(RNN) – The Los Angeles Clippers traded three players and a draft pick to the New Orleans Hornets for point guard Chris Paul, ending a week of confusion and controversy surrounding the NBA All-Star.
A statement from the Clippers Wednesday said the Hornets received Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and a 2012 first-round draft pick in return for the 26-year-old Paul.
Paul, who would have been a free agent following the 2011-2012 season, asked to be traded from his former team, according to ESPN. But at least two previous trades had been blocked by the league, which took control of the Hornets in December 2010 when the former owners could not find a buyer.
NBA commissioner David Stern took widespread criticism for not allowing an agreed upon trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Hornets General Manager Dell Demps on Thursday. He also vetoed a second deal, an initial offer agreed to with the Clippers.
A league spokesman claimed Stern declined the first offer "for basketball reasons." But Yahoo! Sports released an email from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to the commissioner recommending the trade be put to a vote of the 29 other NBA owners.
League officials had told teams Demps was authorized to execute trades for the Hornets. Paul and the players union reportedly debated taking legal action against the league for collusion.
One of the league's premier players, Paul made the All-Star team the last four years and earned All-NBA honors in three of the last four seasons. The league's 2006 Rookie of the Year holds career per-game averages of 18.7 points, 9.9 assists and 2.4 steals.
He is set to join a young nucleus in L.A. featuring 2010 All-Star and former first-overall pick Blake Griffin.
Gordon averaged 18.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in three years with the Clippers. Kaman averaged 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight years with the team, while 2010 first-round pick Aminu tallied 5.6 points per game during his rookie season.
The 2012 pick the Hornets received came from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a prior trade. It could end up as one of the top selections in next year's draft, as the Timberwolves have been a NBA Lottery team every year since 2004.
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Point guard Chris Paul is headed to the Los Angeles Clippers. (Source: NBA.com/clippers)
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