NBA kills Chris Paul trade, proving labor issues aren't nearly resolved

You just can't make this stuff up.

On the same day both owners and players each approved the new labor agreement that delayed the season by two months, NBA commissioner David Stern opened the proverbial door more mess by quashing the three-team trade that would have brought Chris Paul to Los Angeles AND provide the Lakers with big luxury-tax relief.

Oh, boy.

A league spokesman denied media reports that owners arose in anger to kill a deal made by a franchise that the league owns.

That spokesman cited "basketball reasons," but Cleveland owners Dan Gilbert's email to Stern -- leaked to Yahoo!Sports and the New York Times at least -- sure says otherwise.

Here it is.

Paul likely will sue at the league's killing of a deal in which the Lakers would have sent Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to New Orleans and the Hornets then would have turned around and send Gasol to Houston for Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a pick or picks.

At the very least, don't expect Paul to show Friday when the Hornets open training camp and some of his teammates and other players around the league may not as well.

What a mess...

The season start was delayed and so much disruption was created fighting over a new labor agreement that, at least in the immediate term, did nothing to curb owners from offering ridiculous contract and did nothing to ensure "competitive balance."

Right away, Paul attempted to force his way to L.A. while Dwight Howard apparently is doing the same to...N.J.?

Because the owners acquiesced on "system" issues to reach labor peace, the new agreement has done nothing to stop superstars from migrating at will to big-market teams, Stern stepped in and intervened instead.

Until we get to Friday afternoon...

Derrick Williams arrived for workouts today and a whole bunch of Wolves -- him, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Ricky Rubio, among others -- played pickup ball.

Here's the story I wrote for Friday's paper about Rubio's teammates' reaction to playing with him this week.

And just to prove I'm no longer just a triple threat -- writing, blogging, tweeting -- here I am experimenting in a fourth dimension with a little video from a conversation with Williams on Thursday afternoon.

You'll find the video here. Just scroll down until you see Williams' handsome mug.

* Chuck Hayes' agent said Thursday that the Wolves and Sacramento are still in the running to sign his client, although he said Houston -- before the night's dramatic developments -- was "begging" for Hayes to wait before making a decision. "They have something up their sleeve," he said in late afternoon.

Calvin Andrews said they'll make a decision sometime this weekend.

He said Hayes' relationship with Rick Adelman, for whom he played the last four seasons, is "huge, huge" and added "He really likes Coach Adelman and would love to play for him again."

The Kings reportedly have offered a 4-year, $20 million deal.

"It's not just about money," Andrew said. "But I think the money has to be similar."