Clippers acquire Chris Paul, send Eric Gordon to New Orleans [Updated]

The Clippers have agreed to acquire All-Star point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in a blockbuster deal that includes sending Eric Gordon to the Hornets, two people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak on the matter said Wednesday.

[UPDATED, 6:45 p.m.: The Clippers have officially confirmed the deal.]

The Clippers will send the Hornets Chris Kaman and his expiring $12.7-million contract, second-year forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the unprotected No. 1 draft pick the Clippers got from the Minnesota Timberwolves, both people said.

The Clippers will get Paul and two future second-round draft picks from the Hornets.

PHOTOS: Clippers land All-Star Chris Paul

The NBA, which operates the Hornets as team owner, was prepared to approve the deal Wednesday night, both people said.

The Clippers had been granted permission to talk Paul, and he informed them that he would pick up his option of $17.7 million for the 2012-13 season and might be interested in signing a contract extension after the trade, both people said.

Paul will earn $16.3 million this season.

The Clippers gave up a good young shooting guard in Gordon, but were able to keep second-year point guard Eric Bledsoe.

ALSO:

Lakers upset with Chris Paul's trade to Clippers

Bill Dwyre: Clippers shed bumbling label by landing Chris Paul

Dwight Howard is no longer on trading block

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Point guard Chris Paul. Credit: Derick E. Hingle / U.S. Presswire

Clippers deal for Chris Paul not looking good

The Clippers proposed trade to acquire All-Star point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets appeared to be dying a slow death Monday because the NBA has asked for so much more from the Clippers to close the deal, said an official close to the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The NBA took over the Hornets franchise a year ago and it puts NBA Commissioner David Stern in the unlikely position of both overseeing the league and the team.

Paul can leave the Hornets after this season, so New Orleans has been trying to get a big package of players and or draft picks in exchange for their star player.

It’s not sure what more the NBA wanted for Paul. The Clippers have offered center Chris Kaman, backup guard Eric Bledsoe, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and their No.1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft that’s unprotected from the Minnesota Timberwolves – but the Clippers have refused to budge and offer any more for Paul.

ALSO:

Lakers trade Lamar Odom to Mavericks

Dwight Howard is added to Lakers' conversations

Matt Barnes in contact with Dwight Howard on playing future

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul participates in the first day of their NBA basketball training camp last Friday. Gerald Herbert / AP. 

 

Clippers coach says center Chris Kaman to stay sidelined 'a few more weeks'

The Clippers were delivered another blow Friday when they learned that injured center Chris Kaman won't be returning to the lineup next week as hoped.

"Kaman's going to be out probably for a few more weeks" due to his injured left ankle, Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said after the team practiced at its Playa Vista training facility.

Del Negro said the 5-18 Clippers had hoped Kaman would be able to play starting Wednesday, when the Clippers face the 76ers in Philadelphia to open a three-game trip.

But after talking to Clippers head trainer Jasen Powell on Friday morning, Del Negro said Kaman has "a bone bruise and he needs to stay off it for a couple weeks, and then train for a week and see how it reacts."

Kaman first injured the ankle Nov. 9 in a game against the Hornets in New Orleans. He returned to the lineup early this month but reinjured the ankle Sunday against the Trail Blazers in Portland.

The Clippers have been hobbled by injuries to several players already this season, "ut I can’t control that, no one can control it," Del Negro said. "You just have to manage as best you can."

Kaman's setback will mean more playing time for 22-year-old backup center DeAndre Jordan. "We're going to need him to play at a high level now until Chris gets back," Del Negro said.

--Jim Peltz

Photo: Clippers center Chris Kaman shoots over Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson during a game in Salt Lake City on Nov. 6. Credit: Steve C. Wilson / Associated Press

Chris Kaman, sage?

Chris Kaman probably sensed this one was coming. When you've been around the Clippers as long as Kaman, you don't take anything for granted.

"Our wins are against pretty good teams, actually which is kinda weird," Kaman said before the Clippers played the Kings. "We should be able to beat some of the teams that you’re supposed to beat."

And they made it that much more difficult Monday night, blowing a 17-point lead before coming back to beat Sacramento, 98-91. They did it without Kaman (sprained left ankle) and Brian Cook (two-game suspension).

Kaman will be getting an MRI exam on his ankle on Tuesday. He re-injured it in the first half at Portland on Sunday.

