Paul to Clips!! (supposedly)

Sources: Clippers, Hornets agree
EmailPrintComments
644
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
Archive

Paul
The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a deal in principle with the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to acquire guard Chris Paul, according to sources close to the process.

The Clippers, sources said, will send guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota's unprotected 2012 first-round pick to the Hornets for Paul.

The Clippers will also receive two future second-round picks, according to sources.

The deal is expected to be approved by the league Wednesday night, sources said.

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

Follow Marc Stein on Twitter: @ESPNSteinLine

So what do people think, is this a better deal than what they would have received with the original Lakers deal? I think so.

Better value for the Hornets and potential new owners basketball wise (more freedom to to build your own team) and no extra payroll.

I'm glad the Lakers struck out on this one.

Clippers gave up a lot but they have the two young studs in griffin x and jordan and now have the best pg in the nba. Nice threesome to build around.

Dboss

So when we wake up in the morning will Stern have axed this one too?

beat

From Tweetsville (in chronological order):

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Source confirms that Clippers are getting close to acquiring Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul. TNT's David Aldridge reported it first. [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

Source confirms to Y! Eric Gordon and 2012 Minnesota 1st-round pick going to Hornets as part of package for Chris Paul. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Source says Clipps will send Gordon, Kaman, Aminu and Minny 1st to New Orleans for Paul and picks. [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

When asked if deal sending Chris Paul to LAC for Gordon, Aminu, Kaman and pick had league approval, source says: "The league made deal." [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

The NBA has traded Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets to the Clippers for Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, 2012 pick. http://tinyurl.com/cqkcupj [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Hornets starting five could now be Jack and Gordon at guards, Ariza & Kaman & forwards and Okafor at center. Decent, but playoffs? [via Twitter]

freemaneric:

The Clippers are really weirdly constructed. They now have four PGs who expect a reasonable amount of playing time. [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

Chauncey Billlups is planning to meet Vinny Del Negro and Clippers staff for dinner tonight, source says. Buyout for dessert? [via Twitter]

freemaneric:

To people making this point to me: I expect the Minnesota pick to be in the second hal of the top 10. The trade details didn't change that. [via Twitter]

freemaneric:

I'm really glad this is over. I hope the NBA learned the right lessons, although I doubt they did. [via Twitter]

treykerby:

Really look forward to the innovative ways Vinny Del Negro has Chris Paul dribble at the top of the key every single play. [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

To be clear, the Clippers can waive Chauncey Billups and make him a free agent. They can't trade him. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Agent Andy Miller tells Yahoo! that Clippers won't be waiving Chauncey Billups. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Trade conference call expected tonight to complete CP to Clippers trade. [via Twitter]

Well, that is the new way that sports news is generated.

Hornets agree in principle to trade Paul to Clippers
December 14, 2011 · 7:35PM

The Los Angeles Clippers, in a potentially franchise-changing trade, have finally reached a deal with the New Orleans Hornets to acquire four-time All-Star guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets, sources tell TNT’s David Aldridge. The Clippers will send promising shooting guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, second-year forward Al-Faroqu Aminu and a 2012 first-round draft pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves that is currently unprotected to the Hornets.

A deal for Paul between the Hornets and the Clippers’ crosstown rival, the Lakers, was scotched last week by NBA Commissioner David Stern, acting on behalf of the league-owned Hornets. This one is widely believed to be good enough to pass muster.

The deal makes the Clippers a potential powerhouse in the Western Conference after almost three decades of being the NBA’s most laughably bad franchise, and shows the pull that third-year star forward Blake Griffin‘s presence has in luring marquee names to play there. With Griffin, Paul and newly signed small forward Caron Butler, the Clippers now have their own dynamic trio to compare with Miami’s “SuperFriends” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and New York’s new Big Three of Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and center Tyson Chandler, acquired last Saturday from Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal.

In the end, the Clippers abandoned their position that they wouldn’t include both Gordon and the unprotected first in the deal. The Hornets wanted five assets from the Clippers; the only one Los Angeles retained was second-year guard Eric Bledsoe.

But the Clippers still have dramatically changed the look and expectations of their roster, with the anticipation of the brilliant Paul throwing alley-oops to the high-flying Griffin already leading to the sale of around 1,000 season tickets in the last week, according to a league source. With Paul, Griffin, Butler and re-signed DeAndre Jordan taking over for Kaman at center, the Clippers could have one of the most athletic starting fives in the league.

Paul, according to sources, has committed to picking up his option year for the 2012-13 season, giving the Clippers at least two full years with Paul and Griffin together.

