Clippers are close to acquiring Chris Paul

12 Dec 2011

Tweet
Pin It

As reported by the L.A. Times’ Broderick Turner:

The Clippers and the New Orleans Hornets were working vigorously Sunday night to consummate a blockbuster deal that would send All-Star point guard Chris Paul to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers’ cross-town rivals, said two people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak on the matter.

The deal hasn’t been completed, but both sides were in the closing stages of the negotiations.

The Clippers would send the Hornets center Chris Kaman, backup second-year guard Eric Bledsoe, second-year forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the No. 1 draft pick they got from the Minnesota Timberwolves that is unprotected in the 2012 draft, considered to be one of the best in recent years.

Clippers owner Donald Sterling and the NBA have to sign off on the deal.

Under the proposed deal, the Clippers would keep Eric Gordon. Therefore, if they match DeAndre Jordan’s offer sheet, the Clippers would be looking at a Jordan/Griffin/Butler/Gordon/Paul starting line-up. To me, that’s a playoff team. A fifth-seed even. Laker fans will protest that the Martin/Scola/Odom/Dragic/first round pick package was better, but this gives the Hornets a big expiring contract in Kaman, two young core pieces in Aminu and Bledsoe, and a potential top-5 in the deepest draft since 2008 (or maybe even 2003). We’ll keep the updates coming in as we learn new information.

This is an exciting time for the Clippers.

Yaroslav Korolev

Wow amazing. That team would be beasty. Might be better than okc.
- Clips4
  
  Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. OKC will still be better than us because they have a better coach and they have been together for a few years.
  - Yaroslav Korolev
    
    Talent>chemistry
    - AH
      
      Well I think the Dallas/Miami Finals disproved that. But I think the learning curve for the Clippers would be a little quicker than OKC since CP3 brings a wealth of experience with him and his games is built for chemistry.
      - TNT
        
        Have you genius’ ever heard the saying TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? Trading GORDON, KAMAN, BLED, PICK and AMINU is stupid! You think a gimpy PAUL and GRIFFIN are going anywhere by themselves? This is a CRAZY DUMB TRADE!
  - Renato S.
    
    But if you look at the pieces they complement each other, that’s the best thing to create chemistry.
    
    CP3 is a general floor, he makes players better, he gives them easy baskets and he can rise and close a game.
    
    Gordon is an excellent scorer, all around, shoots from everywhere and can slash and create his own shot.
    
    Butler will bring vet experience, he can score if needed and has a very reliable mid range, he helps space the floor.
    
    Griffin is a terrific athlete, he does a lot of damage in the paint, has post moves and I’m sure he extended his range during the Lockout.
    
    Jordan does the dirty things, catch offensive rebounds, block shots, he can become something like Chandler and Perkins, but more athletic, way more than Perkins at least.
    
    As you see, there are not players overlaying here, it’s not like Wade and Lebron. The good and bad thing in OKC is that Westbrook has this scorer mentality and he is a PG, it can help sometimes, but he is a PG, he needs to know that there are times that you HAVE to make the others around you better.
  - TNT
    
    enjoy because paul will be a laker when his 1 yr deal is done.
    - griffin
      
      Lakers can’t afford chris paul they are way over the cap that why they wanted to trade for cp3 and knicks can’t afford cp3 either. And ask for gordon. He isn’t on the trade block and will never be on the trade block. Clippers made that clear
JLove

OH PLEASEEE LORDYY tell me it’s the truth
Alex Ross

5th seed? How about a top 3 seed. Using NBA Rank, we would have the #4 and highest rated PG in the league (Paul), #10 (Griffin), and #39 (Gordon) in our starting line. Outside of the heat, I don’t think anyone in the league can claim a better starting 5. And having Mo Williams coming off the bench, he could win 6th man of the year.
- Clips4
  
  I say we will be a 4-6 seed in the playoffs.
- http://clipperblog.com Jovan Buha
  
  I’d still put Thunder and Lakers ahead of Clippers. Mavs and Spurs would be close but they have more experience. Bench is Mo Williams, Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes. Not too deep. Adjusting to Butler and Paul is going to take time. I say fourth seed at best, seventh at worst. Injuries have to be taken into account too (Butler, Gordon and Paul are all somewhat injury-prone).
- Renato S.
  
  If they stay healthy I think that TOP3 is very reasonable.
  
