Chris Paul to the Clippers?

[Lkr]

@daldridgetnt David Aldridge

Clippers will be powwowing tomorrow to discuss next move. I can't believe they will maintain absolute non-Gordon stance if CP3 is in play.

[Check my Stats]

The whole thing about the no Gordon stance, I think, is that it is a "no Gordon AND Wolves pick" stance... which I find completely understandable.

 

Aminu, Bledsoe, Wolves pick, a couple of their own picks, and fillers while taking on contracts should easily be enough, easily.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Check my Stats

[Dash]

If he can't land with the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks, Chris Paul's preference is to be traded by the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers to play alongside Blake Griffin, according to sources close to the situation.

 

The Clippers know that Paul is unlikely to sign an extension with any team that trades for him because the rules in place in the NBA's new labor agreement make it more advantageous for top stars to play the season out and then sign a longer deal in free agency, even if they're staying with the same team. But sources told ESPN.com that the Clippers merely want Paul to pick up the 2012-13 option in his contract at the time of the trade -- thus delaying his free agency by one year -- if they're going to give up one of their two most prized trade assets for Paul: Eric Gordon or Minnesota's unprotected No. 1 pick in 2012.

 

In a similar situation in February, Mo Williams agreed to pick up his option for the 2011-12 season to clinch the Clippers' deal with Cleveland that swapped Williams for Baron Davis. Sources say that the Clippers -- if Paul agrees to do the same -- would be willing to reverse their previous stance and send either Gordon or the Minnesota pick to the Hornets because they'd know that Paul would be in place next to Griffin for at least two seasons, removing the threat of trading for Paul and then watching him leave in free agency in July.

 

ESPN.com reported late Saturday that the Clippers had emerged as the "early front-runner" in the race to land Paul after the frustrated Lakers finally withdrew from three-team talks with the Hornets and Houston Rockets. One source close to the situation said Sunday that New Orleans has asked the Clippers for Gordon, Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu and at least two future first-round picks in exchange for Paul.

 

Sources say that the Clippers, meanwhile, are quietly confident that having Paul for the next two seasons will ultimately lead to a long-term arrangement, especially if L.A. manages to sign Griffin to an extension next summer. ESPN.com reported earlier this week that Gordon and the Warriors' Stephen Curry are the players most coveted by New Orleans in a potential Paul deal, but the Warriors have been pessimistic about getting the assurances about the future they need from Paul to surrender Curry.

 

The Hornets remain under pressure to find a palatable deal for Paul, who can become a free agent in July 2012 and has already told the franchise that he does not intend to sign an extension. In addition to New Orleans' natural desire to find a new home for Paul as quickly as possible to avoid the sort of soap opera that engulfed the Denver Nuggets last season until they traded Carmelo Anthony in February, league officials now technically in charge of the Hornets also know that the union has hinted at soon pursuing legal action on Paul's behalf if a new trade is not hashed out.

 

Paul spoke extensively with the union on Thursday, after Stern squashed the original three-team trade, about what legal options were available. The union planned to speak with Paul Sunday to gauge how he wants to go forward and how vigorously he may want to fight the league's ruling, sources said.

While Paul is despondent, sources say he also understands that a drawn-out battle with the league, whether in the courts or elsewhere, could lead to a heavy public backlash in New Orleans. But there is also a push within the union to sue the NBA if no trade is consummated by Monday, with possible claims of circumvention or collusion.

 

New Orleans officials are likewise crestfallen by the NBA's steady refusal to sign off on any trade construction presented by the Hornets, Rockets and Lakers that would have landed Paul in L.A. next to Kobe Bryant after NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the teams' original trade Thursday.

 

The Clippers, at least, remain a very plausible trade partner for Paul, given all the young assets possessed by the Lakers' Staples Center co-tenants. Sources say that Aminu, Bledsoe and the expiring contract of Kaman are among the pieces that have been made available to New Orleans this week.

 

Paul has known from the start that a trade to the Knicks was virtually impossible because of New York's limited trade assets beyond star forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. The recent arrival of Tyson Chandler in free agency has enabled New York to offer a package centered around Stoudemire for Paul, but sources say that the league-owned Hornets have no interest in taking such a risk, given the fact that Stoudemire's massive contract signed last summer with the Knicks could not be fully insured because of his longstanding knee troubles.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/?count=50&after=t3_n0d9r

[Dash]

Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard

Hornets asking for E Gordon, Kaman, Bledsoe, Aminu and 2 1st round picks, sources say

[Sħãlïq™]

And if DTS or his staff is reading this, remember, the possible luxury taxes that may come with both dj and cp3's salaries, most likely could be paid off some by tv deals and of coarse, a lot, I MEAN A LOT MORE HOME SELLOUTS, at least with cp3 in the fold with our "core". But cp3 must, must sign that one year extension for the clips to give up anything more than the minny pick itself.

[ChosenOne]

Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard

Hornets asking for E Gordon, Kaman, Bledsoe, Aminu and 2 1st round picks, sources say

 

That's nuts. The price needs to lower on CP3.

[Flash]

E Gordon only gets thrown in if CP3 opts in.

[magicbalala245]

That's nuts. The price needs to lower on CP3.

 

That's what happen you David Stern is your GM and not Dell Demps

[AboveLegit]

That's what happen you David Stern is your GM and not Dell Demps

Yeah because asking for 2 30 year olds is much more logical than asking for more young talent..

