( CNN ) -- Four-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul has been traded from the New Orleans Hornets to join the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal that sends Eric Gordon , Al-Farouq Aminu and Chris Kaman in the opposite direction . As part of the deal for the point guard , the Clippers have also given the Hornets a first-round pick in the 2012 draft . The Hornets were eager to trade Paul , with the 26-year-old 's contract due to expire at the end of the forthcoming season . NBA commissioner David Stern was required to approve the deal due to the fact that the Hornets are owned by the league . New Orleans general manager Dell Demps was on the verge of sealing a trade last week which would have seen Paul head to the Los Angeles Lakers , but the NBA vetoed a three-team deal claiming the Hornets could do better . `` We wanted to make sure that we got the best possible deal for a player of Chris ' caliber , and we feel great about the outcome , '' Jac Sperling , appointed by Stern as governor of the Hornets after the league acquired the team in December 2010 , told the NBA 's official website . The Clippers ' franchise has been largely a losing one over the years and has been in the shadow of the long-successful Lakers , who have been champions 17 times to their local rivals ' none . Paul 's presence is expected to invigorate the team . He has been in the NBA for six years , leading the league in steals on four occasions , and will be paired with Blake Griffin , last year 's NBA Rookie of the Year . The North Carolina-born star averaged 18.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in three years with the Hornets . Last season , Paul played in 80 games averaging 15.9 points , 9.8 assists , 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals . Shooting guard Gordon heads to New Orleans after three years in Los Angeles , while 21-year-old Aminu played his rookie year with the Clippers last season . Center Kaman was an All-Star in 2010 and spent eight years at the Staples Center .
Point guard Chris Paul has left the New Orleans Hornets to join the LA Clippers . The move comes as a surprise because he had been expected to sign with the Hornets. NBA commissioner had to sanction the deal as Hornets are owned by the league .