  If not, at least Playoffs for sure.
Jgroove

Bench is still slightly weak. Foye, Gomes, Cook (waive him!) and the two rookies. We need more veteran help. Who’s still out there lookin’ for a home?
- mbaezbol
  
  Mo Williams will be coming off the bench and they have Craig Smith and the rookie Klay Thompson. Its not the greatest bench but basically all the position are covered. If they could pick up a nice minute eaters like Ike Diogu, the Clippers are really set to go.
- Clips4
  
  Cook’s contract can be used in further trades because it is an expiring one. Sign a center from the NBDL!
Jay

“5th seed even”? Dude being a Clippers fan has made you far too pessimistic. I would put OKC and Dallas ahead of us but I like our chances against anyone else.
- griffin
  
  Dallas don’t have chandler no more so I wouldn’t put them ahead of us just yet.
shake zula

been a clipper fan since the loy vaught era.

it’s happening. it’s finally happening.
AH

I would say 5th seed at worst. Last years playoff teams:

MEM – team largely intact (lose Mayo, add McRoberts)
OKC – team largely intact (lose Robinson, healthier Perkins)
SA – team largely intact (amnesty Jefferson, older, HoF Coach)

Aside from the above three, we’d have to wait and see how the other top teams in the West develop.

LAL – major changes in the works (new coach/system, D12?, amnestied PG?)
DAL – major changes in the works (lose Chandler, lose Barea, lose Butler, add Odom, add Carter, add Fernandez)
POR – moderate changes (lose Roy, lose Miller, lose Fernandez, add Felton)
DEN – major changes in the works (lose Smith, lose Martin, lose Felton, lose Nene?, lose Afflalo?, add Miller)
NOH – complete rebuilding mode (lose West, lose Paul, add Bledsoe, add Aminu, add Kaman)

Depending on how DAL and LAL shake out, I’d say LAC fits in more with the top half of this group than the bottom half.
Ghost of Danny Manning

Anyone else getting a bit nervous about giving away a 2012 lottery pick (it’s been so long since we haven’t had a lottery pick), paying $11 million a year for a backup center (but he can dunk), and acquiring a point guard with a bad knee to play with our awesome pf (who also had knee surgery).

As a long time Clipper fan… I just can’t get comfortable with the idea of this.

Also, if EJ is included in this deal, we are stupid, Paul just isn’t worth both EJ and the pick. I don’t want to include the pick in the deal, if we wait a few months the price of Paul will come down dramatically.
- Vlad
  
  Nope! What is the point of expounding on the negatives, when this is such a positive right now? Sure, chris can get injured, any player can, and if he does we will deal with it then, enjoy the moment and maybe you can stop bringing up and reliving past pain. It’s a new day, there’s no reason to be shackled to the past anymore.
  
  I do agree with you about including Ej, that would be a dumb move, which is why I think it won’t be happening.
  - Renato S.
    
    Clippers should contract Suns med team! They are magicians!
    - griffin
      
      Gordon isn’t on the trade block and yes contract suns training and med team
- griffin
  
  And ask for the ghost of danny manning yes that sound like the clipper curse but blake is changing that wasn’t his dunks enough to lift that curse for good things to come?. And what about dwayne wade he suffered a big knee injury and we thought he was done. But wade cameback even better. Let him be the inspriartion for chris paul and butler
  - Ghost of Danny Manning
    
    Agreed about the curse lifting… I also thought it was lifting after 2006 though…
    
    As a clipper fan, I’m a pragmatic optimist, I really hope things work out here, but with the most recent rumors saying both EJ and the pick for Paul, this is not a good deal anymore.
    
    Also, we should definitely hire a better training/medical staff… if the Suns team is available I’m all about it!
- Keep Aminu
  
  I totally agree–this is a nightmare of a trade. I mean, if I wanted to watch a great business organization, I’d be a Laker fan. As it is, I love the Clippers because they’re exciting to watch. Al-Farouq Aminu (turnovers and all) was my new favorite player of late. The thing that kills me about the Clippers is that they always let their own exciting players (Earl Boykins, Elton Brand, Zach Randolf, Darius Miles, Lamar Odom, Quentin Richardson, Corey Maggette) get injured or get away from them. In my opinion, patience with Aminu, Bledsoe, and Gordon now would pay off in the long run–especially if the Clippers don’t trade away their draft pick.
  
  In fact, it’s ironic to realize that if the Clippers hadn’t traded away the first pick in this last draft, they could have used the terms of the new NBA collective bargaining agreement to avoid responsibility for Baron Davis’s large contract anyway.
  
  Who decided that playing against weak competition makes a champion? I wish players–superstars and otherwise–would just be loyal to their original teams….
  
  Oh, well, it’s just a game. Well wishes to the players wherever they go.
JB

Bledsoe used to be my favorite player on the team… anyway, trading away Kaman, Aminu and the 1st roudn pick together with him for Paul seems to be quite fair. Especially to hold Griffin in the team.
AlAl

Come on, that was my offer from the very beginning and we needed to see all the circus before that can materialize? Just pull the trigger. NOH are getting a great rebuilding prospect (imagine how stupid we’ll look if in 2 years time Bledsoe is an all-star and CP3 is in New York).
Basically, if this team stays healthy (or even with one injury) we could be looking at a top 3 spot with only OKC and possibly SA ahead of us.

