Chris Paul maglalaro na sa L.A. Clippers

NEW ORLEANS — Di­retso na si Chris Paul sa Los Angeles — ngunit hin­di sa Lakers kundi sa Clip­pers.

Dinala ng Hornets si Paul sa Clippers kapalit ni­na guard Eric Gordon, for­ward Al-Farouq Aminu, cen­ter Chris Kaman at isang first-round draft choice sa 2012.

Ang deal ay inaprubahan ni NBA Commissioner David Stern dahil ang Hornets ay pagmamay-ari ng liga.

“I knew we were doing the best thing for New Orleans and that was my job,” wi­ka ni Stern. “You have to stick with what you think was right. I must confess it wasn’t a lot of fun, but I don’t get paid to have fun.”

Sinabi pa ni Stern hindi niya tinanggap ang mga opin­yon at konsiderasyon ng ibang team owners tung­kol sa kung saan dapat ma­­punta si Paul,.

Nauna nang ibinasura ng NBA ang trade proposal ng Clip­pers at Lakers para ma­­kuha si Paul.

Sinabi ni Blake Griffin na gusto niyang makasama si Paul sa Clippers.

“Our sole focus was and will remain, until we sell this team, hopefully which will be in the first half of 2012, how best to main­tain the Hornets, make them as attractive and as com­petitive as we can and en­sure we have a buyer who can keep them in New Orleans,” ani Stern.

Ayon kay Stern, kasalukuyan na silang nakikipag-usap sa hanay ng mga po­tential ownership groups.

Kailangang tanggapin ng mananalong grupo ang ba­gong long-term lease sa na­sabing state-owned New Orleans Arena para tulu­yang mabili ang koponan

“The future of the Hornets in New Orleans is brigh­ter than it’s ever been,” sa­bi ni Stern.