Attempts to revive a blockbuster trade that would send Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers died Saturday night, leaving the teams frustrated and Paul’s fate uncertain.

“The deal is in jeopardy,” a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations said late Saturday.

A short time later, the talks ended altogether, with the Lakers refusing to meet the NBA’s demands on a return package for Paul, the New Orleans Hornets’ star guard. The NBA owns the Hornets and is exercising authority over personnel moves.

With the talks over, the Lakers agreed to send Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for a trade exception that can be used in later deals. Odom had been a key piece of the Lakers’ proposed trade for Paul.

The Lakers, the Hornets and the Houston Rockets had been trying for two days to arrange a new deal after Commissioner David Stern vetoed their first attempt Thursday night.

Under the original proposal, the Hornets would have received Odom and three Rockets players — Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic — and a 2012 first-round pick belonging to the Knicks. Houston would have received Pau Gasol from the Lakers.

Although the Hornets’ front office approved the deal, it was overruled by Stern and his basketball advisers in the league office, who considered the return package insufficient.

The league directed the Hornets to seek younger players and draft picks from the Rockets and the Lakers. When the Lakers balked at the league’s demand Saturday, the deal fell apart, according to the person with knowledge of the talks. It is not clear precisely what the NBA — through the Hornets — demanded, but the immediate speculation was that the league wanted the Lakers to give up Andrew Bynum, their promising young center.

The Lakers want to hold onto Bynum, to pair with Paul for the future or as the main chip in a trade for Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic center, who is asking to be traded.

Otis Smith, the Orlando Magic general manager, made Howard’s request public Saturday afternoon in an interview with The Orlando Sentinel. Howard listed the Lakers, the Nets and the Mavericks as his preferred teams.

Having already given Howard’s agent, Dan Fegan, permission to talk to the teams, Smith said the Magic was open to offers.

“We wouldn’t be who we are if we don’t take a look around all 29 teams and try to make the best deal for the Orlando Magic,” Smith said.

Howard dropped hints about the Lakers before increasing scrutiny obliged him to adopt a neutral position last season, claiming that his preference was to stay in Orlando. Internet sites are now full of suggestions that the Nets are his first choice.

Some deals are getting done: Tyson Chandler joined the New York Knicks via a sign-and-trade in a three-team deal and Boston re-signed Jeff Green — but most of the focus remained on the status of the two All-Stars.

Until those situations are cleared up, business is moving slowly around the NBA. Top free agents such as Nene and Marc Gasol remain unsigned and other transactions will wait, with one agent describing the free agency process thus far as like “molasses.”

With little time between the ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement and the Christmas season openers, the NBA had training camps and free agency open Friday. But because so many transactions still haven’t been completed, teams are being left short-handed as they begin preparations.

The Knicks had only six players practicing as they maneuvered to fit in Chandler. The Hornets were similarly limited.

“The league is just so backlogged, everybody is doing the same thing,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, whose Celtics will visit the Knicks in the NBA season opener. “It’s hard. I haven’t looked, but I think some teams only have five or six guys.”

The Chicago Bulls are waiting to add a piece, believed to be Richard Hamilton once his buyout from the Detroit Pistons is complete. Team officials couldn’t talk about him, but center Joakim Noah is sure the front office will make the right move.

“I think Rip’s a hell of a player,” Noah said. “I have confidence they are doing the right things. For us, the only thing we can do is work hard.”