1. OKC
2. SA
3. Clips
4. Lakers
5. Memphis
6. Dallas
7. Portland
8. Jazz
- Renato S.
  
  That was everyone’s offers. I wrote about that 1 or 2 weeks ago, Simmons also wrote about that some days ago.
  
  But I read that the Hornets weren’t interested in Aminu, but I guess that after the deal with the Lakers collapsed, everything changed.
  - griffin
    
    Knicks can’t afford chris paul
    - griffin
      
      They got tyson chandler so knicks and lakers are out of the picture
mikedeuce

Right now I’m not caring who is better in the west because all I can think about are the nasty alley oops and passes to Griffin and Jordan that Paul is going to find all day.
Neil

Wait now they are giving up Gordon instead of Bledsoe. The deal would have went through already but the Clippers want to keep Bledsoe. As of now, here is the offer that is pending Stern’s approval. Honestly I think Gordon AND the Min 1st round pick is a bit much but I’m still very happy with Paul, Griffin, Jordan and Butler(assuming he stays healthy).

guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman and forward Al-Farouq Aminu. It would also include Minnesota’s first-round draft pick in 2012.
- griffin
  
  No they changed it back cuz NOH wants bledsoe and they never ment to put gordon on the trade block
rgc

Anytime you net a CP in a deal, it’s hard to think you didn’t walk away better, but IF Gordon AND Minny pick are involved…Sheesh. The Minny pick I can care less about, as that’s speculative at best, but to give an emerging 2 like Gordon up, with everything else. So we either move Caron to the two, or it’s going to be Foye in this scenario, and have Gomes at the 3 again. Seems like we will just be creating another hole…Then, if we keep Bledsoe, we now have three PG’s who all deserve PT. Doesn’t quite make the most sense to me…
Juan

Getting a player of CP3 caliber is exciting, but as the trade stands now, it’s too much. Need outside threat and you have that in Gordon. Bledsoe now has one more year under his belt and will be taking over Mo’s spot when his contract expires. Aminu should have been doing off season training and shooting to be the 4 that he can really be. On top of that you have a potential top 5 pick next year who can be used to fill any spot other than the 2,4, or 5. As Clipper fans we’ve been patient and the last few draft picks have been well handled. Let’s not do this trade and be patient. For all we know we could land the next CP3 in the draft.
rgc

you also have to wonder why the Clips are playing hardball on keeping Bledsoe when they are acquiring the best pure PG. Is he insurance in case Paul walks? In case Paul’s knees give? Do the Clips have a bad feeling about the possibility of extending Gordon, which would make his inclusion in the deal palatable and sensible in that scenario. I also suppose, if we keep Bledsoe, we can wait until he gets healthy and move him later for other resources, like a 2 if we feel comfortable Paul will be here long term.
manolosandro

Good deal… Not sure if re-signing Gordon was a slam dunk ( pun intended) The potential of pairing up CP3 and Griffin is awesome!!!! Good move by the Clips on all fronts.
Kurt

ESPN.com reporting Clippers are giving up EJ as well but fighting for Bledsoe. I hope that is a mistake on the reporters part. I would much rather have EJ than CP3, but maybe that is just me.
- Renato S.
  
  No, it’s not just you.
Juan

The question is if you give up Gordon, who plays at the 2? Gordon is a good defender and getting used to be being a complementary player around Griffin. Bledsoe you can give up, I guess, cause then you’d have Mo as a backup. Just having a hard time on giving up Gordon. All you need in a PG for this team, especially now that they signed Butler, is a facilitator. Remember when Gordon was out and teams doubled on Griffin, he had no one to help him out and they lost quite a few games. Now with Gordon and Butler, teams are gonna have a hard time covering all the guys and any missed shots will be swallowed up by DJ and stuffed back. If that much is given up the have nice starting 5 but that’s it. Ask Lakers how well that worked last year.
- Clips4
  
  Mo Williams goes to the 2. Our backcourt is going to be really undersized.
trn921

giving up Ej for CP3 does not make sense at all. why would Clips have to give up that much assets to land CP3 himself??? everyone knows he will be UFA once he opts out his current deal next year. why not let him walk instead of trading EJ, Minny Pick, Aminu + Kaman + Bledsoe(?) all for him? this trade is truly absurd. keep EJ and Minny Pick. it worth more than landing CP3 via this ridiculous trade.
Renato S.

Nooooooo… Don’t trade EJ!

But if he goes, I think they will trade or amnesty Williams.
- Renato S.
  