For New Orleans, it’s a reset for a franchise that has not been able to stabilize in recent years. Gordon, who averaged more than 22 points per game last season, is a top-notch two guard prospect. And the Draft pick may be especially valuable this year, as the 2012 Draft promises to be one of the deepest in recent years. With their own pick as well, the Hornets should get at least two young prospects to put on the court next season with Gordon and Aminu. The task now is to sell rebuilding as a promising concept for a fan base that committed to buy 10,000 season tickets before this season.

The NBA, which owns the Hornets, was adamant that in order to trade Paul, the Hornets had to get back a number of young assets that would both allow them to rebuild quickly and to be more palatable for potential owners who would keep the team in New Orleans. Aminu is 21; Gordon does not turn 23 until Christmas Day, and Kaman is 29.

It’s likely that the Hornets will flip Kaman, a former All-Star who’s in the final year of his contract and who would be in demand by many teams looking for a quality big man, by next summer at the latest for additional assets.

Paul originally was destined to go to the Clippers’ glamorous fellow Angelenos, the Lakers, as part of a three-team trade between the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets last week, but after the teams had gotten close to agreement, the NBA stepped in and killed the trade. In that deal, the Lakers would have gotten Paul, the Rockets would have gotten forward Pau Gasol and New Orleans would have received forwards Lamar Odom and Luis Scola, guards Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic and a 2012 first-round pick from Houston.

But Stern — after receiving withering criticism for getting involved — said the trade was rejected for “basketball reasons.” Several outlets reported that the league had been swayed by the concerns of small-market owners who didn’t want the Lakers to get another superstar player like Paul.

112288

More from Tweetsville (in chronological order):

SpearsNBAYahoo:

NBA announces media conference call regarding trade with David Stern & Hornets GM Dell Demps. [via Twitter]

WojYahooNBA:

Unreal. The NBA is making Dell Demps talk on a conference call with David Stern tonight. Just unreal. [via Twitter]

MagicJohnson:

Donald Sterling is doing everything he can to try to win the first championship for the Clippers. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern says they are trying to make sure they have a buyer that will keep the Hornets in New Orleans. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern says his decision to veto Lakers-Hornets-Rockets voided trade had nothing to do with Dan Gilbert's email. [via Twitter]

I read that Stern had already announced the veto of the before Gilbert sent the email. I cannot prove that, it is just something that I read.

freemaneric:

Stern is contradicting himself all over the place on this conference call. On NBA TV if you want to listen. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern believes the trade was good for the future for the Hornets. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern says Hornets can talk extension with Gordon, but NBA would sign off on all major transactions. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Demps: "This transaction here gives the team a long-term foundation. We get exciting young players and chance to add more. " [via Twitter]

freemaneric:

Wait, did Stern just say the NBA didn't reject the first completed Clippers trade????? [via Twitter]

As Outside said to me, semantics. Stern added to the deal, upped the ante and then waited for the Clippers to agree to his terms.

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern: "the future of the hornets in new orleans looks better today than ever before." [via Twitter]

Said the used-car salesman!!

freemaneric:

"We accept the concept of free agency." Well thank heavens for that! [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern said the Hornets have an option to use the amnesty clause if so choose. [via Twitter]

On who? Emeka Okafor? Trevor Ariza?

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern says new owner will likely take over Hornets the first half of 2012. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Stern said he is looking solely for ownership that would keep team in New Orleans. [via Twitter]

SpearsNBAYahoo:

Demps says commissioner's office was "unfairly protrayed." [via Twitter]

What a circus!!!

Much better deal than the Lakers earlier offer. Clippers are still not going anywhere...but if it makes Sterling happy, good for him.

Bill Simmon's take on the Chris Paul affair. I suspect TJ will not be happy with this. Just take it from whence it comes, TJ...

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7357471/the-tenth-day-nba-christmas

bob

.

LA Clippers will be one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. Paul will be throwing more lobs up to DeAndre Jordan & Blake Griffin than you will see at the 4 major tennis Grand Slams in 2012!


MD!

bobheckler wrote:Bill Simmon's take on the Chris Paul affair. I suspect TJ will not be happy with this. Just take it from whence it comes, TJ...

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7357471/the-tenth-day-nba-christmas

bob

.

bob,

For obvious reasons I can't stand Simmons, but I have to give him credit for researching the details that he used for his article.
He offered very realistic trade ideas for the Lakers.

Having Barnes or Ebanks start at SF will greatly add to the Lakers athleticism.
I am not worried about Bynum's health and I expect him to have a great year.
LA needs to get him more involved offensively.
He could wind up being the best center in the Western Conference.

This is a crazy one to think about...


Dave McMenamin: I am in NO WAY saying or predicting this happens, but, I checked into it and Kobe can't use his no-trade clause to block being amnestied.