"I’m more frustrated than in pain," he said. "I just want to play and I’m tired of sitting out."

He played limited minutes at Denver and at Portland and was concerned he may have come back too early.

"I’m not doing anything on the bench. I’m not helping nobody,"  Kaman said. "It’s rough for me, mentally, to sit there and watch. I try to play and I’m not really at 100 percent.

"I think it’s going to be OK."

--Lisa Dillman

Photo: Chris Kaman wonders about a foul call during last week's game in Denver. Credit: Ron Chenoy / US Presswire

Clippers After Deadline: Injuries abound

More selected quotes from the Clippers after the damaging -- in more ways than one -- loss to the Hornets on Tuesday in New Orleans.

Baron Davis wasn't expected to play, but Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro and trainer Jasen Powell kept a close eye on him shortly before the game when Davis tested his knee, playing one-on-one against Willie Warren.

"It's tough because it's not feeling the way it should," Davis said after the game. "The first five minutes, I think I had a good push. Then coming back out in the second half, just doing all I can to keep it loose and active; it's not where it should be.

"They are undefeated for a reason. The guards play with a lot of pressure and stuff. It was good for me to test it out, to see where it is. I still think I'm about 65 to 70 percent. Whatever I can give ... I'm going to give 110 percent out of that.

"It's tough, man. Chris [Kaman] going down. We're going to continue to fight. We fought back and stayed together. They just wore on us, and the turnovers didn't help. The turnovers have been our Achilles' heel. We just have to figure out a way to get better shots, get more shots and less turnovers."

Davis on his knee:

"Tomorrow is the real test. It's not feeling too great right now. That was far more intense than having a couple of practices under your belt to really test it out. Once I'm out there, I can't hold back. I see things I need to correct, going forward, to get it stronger. It's just weak. The swelling is still there."

Kaman on his sprained left ankle:

"It's frustrating for me. I've worked so hard. I tell everybody you've got to remember, it is life. Things can happen and slow you down, and this is one of those things. I've just got to continue to try to get better and help any way I can.

"I'm OK. It's an ankle injury. It's happened before. It's happened to a hundred people, a thousand times over. It's part of basketball, and you just have to deal with it."

-- Lisa Dillman in New Orleans

Clippers in-game report: Chris Kaman hurt [Updated]

 The news keeps getting worse for the injury-riddled Clippers.

On Tuesday, it was center Chris Kaman spraining his left ankle late in the first quarter here in New Orleans against the Hornets. Kaman planted awkwardly and turned over on the ankle and went down in visible pain with 4:40 remaining.

He limped back to the bench and immediately went back to the locker room for treatment and examination. Results of any tests on the ankle were not yet available.

[UPDATED, 7:15 p.m.; The Clippers' initial diagnosis is that Kaman has a second-degree ankle sprain and will be out two to three weeks.]

The Clippers already were hampered in a big way without the presence of guard Eric Gordon, who injured his left shoulder on Saturday at Utah in the double-overtime loss. Guard Randy Foye (strained left hamstring) remains out and Baron Davis (swollen left knee) returned to the lineup against the Hornets and got into the game late in the first quarter.

-- Lisa Dillman, reporting From New Orleans

Clippers after deadline: Blake Griffin on his NBA debut

It was a natural question, and colleague J.A. Adande got to it first in the crowded locker room, asking the Clippers'  Blake Griffin if there was a year's worth of pent-up energy behind his emphatic alley-oop dunk in the first quarter.

Griffin laughed

"It probably was -- you could say there was a little frustration taken out on the rim," he said, talking about his very first points in the NBA.

"I heard people yelling stuff. I could feel the crowd getting excited, getting behind us."

There was some element of relief to finally getting the official NBA debut out of the way.

"It's weird because you do interview after interview, 'Tell me what it's like to get back out there.' It is awesome to get back out there," Griffin said on Wednesday night. "But at the same time, I played in preseason games and stuff. It's another game. But it is that first one, so it's great to be back.

"... The next 81 games won't be so much of a build-up."

Said Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro: "Let's just be patient and give him some time. That's what we have to do. Everyone wants to -- especially with the young guys -- compare them. But let Blake Griffin be Blake Griffin, and we'll work through that a little bit and give him a little time."