  He is too expensive to be a backup PG.
AlAl

Now that is just idiotic – keep Bledsoe? What we need Bledsoe for with CP3 AND Mo Williams? Mo is not a SG, so we end up with 3 PG’s and no quality at SG! A deal including EJ AND Minny pick is a no deal for me…not even if CP3 commits to a 10 year contract!
- trn921
  
  totally agree. never worth the trade for giving up this much of assets. Lakers and Houston should write a note to David Stern so that he will nix this trade too (being sarcastic).
- Gustavos
  
  According to ESPN, the deal submitted to the league includes the Minnesota pick AND Eric Gordon. Say it ain’t so!
  - Will
    
    And according to WOJ and Yahoo! – EJ is NOT included. Just the pick, kaman, aminu and Bledsoe.
    
    DO IT.
Max Powers

After the laker vetos, no way we get Cp3 without Gordon. It’d look horrible
- Gustavos
  
  So at what point does the asking point get too high? Would it be better to have Gordon and possibly Sullinger to team with Griffin or Paul?
Renato S.

I rather have Gordon, Bledsoe, Aminu, Kaman and the pick than have CP3. That’s too much, just too much. I’ll cheer against this, I don’t care.

With Williams and Kaman contract there are still other possible moves to make to improve the roster or even the starting lineup.
- Steve
  
  Like what? ALL of us would rather have Gordon, that’s a moot point. But the rest of the pieces? Dude if it was only about keeping Bledsoe, sorry Bled but we will catch ya on the flip side. It’s time for the Clips to win now… all this talk about Paul being an UFA is fine and dandy, but you think he is going to want to leave after playing with Griffin/DJ and we go deep this year? Where else would he go, and who does he rather play with than BG?? I hate losing Gordon but I think we pull the trigger.
  - Chris Wilcox’s Socks
    
    Unfortunately I think this is true. As bad as it will burn to lose Gordon, I suppose the thinking is two-fold :
    
    1) Win now : CP3 gives us the better chance to win now and if including Gordon in the trade makes it fair to the NBA then that’s what we need to do.
    
    2) Gordon may be assumed to be too expensive. He’s an amazing player that will justifiably demand a major salary when he becomes a free agent. If the Clips match/matched the Warriors offer sheet for Jordan (which is for serious money) then I doubt they could afford to keep everyone when Gordon AND Griffin’s contract expire.
    
    At the end of the day if this thing sticks we should all be excited for one simple reason : We have the lethal combo of CP3 and Blake Griffin and no one else in the league does!!!
  - Renato S.
    
    Like what? I don’t know, it doesn’t have to be done now anyway, even without CP3 this is a Playoff team, the Clippers have until March 15th to make trades, as long as they prove to be a Playoff team and prove the doubters wrong, the Clippers will have leverage to get better players.
    
    The protected pick as the Playoff is getting near will have even more leverage. Because by then we will have a better idea of the draft picks.
    
    So, again, this trade is stupid, I don’t care if CP3 stay if we lose both the pick and EJ.
- trn921
  
  hate this trade. absolutely do. Gordon is bigger, stronger and 4 yr younger than CP3. you can pick up Billups or any other PGs amnestied by teams instead of landing CP3.
- Gustavos
  
  I agree with you. If the finals taught us anything, it’s that in order to win a team must have an 8 man rotation. Depending upon the Minnesota lottery selection, the team without CP3 is deeper and possibly better.
  
  Bledsoe, Griffin, Draft Pick, Williams, Jordan, Aminu, Gordon, Butler is not too bad.
  - trn921
    
    people who think CP3 is worth giving up both EJ and Minny pick will regret this trade in a few years from now on. CP3 is no LBJ or D12. you can win the championship as Mavs did last year. deepen the roster instead of depleting it.
fs

Time to let our wonderful gm go..
http://dailydoseofpayne.blogspot.com/ ChrisP

Gordon better NOT be apart of this deal!!!
Alan Lemmerman

its so frustrating to me that the clippers have came this far and almost had a perfect team put together to go and mess it up by trading gordon. the only way you include gordon in a trade would be for dwight. i would be fine with keeping EJ and Mo in the back court and not really having a hole in the line up then trading away every single asset we have and creating a hole at the 2 spot for a player who is just as good as EJ but he plays the point so he gets the assists makes no sense. no who is going to play the 2 is the ? now.
Buffalo Brave

Another league source told Yahoo Sports that Gordon is NOT part of the deal. Apprarently, this league source spoke AFTER the latest ESPN report that has him in there.

