Perhaps one of the most infamous days in Los Angeles Lakers history was when former NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade that would have sent Chris Paul to team up with the late Kobe Bryant.
The trade was nixed for “basketball reasons,” a power Stern had as the de facto owner of the New Orleans Hornets. The trade was hardly unfair, as the Lakers were set to part with Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and multiple draft picks in order to complete the deal.
But the NBA owned the Hornets at the time, and had every right to deem the trade lopsided.