Chris Paul will supply the Los Angeles Clippers with a lot greater than alley-oop passes to Blake Griffin when he arrives in Hollywood on Thursday night.
A bold trade for New Orleans' superstar point guard on Wednesday just could alter the entire sports activities world's perception of your Clippers. Immediately after managing just six winning seasons in their 1st 41 years of existence, the bumbling Clippers abruptly seem slick and scintillating after swinging arguably the biggest trade in franchise historical past, giving them two with the NBA's elite players in addition to a capable supporting cast.
Outfoxing the Lakers and thrilling their long-suffering fans, Los Angeles on Wednesday traded high-scoring guard Eric Gordon, former All-Star center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu along with a first-round draft alternative acquired from Minnesota for Paul, the four-time All-Star widely thought to be to become the NBA's best point guard.
"We decided for any player of Chris' caliber that it was just time to make the move and push all our chips into the center on the table," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Neil Olshey told the team's web page. "We're definitely delighted about it. Chris may be the sort of player that can make everyone around him greater. He's a general. He wins. He's a warrior, and he's going to take this whole organization for the subsequent level."
Even the Clippers themselves had trouble believing what their front workplace had just performed in the moments following the trade was announced. The majority of the players - which includes the ones who had been traded - were on a vacation bus ride with season-ticket holders when their phones blew up using the news.
Griffin's reaction was captured by tv cameras just after he chest-bumped center DeAndre Jordan: "Lob city!"
It's already a T-shirt in Los Angeles, and it must be a way of existence once the playmaking Paul as well as the high-flying NBA Rookie on the Year get with each other.
While armchair analysts debate who won the trade and wonder whether the club can retain its newfound assets for your long-term, it's clear that suddenly the Clippers never appear to be the modern archetype for sports activities ineptitude.
Confident, Los Angeles has missed the playoffs 13 occasions inside the last 14 seasons, going 32-50 last spring inside the Clippers' 18th non-winning season in the past 19 a long time. The former Buffalo Braves have won just one particular playoff series since 1976.
And positive, the Clippers are however owned by Donald Sterling, the much-criticized real estate magnate who in some cases heckles his own players from his center-court seat. However the Clippers are already gathering momentum considering the fact that Olshey replaced Mike Dunleavy in March 2010, patiently stockpiling superior players close to 2009 best choose Griffin though making runs at free of charge agents such as LeBron James, who gave them a courtesy meeting final summer season prior to heading to Miami.
When Paul made it clear he would not sign a contract extension using the Hornets and was enthusiastic about playing in Los Angeles, the Clippers watched though the Lakers' three-team trade for Paul was blocked from the NBA final week - and after that they pounced, supplying a deal that not even Commissioner David Stern could reject.
"It was a pivotal moment for us," Olshey mentioned. "It took a extended time for you to accumulate the assets for a deal like this."
A bold trade for New Orleans' superstar point guard on Wednesday just could alter the entire sports activities world's perception of your Clippers. Immediately after managing just six winning seasons in their 1st 41 years of existence, the bumbling Clippers abruptly seem slick and scintillating after swinging arguably the biggest trade in franchise historical past, giving them two with the NBA's elite players in addition to a capable supporting cast.
Outfoxing the Lakers and thrilling their long-suffering fans, Los Angeles on Wednesday traded high-scoring guard Eric Gordon, former All-Star center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu along with a first-round draft alternative acquired from Minnesota for Paul, the four-time All-Star widely thought to be to become the NBA's best point guard.
"We decided for any player of Chris' caliber that it was just time to make the move and push all our chips into the center on the table," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Neil Olshey told the team's web page. "We're definitely delighted about it. Chris may be the sort of player that can make everyone around him greater. He's a general. He wins. He's a warrior, and he's going to take this whole organization for the subsequent level."
Even the Clippers themselves had trouble believing what their front workplace had just performed in the moments following the trade was announced. The majority of the players - which includes the ones who had been traded - were on a vacation bus ride with season-ticket holders when their phones blew up using the news.
Griffin's reaction was captured by tv cameras just after he chest-bumped center DeAndre Jordan: "Lob city!"
It's already a T-shirt in Los Angeles, and it must be a way of existence once the playmaking Paul as well as the high-flying NBA Rookie on the Year get with each other.
While armchair analysts debate who won the trade and wonder whether the club can retain its newfound assets for your long-term, it's clear that suddenly the Clippers never appear to be the modern archetype for sports activities ineptitude.
Confident, Los Angeles has missed the playoffs 13 occasions inside the last 14 seasons, going 32-50 last spring inside the Clippers' 18th non-winning season in the past 19 a long time. The former Buffalo Braves have won just one particular playoff series since 1976.
And positive, the Clippers are however owned by Donald Sterling, the much-criticized real estate magnate who in some cases heckles his own players from his center-court seat. However the Clippers are already gathering momentum considering the fact that Olshey replaced Mike Dunleavy in March 2010, patiently stockpiling superior players close to 2009 best choose Griffin though making runs at free of charge agents such as LeBron James, who gave them a courtesy meeting final summer season prior to heading to Miami.
When Paul made it clear he would not sign a contract extension using the Hornets and was enthusiastic about playing in Los Angeles, the Clippers watched though the Lakers' three-team trade for Paul was blocked from the NBA final week - and after that they pounced, supplying a deal that not even Commissioner David Stern could reject.
"It was a pivotal moment for us," Olshey mentioned. "It took a extended time for you to accumulate the assets for a deal like this."