I honestly don’t believe that the Clips would surrender both Gordon and the Minny pick.
- Gus
  
  My fingers are crossed. Gordon needs to stay. If management is afraid of paying him, then keep the pick. But giving up both is insane!
  - Airreezy
    
    WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
    Eric Gordon isn’t included in a revised Clippers-New Orleans deal for Chris Paul, league source tells Y! Sports.
    12 Dec Favorite Undo Retweet Reply
    
    adrian is usually right unlike chris broussard
  - Chris Wilcox’s Socks
    
    Broussard is reporting that Gordon’s name is being left out so that, if it gets vetoed, a Lamar Odom type situation won’t develop.
    - Airreezy
      
      broussard can eat a dick
Juan

If anyone out here has Neil’s ear, tell him to please pull the plug on this trade. Stern is crazy and wants way too much. Trade Kaman somewhere for a pick. Mo’s contract is up next year and with the Min pick you can pick up a good PG next year. Bledsoe + Aminu have great upside and would be great 2nd team leaders.

Please don’t do it Clips!!
- Buffalo Brave
  
  how would it work trading Kaman for a pick? You’d need to have a team that could absorb his cap space? Wouldn’t it have to involve a high-salaried player? Wouldn’t they be better off holding on to Kaman in case they can land an important piece or just letting his salary come off the books at the end of the year?
Buffalo Brave

Yahoo Sports just posted an article within the last 20 minutes that says the deal, as reported in the LA Times, was sent to the league for approval.

“Demps and the Hornets have apparently agreed to send Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers for Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu, and ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first pick in the 2012 draft. That pick is unprotected, and clearly the top motive for New Orleans in making this deal.”

Yahoo! and ESPN – will their duels become legend?
Steve

Please let this be the damn truth!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-Hornets-have-agreed-to-send-Chris-Paul-to-th?urn=nba-wp11647&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
- Buffalo Brave
  
  apologies if I’m posting too much here….but….
  
  David Aldridge tweeted that the Hornets must choose between Gordon and the pick.
  - Steve
    
    If that’s true I’m throwing up in my mouth a little bit.
- Renato S.
  
  let’s hope that Y! version is true instead of the ESPN one.
  
  IF the Y! version come to be true…
  
  OMFG, what a team… what a team…
  
  And you still can trade, amnesty or something Williams for a more bench like players, mainly a backup PG and a C for Mo.
Clip

I heard Eric Gordon is also part of this deal. Please tell me its not so………
Derrick Gordon

If the clippers give up Gordon in the trade then they have given up too much. Please do not blow up the team for two years of paul. If we win without him, and we will, then he will come anyway. Keep Gordon, trade Kaman, the pick, Aminu and Bledsoe. They want more they can look elsewhere.
- Buffalo Brave
  
  If think the Clips should do this deal if it’s Gordon and not the pick; and they should do it if it’s the pick and not Gordon. If it’s both, then forget it.
  
  Paul is an upgrade over Gordon in my mind, but the price is too high when you consider that the cost of filling a hole at PG is to create a hole at SG, giving away a potential star in the draft and two young pieces.
ClipsFan4Life

i dont know if you guys no but we’ve pretty much have owned the Thunder! Imagine with the “New Clips” team i mean come on! I hoping and praying that this goes down! but im also hearing that Gordon is part of the deal which i really really hope is not the case!
Chris Wilcox’s Socks

Broussard just posted this on twitter : Sources say in addition to Bledsoe, league asking for another pick from Minny. Stern is trying to make this impossible.

———–

Maybe this doesn’t happen after all.
Clip

If Gordon goes and DJ is not matched… we can kiss Blake good bye! with our with out CP3…
Airreezy

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-Hornets-have-agreed-to-send-Chris-Paul-to-th?urn=nba-wp11647
Credit New Orleans Hornets general manager Dell Demps. The man had no leverage and no support from his bosses in the NBA’s front office. He could have taken his time following the league’s dismissal of Demps’ three-way trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last week, pretending that he had some sort of advantage when it came to trading superstar guard Chris Paul, but instead the Hornets deputy personnel chief (second only to David Stern, of course) has apparently pulled the trigger on a quick deal that will deliver something sound to his team.
As first reported by the Los Angeles Times, Demps and the Hornets have apparently agreed to send Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers for Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu, and ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first pick in the 2012 draft. That pick is unprotected, and clearly the top motive for New Orleans in making this deal.
(Minnesota’s top motive for sending the pick, back in 2005? Marko Jaric.)
Los Angeles’ top motive? They get an All-NBA talent for a season, and a chance to woo and sign that All-NBA talent to a bigger deal than anyone else can next July. Paul will dominate the ball for a team that needs someone, in the wake of Baron Davis’ stint with the Clippers, to dominate the ball the right way. And assuming Los Angeles matches Golden State’s offer to restricted free agent DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers have a starting lineup and bench worth preparing the postseason for.
Of course, there are worries.
Again, this could be a rental. Paul could leave Los Angeles to go to any team that will take him on next July when his contract is up. He could chafe at playing for the decided step-sister in the Staples Center after nearly being traded twice to the Los Angeles Lakers, and his knee (which has been a concern for years) could hinder his abilities to dominate as he once did.
That’s a knee on Chris Paul, though. Not on Mo Williams or even Bledsoe (who is out for two months with knee concerns, as reported before the trade was announced). The Clippers are taking a chance on it in exchange for what could be a top pick in next June’s draft — a tantalizing asset, no doubt, but one they’d have to wait on not only to draft but to develop.
Paul? He’s done developed, ask any point guard in the league, and this was well worth the haul. Especially because the Clippers didn’t have to depart with shooting guard Eric Gordon in the deal.
We can’t blame Demps for failing to secure Gordon in the exchange, partially because the Minnesota pick is comparable, but mostly because Demps had absolutely no leverage. David Stern, in a misguided attempt to aid the team that the NBA owns, put the kibosh on a Paul deal last week that would have secured Demps several prime trading chips along with a young 20-point scorer in Kevin Martin; thus blowing to bits any chance New Orleans had at dangling Paul in the typical NBA manner.
The Hornets won’t grab any 20-point scorers this time around (though a beefy frontline of Kaman and Emeka Okafor intrigues), but scoring that Minnesota pick is huge. By all accounts, the 2012 NBA draft is loaded, and it is arguable that Demps should have gone after this deal (as opposed to the Laker grab, which would have necessitated more deals from Demps to rid his team of older players) all along.
Credit Demps, in this regard. He may have threatened to retire on Thursday, when word came down from the NBA’s office that Demps wasn’t actually in charge of his own team, but he didn’t bat an eye in securing what appears to be the best possible deal for New Orleans.
Now it’s up to David Stern and the NBA to get their head out of the sand and realize as much.
- Will
  
