Paul says he preferred Clippers to Lakers

[AD23forMVP]

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who is featured on the covers of October's GQ, told the magazine he actually preferred being traded to the Clippers rather than the Los Angeles Lakers last year.

"They had the better pieces," Paul said. "And winning with the Clippers would be legendary."

Last year NBA commissioner David Stern nixed a trade that would have sent Paul from the then league-owned New Orleans Hornets to the Lakers in a package that would have included Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. A week later he was traded to the Clippers instead.

Paul also said he was still irritated about being patted on the head by Gasol when the Lakers played the Clippers last season, causing the two to be separated in the waning seconds of the game.

"We call that sonnin'," Paul said. "Like when I take Li'l Chris to the bathroom, I'll walk with my hand on his head. That's my son. You know what I mean? I understand that Gasol is that tall, but don't do to me what I do to my son."

The Clippers' training camp begins Oct. 1. The Clippers will play the Lakers in a preseason game Oct. 24 and their first regular-season game will be Nov. 2.

[Make It Rain]

Haha we call that sonnin'!

[Mr. West]

But for real, are people still talking about the whole nixed trade thing?

[Make It Rain]

It is getting rather old. I honestly see Paul moving this summer. I just dont think he honestly can convince himself he will win a championship with Griffen and Jordan as his starting front court.

[Perth_Hornet]

Better pieces?

Is CP on crack?

Honestly, I've lost respect for the guy lately.

I used to jizz over him, now, not so much.

[PennStatePelican]

But for real, are people still talking about the whole nixed trade thing?

I always appreciate a good Scrubs reference, especially when I'm procrastinating on writing an essay.

[jdmcuc]

Lol what else do you guys expect him to
Say about his own team mates...

[onpointlikecp3]

Ohhhhhhh, he only puts his hand on his son's head when he takes him to the bathroom. When he walks him to the school bus he puts his hand on his shoulder, or holds his hand...

[Vinny6420]

Aww someone is mad he got babied by a llama

[Rocket Man]

"Winning with the Clippers would be legendary."

And winning with New Orleans wouldn't?

Whatever. Time to move on. At least until he becomes a free agent.

[BallSoHard]

Right, lip service. Kobe> Chauncey, Gasol > griffin, Bynum (now Howard)> Jordan ; Unless we're talking about sports center highlights

[Miss_318]

Why are we still even making threads on CP3? We have a bright future ahead of us. Let the ghost of CP3 go. Unless he actually signs a contract to come back here.....he should be irrelevant to NOLA. We have Davis, Rivers, EG, Anderson, & Lopez now. Way too much to be excited about to be talking about CP and how he feels about the Clippers. Why should that matter to us?

[LoCo89]

Why are we still even making threads on CP3? We have a bright future ahead of us. Let the ghost of CP3 go. Unless he actually signs a contract to come back here.....he should be irrelevant to NOLA. We have Davis, Rivers, EG, Anderson, & Lopez now. Way too much to be excited about to be talking about CP and how he feels about the Clippers. Why should that matter to us?

[Mr. West]

Why are we still even making threads on CP3? We have a bright future ahead of us. Let the ghost of CP3 go. Unless he actually signs a contract to come back here.....he should be irrelevant to NOLA. We have Davis, Rivers, EG, Anderson, & Lopez now. Way too much to be excited about to be talking about CP and how he feels about the Clippers. Why should that matter to us?

My thoughts exactly.

[Soundwave]

Haven't we all learned by now that everything he says is a total load of crap?

[Kibner]

Right, lip service. Kobe> Chauncey, Gasol > griffin, Bynum (now Howard)> Jordan ; Unless we're talking about sports center highlights

Pau would not be there after the trade. Or Odom. They would have had no one capable of playing the 4 effectively and no good backups at the 5. I still think the Lakers would be the better team if that trade had gone through, but not by as much as you would think.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

[BallSoHard]

Pau would not be there after the trade. Or Odom. They would have had no one capable of playing the 4 effectively and no good backups at the 5. I still think the Lakers would be the better team if that trade had gone through, but not by as much as you would think.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

You're right about Pau, but i still think they would be much better than the clippers...

[Mr. West]

Pau would not be there after the trade. Or Odom. They would have had no one capable of playing the 4 effectively and no good backups at the 5. I still think the Lakers would be the better team if that trade had gone through, but not by as much as you would think.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

Hm. True. Lets see...

Paul/Blake
Kobe/Kapono
MWP/Matt Barnes
Noone.
Bynum/Nobody

Vs.

Paul/Mo Williams
Billups/Foye
Butler/Gomes
Griffin/Kenyon Martin
Jordan/Evans

Looking at the rosters at the time of the trade, I have no idea who would have started at the 4 for Lakers. The Clippers would definitely be the more complete team, but its hard to say they are better than a team with Kobe/Paul/Bynum core. Then, of course, they could've done the same trade with the Magic only needing Bynum, and have a Paul/Dwight core to build with after Kobe's done with. Strange to see the alternate future that could have happened should Stern not have had basketball reasons. Bless that man.

[TxAggie713]

Why are we still even making threads on CP3? We have a bright future ahead of us. Let the ghost of CP3 go. Unless he actually signs a contract to come back here.....he should be irrelevant to NOLA. We have Davis, Rivers, EG, Anderson, & Lopez now. Way too much to be excited about to be talking about CP and how he feels about the Clippers. Why should that matter to us?

^THIS

[Tim Floyd]

Why are we still even making threads on CP3? We have a bright future ahead of us. Let the ghost of CP3 go. Unless he actually signs a contract to come back here.....he should be irrelevant to NOLA. We have Davis, Rivers, EG, Anderson, & Lopez now. Way too much to be excited about to be talking about CP and how he feels about the Clippers. Why should that matter to us?

Becuase this is an NBA Discussion forum. If you don't want to read people talking about him, don't click the thread.

[Tim Floyd]

Whether he was just giving lip service or not, I think he's telling the truth. The Clippers are probably better off now than the would be Lakers of that trade would have gone through. It would of created more problems for the Lakers than it would of solved.

[nolaslim213]

Hm. True. Lets see...

Paul/Blake
Kobe/Kapono
MWP/Matt Barnes
Noone.
Bynum/Nobody

Vs.

Paul/Mo Williams
Billups/Foye
Butler/Gomes
Griffin/Kenyon Martin
Jordan/Evans

Looking at the rosters at the time of the trade, I have no idea who would have started at the 4 for Lakers. The Clippers would definitely be the more complete team, but its hard to say they are better than a team with Kobe/Paul/Bynum core. Then, of course, they could've done the same trade with the Magic only needing Bynum, and have a Paul/Dwight core to build with after Kobe's done with. Strange to see the alternate future that could have happened should Stern not have had basketball reasons. Bless that man.

Jason Smith was originally in the deal, and I think he was the reason that the deal fell through (thank God). That would be a scary starting 5. Obviously CP is trying to give his teammates some confidence, but there isn't anything wrong with that IMO.

[Tim Floyd]

Jason Smith was originally in the deal, and I think he was the reason that the deal fell through (thank God).

Possibly. A lot of people believe the league created that rumor to get some of the heat off them for the decision. I don't think that was the determining factor though, to be honest.

[DroopyDawg]

Chris has a point... in 2 years Kobe will be retired... Pau would have been closer to retirement... and remember this was before the DH trade, so who knows if Bynum's knees would hold up.

Had CP gone to the Lakers he'd be by himself in 3 years trying to carry that franchise whereas the Clips have a roster full of young talent that can grow with him.

True... RIGHT NOW the Lakers have better pieces but how much longer would they have them?

And why do we care about what CP says again?