aren't necessary any longer when the record speaks for itself.
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