  Even if CP3 is a rental .. you do it. The second best asset in this trade? Also a rental in Chris Kaman. Bledsoe and AFA do not look like anything more than bench players and the Clippers do not need any more young players.
  
  A playoff experinced floor general makes this team not contend for playoffs. but for titles. Also, Lets not forget what CP3 can do to help out some nice young devoloping talent. Perfect fit with our athleticism in the front court and also fills the huge need for a playmaking PG. Keep your fingers crossed, Clipper fans.
ClipsFan4Life

i keep hearing reports that the trade has already been proposed but the trade is Gordon, Aminu, Kaman but they also want Bledsoe and the minny pick! Im praying to good that its not true and that the deal is Bledsoe Aminu Kaman and the minny pick. we cant lose Gordon! I dont know why the hornets dont realize that they are asking for way to much! Gordon and the minny pick is worth paul alone! but they can get future stars and possible 2 top 5 draft picks! i mean come on! stop asking for way to much!
- Gus
  
  Yahoo sports reports that EJ is not included. Mark Stein and Chris Broussard say EJ is in. Which one to believe?
http://www.barmapla.com FD

It’s an ok deal. You can also trade CP3 later in the year if things don’t work out.
http://Lou louis

TNT go back to your cave, since when Lakers fans share their feelings with the Ciippers fans, you guys have won I do not know how many championships, let us dream for a few hours or may are foreseeing the falling of the Lakers if they do not trade for Howard.
- TNT
  
  Hey, dumbass, I’ve been a Clip season tix holder for 7 years so you go back to my cave and eat me. If you think giving up GORDON, KAMAN, BLED AND A 1ST PICK is a good deal you’re dumber than you look. Sound. You get it. YOURE A MORON! BTW I hate the Lakers but in a year or 2 PAUL will be there…you watch. And me saying it doesn’t mean I like it. You’re probably one of those idiots who thinks all Muslims are terrorist. Go ahead, show your stupidity and say that’s true. I dare ya. I double dare ya.
jay_sobs1

PLEASE CLEAR THIS UP…….

LA Times reporting Gordon not in trade but ESPN saying Gordon is involved in trade for Paul….

I love the trade but for EJ, man hell no….Paul can stay a Hornet all I care about is keeping BLAKE, EJ and DJ.
- Buffalo Brave
  
  here’s my take on what is happening. The Hornets GM is doing double duty – neglotiating on the one side with the Clipppers and on the other side with his NBA masters. The LA Times’ source is likely from the Clippers organization and are describing their direct talks with Demps (in which Gordon is not involved). ESPN’s source is likely from somone on the NBA/Hornets side of the discussion, and they likely have told Demps that Gordon is to be included.
  
  I think that the current Yahoo update (saying dealing may be cratering) is likely accurate and it’s because Demps cannot reconcile the gulf that exists between what the Clipppers will do and what the NBA will accept.
http://www.barmapla.com FD

They’re saying the deal is off now cus they want too much. They must be asking for Gordon and the minny pick along with everything else.

