New Orleans Pelicans Blog – Page 58 – NBA Blog

Lakers unhappy that Clippers got Chris Paul

The Lakers were hit with a two-by-four of bad news Wednesday, Chris Paul heading to the Clippers and Dwight Howard heading nowhere.

The Lakers were privately fuming Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of their front office, when Paul, the New Orleans point guard, ended up in Los Angeles six days after the NBA vetoed the Lakers’ trade for him.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak declined to comment through a spokesman but earlier this week said the NBA’s blockade was “completely unexpected.”

“We did the best we can to express our displeasure,” Kupchak said Monday.

— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Hornets trade Chris Paul to Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and more

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired four-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and the 2012 first round draft selection the Clippers acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005. The Clippers will also receive two future second round draft picks to complete the trade.

The 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year brings career averages of 18.7 points, 9.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals in 37.1 minutes over his six-year NBA career. A career 47.1 percent shooter from the field, Paul, 26, is also a 35.9 percent 3-point shooter and has made 85.3 percent of his free throws.

The North Carolina native appeared in 80 games for New Orleans during the 2010-11 season, averaging 15.9 points, 9.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and a league-high 2.4 steals per game. It was the fourth time in his NBA career that Paul has led the league in steals.

A member of the All-NBA Third Team in 2011, Paul was selected to the All-NBA Second Team in 2009 and the First Team in 2008 and appeared in the NBA All-Star Game in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The 6-foot, 175 pound point guard enjoyed his best NBA season during the 2008-09 season when he averaged 22.8 points, 11.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals. Paul led the NBA in assists two times from 2007-09 and was selected as a member of the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team in 2009 and All-Defensive Second Team in 2008 and 2011.

In his career, Paul has appeared in 23 total playoff games, averaging 21.9 points, 11.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds in the post-season.

A stand-out at Wake Forest University that saw him earn NCAA First Team All-American honors as a sophomore, Paul was drafted by the Hornets with the fourth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft.

“We wanted to make sure that we got the best possible deal for a player of Chris’ caliber, and we feel great about the outcome,” Hornets Chairman and Governor Jac Sperling said. “We feel our future looks very bright and we look forward to continue to create an organization that New Orleans will be proud of. We want to thank Chris Paul, an extraordinary person who contributed so greatly to our basketball team and our community. We wish him the best of luck.”

“With this trade, we now have three additional players who were among the top eight draft picks in their respective drafts as well as our own first round pick and Minnesota’s first round pick,” said Hornets General Manager Dell Demps. “Aminu is a young talent with a bright future, Gordon is a big time scorer and one of the best two guards in the league and Kaman is a proven center and former All-Star. Combined with our other players, we will field a competitive team and our future looks great.”

Gordon (6-3, 220), was drafted with the 7th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Clippers, averaged career-highs of 22.3 points, 4.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 56 games last season (all starts). He scored 30+ points eight times last season, put together a streak of 20 or more points in 12 consecutive games and had 36 20+ point games overall. The Indianapolis native holds career averages of 18.1 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game over 196 games (181 starts). Gordon was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2009 and was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in January of his rookie season. He went to Indiana University for one season before declaring for the draft, where he averaged 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32 games. Gordon played for Team USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey helping team to a perfect 9-0 record en route to winning the gold medal averaging 8.6 points.

Kaman (7-0, 265), who was the 6TH overall of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Clippers, averaged 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in 32 games (15 starts) last season. He holds career averages of 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 493 games (425 starts). Since the 2003-04 season, Kaman is one of 31 players with 4,000+ rebounds and is just one of six players who grabbed all of those rebounds with just one team – joining Dwight Howard (Orlando), Tim Duncan (San Antonio), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas), Udonis Haslem (Miami) and Josh Smith (Atlanta). Kaman had his best season of his NBA career en route to being named an NBA All-Star for first time during the 2009-10 season, averaging a team-high 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 34.3 minutes. The Central Michigan University product participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as a member of the German National Team due to his great- grandparents German heritage, averaging 10.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 19.8 minutes.

Aminu (6-9, 215), who was drafted 8th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2010 NBA Draft, averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game over 81 games (14 starts) last season for the Clippers. The 22-year old averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22.1 minutes over his 14 starts last season with the team. The former Wake Forest standout averaged 15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and accumulated 44 blocks in 31 games while shooting 44.7 percent from the field during his sophomore season for the Demon Deacons before declaring early for the NBA Draft. Aminu descends from a line of Nigerian kings.

