The NBA Under David Stern

On the eve of the start of training camps after the 2011 lockout, the league-owned Hornets agreed in principle to a three-team trade to send Chris Paul to the Lakers. But Stern stunningly stepped in and vetoed the trade for ''basketball reasons" amid reports that owners had pressured the league to block the departure of another superstar from a small market to a big market. Paul did end up in Los Angeles after all -- but with the Clippers, who finalized a trade for the point guard less than a week later.