 

Gordon has to be involved in this deal, you can't trade for a superstar without giving a star up. I understand LA's reluctance to trade him, he's a budding superstar, but if you want a PG that could potentially allow Blake's game to grow and become more dominant, then you have to give Gordon up.

 

Chris Paul will maximize Blake's talent like no one else in this league can, just the thought of that is scary. With a front office as corrupt as the Clippers, they need to bring CP3 in to assure Blake stays there longterm.

[magicbalala245]

Yeah because asking for 2 30 year olds is much more logical than asking for more young talent..

 

Gordon has to be involved in this deal, you can't trade for a superstar without giving a star up. I understand LA's reluctance to trade him, he's a budding superstar, but if you want a PG that could potentially allow Blake's game to grow and become more dominant, then you have to give Gordon up.

 

Chris Paul will maximize Blake's talent like no one else in this league can, just the thought of that is scary. With a front office as corrupt as the Clippers, they need to bring CP3 in to assure Blake stays there longterm.

 

Odom, Scola, Lowery, Kevin Martin, and Houston 1st round pick. That is [expletive]ing ridiculously. No wonder Lakers backed out when the 2nd attempt by New Orleans, Houston, and LA agree to is again.

[magicbalala245]

Clippers close to a deal for Chris Paul

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/e2/fullj.5695bcdc7674c6b8d771df7f3b5f9aad/ap-201112091930702135633.jpg

 

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.

[Dash]

No Eric Gordon? Amazing deal for the Clippers if this actually gets the nod from Stern.

[magicbalala245]

No Eric Gordon? Amazing deal for the Clippers if this actually gets the nod from Stern.

 

Exactly what I was about to state if Stern wanted young assets for CP3 he better damn well ask for Eric Gordon back along with those players.

Edited December 12, 2011 by magicbalala245

[AboveLegit]

Ugh, the Hornets are still getting lowballed. I just don't understand the logic behind these moves Demps is attempting to make, Chris Paul is a top 5 player, you can get so much more out of him in a trade. Maybe Ujiri set my standards too high when he traded Melo out of Denver, but the 2012 Minnesota pick (which could be great), just doesn't suffice for me.

[magicbalala245]

At least one Clippers player is telling people he's headed to New Orleans, according to source who has spoken with him.

[magicbalala245]

Ugh, the Hornets are still getting lowballed. I just don't understand the logic behind these moves Demps is attempting to make, Chris Paul is a top 5 player, you can get so much more out of him in a trade. Maybe Ujiri set my standards too high when he traded Melo out of Denver, but the 2012 Minnesota pick (which could be great), just doesn't suffice for me.

 

Doesn't matter if Clippers are lowballing the Hornets Stern doesn't want to face the music of the Union take him to court on behalf of Chris Paul. This will go through.

[NomarFachix]

They demanded all that from the Lakers and Rockets and end up settling for this garbage package? Ick.

[magicbalala245]

They demanded all that from the Lakers and Rockets and end up settling for this garbage package? Ick.

 

Tell it to Stern and thank you for expressing that the NBA was really just trying to stop Paul from being a Laker.

[magicbalala245]

Only thing in this deal that is worth it Chris Paul is that pick from Minnesota other then that what the [expletive] is their to build for New Orleans compared to Odom, Scola, Kevin Martin, Houston 1st round pick?

[Flash]

Ugh, the Hornets are still getting lowballed. I just don't understand the logic behind these moves Demps is attempting to make, Chris Paul is a top 5 player, you can get so much more out of him in a trade. Maybe Ujiri set my standards too high when he traded Melo out of Denver, but the 2012 Minnesota pick (which could be great), just doesn't suffice for me.

 

This is such a better deal compared to the other one. The other one makes them a borderline playoff team that gets a high lottery pick for the next 5 or 6 years. Bledsoe is going to be a very good point guard IMO and that Wolves pick is VERY valuable especially in this years draft. Not to mention they get Aminu as well.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Flash

[TheHutch]

Maybe Dan Gilbert will save the day with another e-mail to Stern.

[Dash]

I'm honestly beginning to think that the Wolves' pick isn't all that. Adelman has proven time and time again that he help a team win games even without a true star (see the Rockets in 2010 without McGrady, Yao or Artest) and if the Wolves can turn some of their young talent into a guy like Kevin Martin then they could be on the way up in the standings. Not saying that they will make the playoffs but there is a good chance their pick won't be in the top 5.

[AboveLegit]

This is such a better deal compared to the other one. The other one makes them a borderline playoff team that gets a high lottery pick for the next 5 or 6 years. Bledsoe is going to be a very good point guard IMO and that Wolves pick is VERY valuable especially in this years draft. Not to mention they get Aminu as well.

It is a solid offer, but for them to not put Eric Gordon in the deal makes this deal a complete robbery. Like I've said before, you can't trade a superstar without receiving a star in return. The only exception to it is the Denver-New York trade because they received multiple proven young players. Aminu, while a talented wing, is a work in progress, while Bledsoe is far from being a quality PG.

 

Regardless though, I agree that this is much, much better than the Lakers offer. The thought of the Hornets drafting both Anthony Davis and a guy like Perry Jones or Harrison Barnes is enticing.

[NomarFachix]

I just don't see what there is to see in Bledsoe and Aminu that makes people excited. Young, yes.. but something needs to formulate on the court before I apply any value to them, especially when discussing a superstar. IDK prolly just me.

[Dash]

Judging from the signing of Caron Butler and their pursuit of other small forwards, the Clippers don't appear have much faith in Aminu and I can't blame them.