Read NBA fan reaction to the trade in this basketball forum topic.

Hornets waive forward Patrick Ewing Jr

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Patrick Ewing Jr. Ewing Jr. appeared in seven games for the Hornets last season, averaging 0.4 points and 0.3 rebounds in 2.7 minutes of play.

The 6-8, 235-pound Georgetown University product was originally signed as a free agent by the team on March 26, 2011.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I want this guy in the NBA! Hope he quickly lands another shot.

Marco Belinelli accepts qualifying offer, stays with Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that restricted free agent guard Marco Belinelli has accepted the team’s qualifying offer. Belinelli will be at Hornets’ practice and available at media day tomorrow. The one-year deal is reportedly worth $3.377 million.

“We are excited to have Marco back on the roster,” General Manager Dell Demps said. “He had the best year of his career with us last season and we expect him to continue to grow in our system and be a valuable asset of our team this season.”

Belinelli averaged career-highs of 10.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 24.5 minutes in 80 games (69 starts). He shot 43.7% from the field and a career-best 41.1% from beyond the arc. Belinelli registered four 20-point performances for the Hornets last season.

Belinelli, a Bologna, Italy native, has appeared in 221 career games (93 starts) averaging 8.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists with the Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. He was acquired by the Hornets from the Raptors in exchange for Julian Wright on August 11, 2010. The shooting guard was the 18th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Warriors.

Hornets add nine players to training camp

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed nine free agents (Brian Butch, Justin Dentmon, Jerome Dyson, Moses Ehambe, Carldell Johnson, Trey Johnson, DaJuan Summers, Lance Thomas and Terrico White). Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released. The addition of the players puts the training camp roster at 15 thus far.

Butch (6-11, 240) sat out the 2010-11 season with a knee injury sustained last summer as a member of the Denver Nuggets. Butch has NBA experience with the Memphis Grizzlies summer league team and the Boston Celtics veteran minicamp, but has never appeared in a game. The Wisconsin product has played professionally in Greece, Spain, China and Germany during his career. During the 2009 season, he played for the Bakersfield Jam averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds earning a spot on the D-League Western Conference All-Star Team where he was named MVP.

Dentmon (5-11, 185) played in 50 games (35 starts) for the Texas Legends of the NBA D-League last season averaging 19.1 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds. The University of Washington product was selected as a member of the 2011 USA Men’s Basketball team that took home a Bronze medal in the Pan American Games this fall.

Dyson (6-3, 180) has appeared in six games (all starts) for the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League this season averaging 19.7 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds. During the 2010-11 season with the 66ers, the UCONN product played in 47 games (10 starts) averaging 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

Ehamber (6-6, 215) has played in 125 career games in the NBA D-League over four seasons with Tulsa, Iowa and Austin. This season, the Oral Roberts product has averaged 21.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in six games (all starts). Ehamber finished last season with the Toros, averaging 10.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 10 games.

Trey Johnson (6-5, 218) has played in 12 games over three seasons in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers with averages of 3.2 points and 0.9 assists. He appeared in three playoff games for the Lakers in the 2011 NBA Playoffs, averaging 1.0 points and 1.3 rebounds. In 10 preseason games with the Hornets and Lakers, the Jackson State product averaged 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds. He has spent the majority of his professional career with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League. In 114 career games (92 starts) with the Jam, Johnson has averaged 20.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

Carldell Johnson (5-10, 180) has appeared in 195 career games (102 starts) with the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League since 2007, averaging 8.0 points and 4.4 assists. In four games this season with Austin, he is averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 assists. The New Orleans native appeared in 46 games (all starts) for the Toros last season, averaging 12.3 points and a career-high 6.0 assists.

Summers (6-8, 240) was drafted in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft (35th overall) by the Detroit Pistons. In 66 career games (one start) he has averages of 3.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes with Detroit. The Georgetown product signed with Montepaschi Siena in Italy in July of 2011, but parted ways with the team in October after averaging 4.0 points in four games with the team.

Thomas (6-8, 225) played for the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League the last two seasons. The Duke product averaged 17.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in four games this season for Austin. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged 12.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 46 games.

White (6-5, 213) was drafted in the second round (36th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. In his first preseason appearance, White fractured his right foot and missed the remainder of his rookie season. The Ole Miss product averaged 15.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 35 games (34 starts) his sophomore season in Oxford before declaring for the NBA Draft.

