Calling NBA commissioner David Stern's assertion that the Rockets' vetoed trade for Pau Gasol was never considered a done deal "an outright lie," a person with direct knowledge of the process said Stern was informed throughout the negotiations and the day of the trade before he refused to let it go through.

Acting as the top executive of the Hornets, Stern would not allow Hornets general manager Dell Demps to complete the deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers and Gasol to the Rockets with Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Goran Dragic going to New Orleans.

Stern said in a media conference call last week that he was only "generally informed about the discussions with teams."

He emphasized that Demps never thought the deal to be complete and that his decision as final say on the move was not unlike the customary role of owners during trade negotiations.

But according to two individuals with direct knowledge of the talks, Demps had assured Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak throughout the day that Stern and other NBA officials had been given all the details of the deal and had signed off on it.

"He said that David was briefed and that it was a done deal," one of the individuals with knowledge of the talks said. "He (Demps) said multiple times that he briefed both of his local officials, (Hornets president) Hugh Webber and (Hornets chairman) Jac Sperling, and they and Dell at regular intervals were updating (NBA vice presidents) Stu Jackson and Joel Litvin and that they told David himself throughout the day. Also, Hugh and Jac, who were updating the league office, understood it to be a deal."

Morey remains mum

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Morey on Saturday again declined to comment, citing as he did Thursday the advice of counsel not to discuss details of the conversations or his feelings about the NBA decision.

One of the individuals with knowledge of the talks said Rockets owner Leslie Alexander had told Morey not to comment in any way on his feelings about the trade being disallowed.

Another person with knowledge of the Rockets' thinking said there are no plans to take legal action.

But Morey and Alexander were livid about Stern's action, according to the person with knowledge of the discussions that day and since. Alexander tried to speak directly with Stern after the deal was originally nixed and again as Morey, Demps and Kupchak tried to rebuild the deal, but he did not get a returned call until after the Lakers had pulled out of the discussions.

No communication

By then, the person said, Alexander had no interest in speaking with Stern and has declined to speak with him since.

The Rockets had hoped with the added cap space to sign Nene, who instead returned to the Nuggets. With the bolstered front line, the Rockets intended to bring back Chuck Hayes to a roster they believed would then be in position to contend in the West.

"You can say he (Alexander) was very angry," said the person, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He was on the phone with Daryl too many times that day to count. When the deal finally got done, he got a call from Daryl saying the deal was done. Afterwards, the commissioner said he didn't think the deal was done. It was amazing. Daryl is extremely efficient and does things the proper way. (Lakers owner) Jerry Buss has been in the league 30 years and has made countless deals and thought the deal was done. Mitch Kupchak thought the deal was done. There was no question in his (Alexander's) and Daryl's minds the deal was done."

But Stern said last week that he never signed off on the deal and that Demps never thought that he had, calling reports that there was an agreement an effort of individuals with vested interests speaking anonymously to force the Hornets to make the trade.

"Dell never thought the deal to be done, and those who said that, all for attribution off the record, were trying to force him to make that deal," Stern said. "But Dell came to us in the normal course. He was presenting lots of different options and opportunities. He then presented this one to Jac and me, and we said that we weren't ready to sign off on that one at that time.

"He said, 'OK ... we have a very valuable player, and let's go let's see what else we can do.' "

Accusations fly

Told of Stern's description of the negotiations and communication prior to his decision to not allow the deal, the person with knowledge of the talks that day said: "That's an outright lie. Dell said the deal was done.

"The way David was acting, you can tell he didn't want to talk to anybody," one of the individuals with direct knowledge of the process said. "He was playing general manager."

The Rockets and Lakers continued to negotiate until the Hornets finally made the deal with the Clippers, getting Eric Gordon, Al-Faruoq Aminu, Chris Kaman and the Timberwolves' unprotected first-round pick. Stern said that deal was better for the Hornets because of its emphasis on younger players and to better position the Hornets to be sold.

Demands change

According to another individual involved in the talks at the time, the Hornets amended their trade demands from the Rockets at the NBA's direction to say Kyle Lowry would have to replace Dragic in the deal along with Patrick Patterson or Chase Budinger and an additional pick.

"Until the trade was complete with the Clippers, they (the Rockets, Hornets and Lakers) were in constant negotiations," the individual with knowledge of the talks said. "(Alexander) doesn't believe the league negotiated in good faith.

"They were using them (the Rockets) to up the ante with the Clippers."

Stern said he did not believe his role in the trade decision would produce a conflict of interest, calling his involvement a "frozen moment in time."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

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