For Immediate Release
CLIPPERS ACQUIRE FOUR-TIME ALL-STAR CHRIS PAUL
12/14/11
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 NBAs 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.
In three years with the Clippers, Gordon averaged 18.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Previously the longest tenured Clipper, Kaman averaged 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight years in L.A. while Aminu tallied 5.6 points per game during his rookie season in 2010-11.