David Stern statement on the Chris Paul to Lakers trade that will not happen

In response to inquiries, NBA Commissioner David Stern released the following statement:

“Since the NBA purchased the New Orleans Hornets, final responsibility for significant management decisions lies with the Commissioner’s Office in consultation with team chairman Jac Sperling. All decisions are made on the basis of what is in the best interests of the Hornets. In the case of the trade proposal that was made to the Hornets for Chris Paul, we decided, free from the influence of other NBA owners, that the team was better served with Chris in a Hornets uniform than by the outcome of the terms of that trade.”

Hornets reportedly turned down Knicks offer of Amar`e Stoudemire for Chris Paul

If you’re Amar’e Stoudemire, it’s great to hear Tyson Chandler is coming to the Knicks to relieve him of the responsibility of guarding centers for much of the time.

The disturbing news is that the team’s once treasured asset was nearly relieved of the New York City limelight he loves basking in. A Hornets’ source disclosed they swiftly rejected a Stoudemire-for-Chris Paul offer.

There was no interest whatsoever, maybe because Stoudemire’s remaining 4-year, $84 million contract is uninsurable.

— Reported by Peter Vecsey of the New York Post

Lamar Odom in stunned disbelief over almost being traded

Lamar Odom is still a Laker, but he doesn’t sound completely thrilled about it.

Odom admitted that he was “shocked” and “surprised” when told Thursday afternoon that the Lakers agreed to trade him to the New Orleans Hornets as part of a deal for point guard Chris Paul. But this evening when he heard that the NBA had killed the trade, Odom said he was in “total disbelief” over these new developments…

“Maybe I’ll see you there tomorrow [at practice],” Odom said. “But I doubt it. You don’t want to go to no place you’re not wanted. I’ll try to give them what they want as much as possible.”

Odom also felt bad for Gasol.

“Imagine how Pau feels,” Odom said. “Pau came to the Lakers and played here for four years, went to the Finals and lost, won two NBA championships and then got swept [by the Dallas Mavericks this year]. Wow! Imagine how he must feel.

“Man, I’m just in total disbelief about all of this,” Odom continued. “They don’t want my services, for whatever reason. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I was proud to be a Laker, so I’ll try to help them in the process as much as possible.”

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Blog)

David Stern cancels Chris Paul trade to Lakers

On the eve of the sport’s formal re-opening for business after a five-month lockout, NBA commissioner David Stern sent shockwaves throughout the league Thursday night by nixing the league-owned New Orleans Hornets’ plans to trade guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Within an hour of the Hornets striking an agreement in principle with the Lakers and Houston Rockets on a three-team trade that would have landed Paul in the same backcourt as Kobe Bryant, Stern informed the Hornets that they couldn’t make the trade, stunning team officials who had been working around-the-clock for days in hopes of bringing an end to the Paul saga before the season officially started.

Amid a stream of reports that angry owners were demanding the trade be vetoed, on the same day those owners had gathered in New York to ratify a new labor pact purportedly designed to foster competitive balance and prevent small-market teams from being raided for their stars, league officials tried to dispute claims of a revolt by insisting that the decision was Stern’s.

“It’s not true that the owners killed the deal,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. “The deal was never discussed at the Board of Governors meeting and the league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons.”

Yet in an email to Stern obtained by Yahoo! Sports and The New York Times, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert called the proposed deal “a travesty” and urged Stern to put the deal to a vote of “the 29 owners of the Hornets,” referring to the rest of the league’s teams.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Read NBA fan reaction or discuss your views in this basketball forum topic.

Chris Paul reportedly wants no part of Celtics

Amid reports that New Orleans’ discussions had cooled with the Clippers and Warriors over what each team was willing to trade for Chris Paul, the Celtics were in a holding pattern last night.

Though the Celtics appear willing to trade Rajon Rondo and perhaps Glen Davis to the Hornets for Paul despite a sizable risk of losing the high-scoring point guard to free agency next summer, the gamble could make for a very brief attempt at the 18th title in franchise history.

Though the combination of Paul, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen sounds intriguing, especially over the short span of a 66-game season, it still doesn’t appeal to the 26-year-old star.

A source who has spent time recently with Paul insisted yesterday that the Hornets star considers the Celtics a non-starter for his career, and has no intention of signing an extension to play with the C’s in the long term.

The team is simply too old to stir his interest.

— Reported by Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald