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Rockets net Paul in 8-player deal
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CHRIS Paul is heading to Houston to join James Harden, giving the Rockets two All-Stars in the backcourt to lead their chase for a championship.
In the NBA’s second blockbuster trade in less than a week, the Rockets acquired Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, Darrun Hilliard, DeAndre Liggins, Kyle Wiltjer, a protected first-round pick next year and cash considerations. The Rockets acquired Hilliard from the Detroit Pistons and Liggins from the Dallas Mavericks for cash considerations before adding them to the deal.
“It’s a weapons race in the NBA and you’re either in the weapons race or on the sidelines,” Houston general manager Daryl Morey said. “We felt like with James Harden in his prime and Chris Paul in his prime this gives us a real shot to chase the juggernaut teams that are out there. This puts us right there with them.”
That’s a remark aimed at the Golden State Warriors, who added forward Kevin Durant to star guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and won the NBA crown this year, downing a Cleveland team in the final led by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
Both the Clippers and Houston will look far different next season than they did in again falling short in the playoffs. The roster overhauls came five days after the Minnesota Timberwolves sent three players to the Chicago Bulls for All-Star Jimmy Butler to kick things off with NBA free agency opening tomorrow.
The 32-year-old Paul will be playing for his third team after opting in for the last year of his contract so the Clippers could work on a deal.
Paul is a nine-time All-Star who has averaged 18.7 points, 9.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals over his 12-year career, though he has been dogged with criticism in recent years for failing to help the Clippers get out of the second round of the playoffs. Los Angeles reached the postseason in each of Paul’s six seasons with the team, but the Clippers were eliminated in the first round three times and in the Western Conference semifinals three other times.
Paul isn’t the only star who may be leaving. Blake Griffin informed the team last week that he is opting out of the last year of his contract to explore free agency. JJ Redick also is a free agent.
The Rockets, who won NBA crowns in 1994 and 1995, have not suffered a losing season since 2005-06 but have reached the Western Conference final only once in 20 years, losing that to eventual champion Golden State in 2015.
“We feel that combining two of the league’s greatest players in James Harden and Chris Paul, operating in Coach (Mike) D’Antoni’s system, gives us a championship caliber team that will compete at the highest level for years to come,” Rockets owner Leslie Alexander insisted.
ESPN reported the Rockets would attempt to land forward Paul George, who has said he wants to leave the Indiana Pacers and is being eyed by the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland among others.
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