Some good can come of this ...

[txsting]

First off - forget about JJ for a moment. Whether or not we acquire him does NOT determine the future success of the franchise in a huge way. Even if you disagree, that's not my point, read on.

It's obvious we have a much bigger problem that has been stewing - and it took a lightning rod such as this deal to polarize the parties and get the issues out in the open.

Now that it's in the open, and has become an embarrassment for the franchise, and the NBA, let's hope to get some resolution to our ownership/governorship. Face it - it was going to take something big to shake this out, and let's get it over with now, while the team still is lousy. This can go one of three ways:

1) The courts decide that Belkin can be removed as governor by the other partners, because he has made a decision against the majority opinion. To me - this seems likely. I don't understand how Belkin has any ground to argue otherwise. If this happens, this will sever Belkin's sac, and he will probably sell to exit an uncomfortable, powerless, minority ownership position.

2) David Stern steps in and removes Belkin from the governorship, if indeed he has the power. Can someone tell me, what power does Stern have in this situation??

3) Belkin might just win (I doubt it). This will send BK packing. Belkin will hire a puppet GM. Babcock revisited.

[clrumph]

I hope that it's not #3. Then we are screwed for four more years until his NBA governership rights expire!!

[txsting]

Yes, I just hope that we clear up the situation so that at least we can DO BUSINESS moving forward. If we can't even make the deals happen that are accepted, that's pathetic.

If Belkin gets to call the basketball shots and plays the active owner, I don't think I'll be able to watch.

[TnDawg]

I don't see # 3 happening:

3) Belkin might just win (I doubt it). This will send BK packing. Belkin will hire a puppet GM. Babcock revisited

Correct me if I'm wrong if he commits the rest of the ownership to a contract they disagree with he would then be in violation of the govenorship agreement.

[txsting]

I agree with you. Looks like Belkin is putting himself in a tough spot.

The only possible out I can see is that it sounds like, in order to be in violation, that he would actually have to cast a vote as team governor that is opposed to the rest of the partnership. However, a technicality could exist that allows Belkin to pull a "pocket veto", and simply not cast the vote at all, in order to not run afoul of the agreement. I'm totally speculating here - who knows how the NBA board of governor's meetings work? And we don't know exactly how the partnership agreement was drafted. But this seems a remote possibility given the information that we have.

Most likely, Belkin is trying to stall this thing to the point that Phoenix backs out. I'm sure Belkin thinks he has the team interests in mind, and would actually like to have JJ (his words). But he wouldn't be bothered if N.O. (or anyone) slips in here and gets a deal done.