National Basketball Association(NEW YORK) -- The NBA lockout may be over, but merely hours after the new collective bargaining agreement was ratified, the NBA finds itself in another controversy. NBA Commissioner David Stern vetoed a trade that would have sent point guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a proposed three-team trade, the Lakers would acquire Paul, the Houston Rockets would acquire Pau Gasol, and the New Orleans Hornets would receive Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first round draft pick.

While that trade appears to be a win for all involved parties, the NBA didn't think so. Stern vetoed the trade because he claimed it was a bad basketball move for the Hornets. Apparently the small market owners were upset that another superstar player would be joining a large market franchise -- which is part of why the lockout happened in the first place. Because the NBA owns the Hornets, they are arguably allowed to do this.

Paul, who is a free agent at the end of the season, let it be known that he would not sign an extension with the team and would pursue other teams in free agency. In an effort to at least get something in return for Paul, the team and general manger Dell Demps worked tirelessly to get fair value for the all-star, but the NBA didnt' see it that way.

Paul is expected to take legal action against the NBA.

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