According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Clippers are getting close to firming up a deal that will bring Chris Paul to California.
The Clippers are said to be in the closing stages of negotiations with the New Orleans Hornets. If the rumors are true, the Hornets would receive center Chris Kaman, guard Eric Bledsoe, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the No.1 pick in the 2012 draft.
The Hornets and Clippers discussed a potential deal for Paul last week, but those talks fell apart when it became clear that the Clips were unwilling to part with Eric Gordon. The Hornets began pursuing a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets that was initially nixed by NBA Commissioner David Stern. When the teams resubmitted a modified proposal, the Lakers decided to pull out of the deal, which negated the entire trade.
Paul has made statements in the past indicating that he would not sign an extension to remain on the Clippers past this season if he winds up in LA, so in that respect the Clippers are taking a bit of a gamble with this deal. However, if the Clippers are able to still keep Gordon, they may present a new threat in the shortened 2011-2012 season with Paul and superstar Blake Griffin anchoring the team.
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