I’m all for giving up as much as possible, but even this is to much. If you’re giving up both, at least keep bledsoe and afa
- QD
  
  Never bid against yourself, the clipper deal was good but they want more.
  Clippers should walk away from the deal until the NBA is serious about trading CP3
jjjj

If the Clippers get Paul and give up all those players, who do we have on the bench?
Gomes, Foye, Cook? It sounds like a pretty weak bench.
NihilistZerO

If Stern axes a 3rd trade for Paul this is going to the courts and I don’t see how Paul and the Players Association can do anything other than sue.
EricGordonsAnkleBrace

ESPN is reporting that we lose the 2012 minnesota pick, gordon, kaman, bledsoe, aminu AND Hornets want MORE future picks.

THIS IS NOT MICHAEL JORDAN, its chris paul, he’s a midget with bad knees coming off knee surgery. If the clippers do this we have destroyed our future. We were set to be a powerhouse, you don’t give up ALL your leverage to someone with NO leverage.

We don’t NEED to make this trade, New Orleans DOES. If they want Gordon AND the PICK you get up and WALK AWAY, no you RUN AWAY.

This is insane. It will be ok until either griffin or paul get hurt and then you are worse off than ever.

PS – we are resigning DJ for 4 years and 42 million which is way too much, all he can do is dunk. Thats not worth 10 million a year, let him walk and cripple Golden State for the next 4 years with that awful contract….
- http://aol.com Clipper Marc
  
  don’t you think GS upped the anti for DJ just to use up our cap space for the next few years.
clip4life

It looks like it may fall apart, dont think that really want to trade him. we may have to move on.
Jambir

Gordon is my absolute favorite player in the NBA, but I think he will be needed to get a deal done. I am guessing they will also include the Min pick. I hate to loose Gordon, but if this deal gets done it will instantly make them relevent and top destination for free agents. I think we do it, but this is hard to swallow loosing Gordon.
- joeluis323
  
  letting gordon go is stating that cp3 wont sign after a year. Meaning we’ll be in bad shape in the nearfuture… No cp3, no gordon. Blake wont take that and he’ll bounce too.
  - EricGordonsAnkleBrace
    
    Exactly. Signing CP3 is destroying the Clippers for the next 10-15 years. Just keep the pick, keep EJ, get an awesome rookie next year and the team is stillloaded if Blake leaves in 2 years.
Clips4

deal is dead
Gus

Sometimes the best trades are the ones that are never made. After this season, the Clippers will be a young, deep and dangerous team. Huge upside, huge length. Jay Bilas, anything to add?
joeluis323

Sources say this deal is dead.. OMFG!! why who knows what Stert is thinking!!
coudos to Olshey for not giving away Gordon + Minni Pick.. I can’t work today… This CP3 deal has given me a sore neck!
http://Lou louis

I have just read that the commissioner’s office says no deal. please verify
- joeluis323
  
  This is all i’ve seen on a cbs2 tweet: According to person on periphery of Chris Paul talks, trade to the Clippers died this morning. Time of death unknown
http://www.barmapla.com FD

I’ve always had full faith that Olshey will get nothing doing.
- AH
  
  If the price was Bledsoe, Aminu, Gordon and the Minny 1 then I’m glad he got nothing done. And I’m pretty sure most people here would agree.
  - EricGordonsAnkleBrace
    
    AND New Orleans wanted future #1 pick(s) as well. They wanted like 7-8 guys for 1 1-2 yr player who will walk away after his one year FA extension. Which then Blake would walk too and we’d be without ANYTHING.
    - http://www.barmapla.com FD
      
      Yeah, but it’s because they knew they were negotiating with an Olshey. Fact is Olshey didn’t get it done. He’s done nothing and will do nothing.
      - Gustavos
        
        Then how do you explain the league turning down Mitch Kupchek and Daryl Morley? The commissioner’s office keeps moving the goal line.
        
        “We’ll agree if you do this.” Clippers then meet their demands. “Did we say this? We meant this and that.” Etc., etc., etc….
      - Juan
        
        Should be glad Olshey didn’t pull the trigger. He’s only been responsible for drafting Griffin, Aminu, and Bledose. Oh yeah, and found someone dumb enough to take BD…
AH

Ah ha! ESPN is backing off their contention that Gordon was always in the trade.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7345461/new-orleans-hornets-chris-paul-los-angeles-clippers-trade-dies-price-too-high-sources-say

“At the NBA’s direction, sources said, New Orleans was insisting upon the inclusion of both shooting guard Eric Gordon and Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round draft choice in addition to former All-Star center Chris Kaman and prospects Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe. The Clippers found the demands “too steep,” according to one source close to the process”
- Renato S.
  
  That Chris Broussard punk…
  
  He was off… AGAIN!
joeluis323

So what’s Rondo’s status? Sigh..
joeluis323

Is it too early to stat drinking.. at work?…i need to cheer up… i guess i can always youtube the knicks Vs Clippers game of last season!!
Average Jose

Walk away Clippers…. just walk away. Go back to training camp. We have a good team already. No need to get completely raped to get one player who may get injured anyway.

Bledsoe, Aminu, Kaman and the Minny pick. No more.
- http://www.hh4law.com Deez Nutz
  
  Agree 100%.
EricGordonsAnkleBrace

I’m betting CP3 will end up in Orlando and he and D12 will ressign there. Stern is doing his buddies a favor since they built him the new multi-hiundred million dollar stadium…. just saying…
AlAl

AMAZING NEWS for the deal…it is dead! If NOH think they can get better than Kaman, Aminu, Bledsoe, the pick, they should think again! CP3 is leaving in 4 months and they’ll get nothing! Excuse me, but Gordon, Bledsoe, Aminu, Kaman, the pick…maybe Blake as well…who are you kidding! Get stuffed with CP3 then! We are going to the playoffs with what we have right now, so just match DeAndre and possibly get another PF!
- TNT
  
  WAIT! JOHN HOPKINS is announcing that CHRIS PAUL’S urine is new cure for cancer! WOW. This guy is really magical! Hey, Hornets, sit on your collective thumbs and spin! This is a perfect example of sports version of mass hysteria.
jjjj

They definitely need to walk away from this one. The team is actually not bad as they are right now and maybe next year they can get themselves another piece for the future with their draft pick.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  They definitely need to replace Olshey and get a GM that can negotiate a good deal.
  - Gus
    
    It’s not Olshey’s fault. In order to negotiate, both sides need to be willing participants. While the Hornets were ready to deal in good faith, the commissioner’s office was not.
    
    The offers are only going to get worse from here. The fans in N.O. are in for a bad future. Paul is stuck there this year unless a miracle occurs. Then he’ll leave and the team will get NOTHING. In the interim, all the distractions that surrounded Denver last year will now befall New Orleans.
    
    David Stern has proven to anyone watching that he’s stayed too long.
http://Lou louis

All of the commissioner realized that this is gonna be a very strong Clippers team, we could be sued by the Lakers and Houston. This team (included EJ) could have changed the whole West that is the reason the commissioner asked NO to keep asking for more players. Until the Clippers realized that enough is enough.
- TNT
  
  Every time I think you’ve written the dumbest post I’ve ever read you do it again. Sued by who for what? Are you suffering a brain injury?
Gus

I saw a funny post of ESPN. “Chris Paul ordered a three-piece combo at Popeyes; Stern voids the deal.”

How can Dale Demps not resign in New Orleans? He’s been neutered by the commissioner.

I think the Player’s Union is going to have to file a grievance of behalf of CP3. No one gets a 100 cents on the dollar when trading a superstar. A team is lucky to get 75 cents. In both rejected proposals, the Hornets actually got more in return than Minnesota did when they traded KG, and more than the Nuggets got when they traded Mello.
LIVEPERL

Unreal. The NBA sucks. Stern is a moron. This is ridiculously comical. I agree the price was now too steep with the Hornets wanting Gordon AND Bledsoe as well as the other 3 pieces previously talked about. PAUL should be a CLIPPER. Horrible again. Speechless. Awful.
- Juan
  
  Problem is, no on wants to buy NO without Paul or a gang of promising new talent. Maybe McCourt can get in there with a good deal….
joeluis323

This could very well be just another nogotiation tactic to see if the clips give in…

A source told Yahoo! that “for now” the deal is off, but could be revisited if the NBA-owned Hornets lower their asking price.

Dont’ do It Olshey! There just isnt a better deal outhere!
‘CP3 ATM is like the hot chick on the other side of the bar that’s looking at you! Dont show your excitement Olshey dont do it!
EricGordonsAnkleBrace

No one wants to buy the Hornets. Stern is vetoing deals so the franchise flounders and can be contracted next summer. The NO roster has like 5 guys on it right now. They are a joke.
- Gus
  
  Contraction means the 29 owners collectively eat the more than $300 million they paid for the franchise from George Shinn. It also means legal problems for the collective bargaining agreement just passed by the NBAPA. Not so easy to eliminate 15 union jobs.
  
  Don’t bet on it.

Co-Founder & Publisher:	Kevin Arnovitz
Co-Founder & CTO:	Michael Fiske
Executive Editor:	D.J. Foster
Managing Editor:	Andrew Han
Senior Contributors:	Jordan Heimer
	Fred Katz
	Breene Murphy
Staff Writers:	Jovan Buha
	Patrick James

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Nov				Jan »
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Clippers are close to acquiring Chris Paul

ClipperBlog Contributors:

Live Twitter Feeds:

Your ClipperBlog Contributors:

Clippers Twitters:

Clipperblog Feed

Servicing all of your taco truck needs...

Calendar

Recent Posts

Archives

Old Archives

External Links

Pages

The Tag Cloud

Recent Comments