The Clippers were undermined against Portland by poor shooting performances by the likes of Baron Davis and Chris Kaman, who were a combined seven for 29. Kaman was four for 18 from the field for eight points. Additionally, the Clippers were 19 for 30 from the free-throw line.

"Chris didn't have one of his better shooting nights, obviously," Del Negro said. "But that's where we have to learn. It's not about just making shots. When you are struggling shooting -- he still had 11 rebounds, which is good. He blocked a shot. Had a couple of steals. The ball is not always not going to go in. But we got him some high-percentage shots that he usually makes.

"He was off tonight, but that wasn't the reason we didn't have an opportunity to win this game."

-- Lisa Dillman

 Photo: Blake Griffin. Credit:  Mark J. Terrill /Associated Press.

Chris Kaman having trouble getting to Dallas

DALLAS -- The record winter storm that blanketed Dallas with more than nine inches of snow and knocked out power in some areas is also wreaking havoc on Chris Kaman's travel plans for the All-Star weekend.

The Clippers center was originally supposed to arrive around midnight Thursday before his flight was canceled because of the storm. So he switched to a red-eye flight.

And that was canceled as well.

The NBA then set up a charter flight for Kaman and Clippers Coach Kim Hughes, among others. But that flight was delayed. It was scheduled to arrive in Dallas around 5 p.m. local time Friday.

Fortunately, Clippers shooting guard Eric Gordon arrived in plenty of time for the rookie challenge Friday night, and the Lakers' contingent of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Shannon Brown also made it here safely. Temperatures have risen above freezing and the snow is starting to melt.

Bryant won't participate in the All-Star game Sunday because of a sprained ankle, but the guard is expected to feed Brown passes Saturday during the dunk contest. Brown is attempting to become the first Laker to win the contest since Bryant in 1997.

UPDATE: Kaman landed safely around 6 p.m. local time.

-- Ben Bolch

Clippers' Chris Kaman calls his selection 'like a half All-Star game for me'

First came the applause. Then came the pats on the back.

And then things took a truly silly turn inside the Los Angeles Clippers practice facility Monday after General Manager Mike Dunleavy informed his team that center Chris Kaman had been selected as an All-Star replacement for injured Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy.

Kaman's teammates playfully wrestled him to the floor, a few piling on top.

"That wasn't fun," Kaman deadpanned later.

Asked Dunleavy, who was standing nearby: "What, did they give you a wedgie?"

"No," Kaman retorted. "We're not going to discuss what they gave me."

The Clippers were mostly giving the 27-year-old kudos for being selected during a season in which he is averaging a career-high 20.2 points and 9.0 rebounds. He will become the first Clipper All-Star since Elton Brand in 2006 and the franchise's first draft pick to play in the game since Danny Manning in 1994.

Still, the selection had a bittersweet tinge. Noting that NBA Commissioner David Stern picked him to play Sunday in Dallas only because Roy was sidelined by a hamstring injury, Kaman called it "like a half All-Star game for me, just not being selected right away" for a reserve spot by the Western Conference coaches.

"Obviously, someone had to get hurt for me to make it on the team, which is frustrating," he said. "But I'm excited to be a part of it. I worked hard this summer and in the preseason to get myself in the right position."

Kaman said a planned weekend getaway with his girlfriend would have to wait.

"I don't know if she's going to be mad or not," he said. "Hopefully, she understands."

-- Ben Bolch

Photo: The Clippers' Chris Kaman argues the lack of a foul call and gets called for a technical foul during the first half of the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the New Jersey Nets at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, on 27 January 2010. Credit: EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Chris Kaman named to All-Star team, replacing Brandon Roy

NBA Commissioner David Stern named Clippers center Chris Kaman to the All-Star team Monday to replace Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

It's the first All-Star appearance for Kaman, 27, who is in his seventh season with the Clippers and is averaging a career best in scoring (20.2), plus nine rebounds a game. Kaman was disappointed he wasn't selected by coaches as a reserve to the All-Star team, and he said the Clippers' losing record was probably a factor.

Kaman is the first Clipper to be an All-Star since Elton Brand in 2006.

-- Barry Stavro

Photo: Clippers center Chris Kaman, right, looks to get past Atlanta forward Josh Smith during the Hawks' 103-97 victory on Wednesday. Credit: Josh D. Weiss / US Presswire