In December 2011, then-NBA Commissioner David Stern controversially vetoed a blockbuster trade that would have sent star point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time, the Hornets franchise was temporarily owned and operated directly by the league itself after purchasing the team from former owner George Shinn. Stern exercised his authority as league governor to cancel the deal, citing "basketball reasons" and arguing that it was in the best long-term financial and competitive interest of the New Orleans franchise to retain or seek alternative packages.