National Basketball Association

In his twilight, Stern coming up small

Published Dec. 12, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

In the twilight of his career, David Stern seems intent on proving his fiercest critics correct.

It’s a shame, really. Way back in the day, Stern was easily the best, brightest and most forward-thinking of all the commissioners. Perhaps that doesn’t sound like much today, when the competition is Bud Selig.

But people forget what a monumental task it was 30 years ago, selling a predominately black sport to the Americas — middle and corporate. Sure, Stern was blessed with a confluence of talent and opportunity. But don’t forget that Magic, Michael, Larry and, yes, Charles, became first-name-only icons during his tenure.

If the NBA was a superstars’ league, that’s only because the commissioner knew what he was doing.

Now? He comes off as petty, vitriolic, dictatorial, unable to discern his short-term reputation from his long-term legacy, his job from his purpose. Fresh from this disgrace of a lockout, he’s added to his titles.

Stern apparently has appointed himself the de facto general manager of the New Orleans Hornets. Stern is a smart guy and a highly competent lawyer. Still, his degrees confer no skill as an evaluator of basketball talent.

Last week, he killed a perfectly good trade that would’ve sent Chris Paul to the Lakers. This week, his minions are interfering with a deal to send Paul to the Clippers.

It’s not just bad business. It’s a conflict of interest.

Interestingly enough, the guy who saw this all coming was Phil Jackson, who chose to retire as coach of the Lakers rather than face the rigors of Stern’s post-lockout NBA. Back in December, Jackson confessed that he wasn’t at all sanguine about the NBA’s takeover of the Hornets.

“Not happy,” he told FOXSports.com’s Billy Witz. “Who’s going to trade whom to whom? Who’s going to (push) the button on trading players? When Chris (Paul) says he has to be traded, how is that going to go? Someone has got to make a very non-judgmental decision . . .”

Jackson’s remarks were rooted in the backlash from the 2008 deal between the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies for Pau Gasol. If the Lakers’ gains were always evident, so were the ways in which the league profited. Does anyone really doubt that the NBA’s resurgence had something to do with Los Angeles going to the Finals for three straight years? Still, it didn’t suck for the Grizzlies, either. They got three draft picks, Marc Gasol, and enough cap room to sign Zach Randolph, with whom they beat the San Antonio Spurs in last season’s playoffs.

Nevertheless, almost four years after the Gasol deal, Jackson’s larger point — about the league’s impartiality — remains well-taken. Whereas Stern once was accused of shilling for the big-market teams (he did, after all, once say his dream Finals matchup was “The Lakers versus the Lakers”), now he’s obliged to prove his allegiance to the Hornets.

But this isn’t just a matter of perception. Under Stern, the conflict of interest has become a reality. In negotiating for New Orleans, Stern hasn’t merely pissed off every franchise from Los Angeles to Houston. He’s managed to underserve the Hornets as well.

Last week, they could’ve gotten Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and a first-round pick for Paul. But the deal was scuttled for what the league termed “basketball reasons.”

This week, it was Paul for Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu and another pick. Once again, it reportedly was good enough for Hornets GM Dell Demps. But it wasn’t good enough for Stern’s basketball people, whoever they are. They also apparently insisted on the Clippers' abundantly talented shooting guard Eric Gordon.

“The cost was just too high,” said Clippers general manager Neil Olshey.

Demps had nothing to say. Though he’s done a fine job under trying circumstances, he’s effectively been replaced. All inquiries should be directed toward David Stern at the league office.

If that sounds like a conflict of interest, it’s only because it is. It’s also an embarrassment. Strange but true: Bud Selig could’ve done better.