LOS ANGELES -- The day began with the Los Angeles Clippers rejecting a proposed deal by the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul and it ended with them claiming five-time all-star guard Chauncey Billups off waivers and re-signing centre DeAndre Jordan. General manager Neil Olshey said Monday the team felt "the cost was just too high" in what it would have to give up to acquire Paul. Olshey declined to identify whom the Clippers had offered in exchange for Paul but their package reportedly included centre Chris Kaman, reserve guard Eric Bledsoe, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and their No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft. Reports suggested the Hornets also wanted guard Eric Gordon included. "There wasnt one piece or another piece that killed this deal," Olshey said. "The aggregate compensation that we were going to have to convey to them was just too much and it was going to hamstring our franchise in the long term." Its the second time in five days that a deal moving Paul to Los Angeles fell apart. Last week, NBA commissioner David Stern nixed a three-team trade by the league-owned Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets that would have sent Paul to the Lakers. "This is a superstar player that is obviously in a delicate situation with his current franchise," Olshey said. "We just felt right now were just not going to be able to meet where were equally satisfied with the outcome." The Clippers used their remaining US$3.5 million in salary cap room to claim Billups. The 35-year-old point guard was waived by the New York Knicks last weekend. "Weve tried eight, 10 times over the years to try and trade for Chauncey. Its never worked out before," Olshey said. "This is another great addition to our roster. Hes going to be a great fit with our guys." Billups averaged 16.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 72 games with Denver and the Knicks last season. He was traded to New York in February. He helped lead Detroit to the NBA championship in 2004, when he was MVP of the finals. Olshey said the decision to acquire Billups was independent of the team rejecting the Hornets offer. "This is not a precursor to another move. This is not laying the groundwork for another opportunity," he said. The Clippers had a need for Billups since Bledsoe is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks while recovering from right knee surgery on Oct. 7. "He has the ability to add a lot to our organization, on and off the court," coach Vinny Del Negro said about Billups. "Hes not ready to retire. He has too much left in the tank." The team matched a $42.7-million, four-year offer sheet from the Golden State Warriors for restricted free agent Jordan, something Olshey told him they would do once they used their cap space. The 23-year-old centre appeared in a career-high 80 games last season, averaging 7.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.78 blocks while making 66 starts. "He did a nice job for us last year. Were expecting big things from him," Del Negro said. "DeAndre brings a defensive presence for us, shot-blocking, he runs the court well, hes very young still, hes only going to get better." Olshey said the team would now turn its attention to discussions on signing Gordon to a contract extension. The Clippers signed Caron Butler to a $24-million, three-year deal Friday, giving them a boost at small forward. "This is a better team thats on the floor now and in the future than what would have been put together had we had to convey the package that they had asked for," Olshey said about the Hornets offer. Colin McCarthy . - Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob says the team is pushing back plans to build an arena on the San Francisco waterfront at least one year. Chance Warmack . Gonzalez participated in his final game on Sunday, Atlantas 21-20 defeat at the hands of the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers, having posted four catches for 46 yards. http://www.shopthetitansonline.com/Elite-Shaun-Phillips-Titans-Jersey/ . The Raptors said it was a "minor surgical procedure" to address the ulnar nerve release in his hand. Fields underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery in November of 2012 to alleviate nerve compression in his right elbow. Jake Locker Authentic Jersey . After reports emerged on Tuesday that the Toronto FC midfielder would head to Vancouver on loan, the team confirmed on Wednesday that they had, in fact, traded for the Argentine designated player. Andy Levitre Jersey . -- Jayce Hawryluks second goal of the game with 29 seconds left lifted the Brandon Wheat Kings past the Regina Pats 5-4 in Western Hockey League play Wednesday.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- While much of the nation is buried in snow, glazed by ice or just plain shivering in the cold, its time to play ball in the desert. Spring training officially began Thursday when Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers reported, with their first workout set for Friday. On the other side of suburban Phoenix, in Glendale, Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers and catchers report on Saturday. Full-squad workouts for both teams begin next week. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers get an early start because they will open the MLB season with a two-game series in Australia on March 22-23. The rest of the teams begin workouts next week at their spring training haunts in Arizona and Florida. Arizonas reporting date signals the beginning of preparation for a season that wont end until the World Series eight months from now. The Diamondbacks are coming off consecutive 81-81 seasons and face the prospect, like the rest of the NL West, of trying to compete with the cash- and pitching-rich Dodgers. Arizona wanted to add a veteran starter in the off-season and still may. A person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday that the Diamondbacks were talking with representatives of Bronson Arroyo with the possibility of landing the 36-year-old right-hander. The person asked not to be identified because the talks had not been made public. The Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles also reportedly have interest in Arroyo. If no changes are made, the Diamondbacks rotation is expected to include left-handers Patrick Corbin and Wade Miley and right-handers Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy. Young right-hander Randall Delgado and top minor league prospect Archie Bradley could vie for the other rotation spot. Diamondbacks players went through informal workouts in relatively chilly weather, at least by Arizona standards, on Thursday. Temperatures were in the low 60s but were expected to rise to the high 70s over the weekend. Kirk Gibson is entering his fourth season as manager and earlier this week got an extension of his contract, which had been set to expire this year. He said the early start to spring training will mean a larger gap between the start of full-squad workouts and the beginning of spring gammes.dddddddddddd "Well come in on the 11th and our first games on the 26th," he said. "It gives us a challenge. We need to get our pitchers ready to be ready to go on March 22." After the long trip to Australia, the Diamondbacks and Dodgers will come back to Arizona to complete spring training before their stateside regular-season openers. "The seasons going to be a little longer, " Gibson said, "but if you look at the other people that have played abroad early, I think theres 10 teams that went and five of them have went to post-season play." Even though its an early start to spring training, McCarthy said players are more than ready to get back at it. "In the last month is when you start to hit that boredom point," he said. "Youre done with the off-season, youre sick of your loved ones, you want to get out of your house. Now it turns real and you kind of get back to work." The other significant addition to the Diamondbacks pitching staff is Addison Reed, The 25-year-old right-hander had 69 saves the last two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, 40 last year. Arizona acquired him from the White Sox for third baseman Matt Davidson. Reed hasnt been anointed the Arizona closer yet, though, facing competition from the likes of J.J. Putz, David Hernandez and Brad Zeigler. "Obviously everybody knows that I want to close. Its the only thing Ive ever wanted to do," Reed said, "but Im here and whatever they have me do is what Ill do and Ill be happy to. As long as Im out there throwing, Ill be a happy guy." McCarthy said that a core group of Arizona players plans to take a bigger leadership role in the coming year. "I think theres a group of guys here that know exactly what they want," he said. "Last year I think we were kind of getting there but we didnt have that true leadership that really came through. Its the one thing Ive seen just in talking to guys so far, that heres an idea of exactly what we want and I think we know how to implement that now. "Youre going to see a clubhouse of guys that go out of their way to get things the way they want it, to set an attitude the way they want it." ' ' '
