West leaves Hornets for Pacers; Rockets ink Marc Gasol offer sheet

By Paul Levine Dec 12, 2011, 4:24 GMT

Los Angeles - While the New Orleans Hornets await the fate of highly coveted point guard Chris Paul, two-time All-Star power forward David West bolted the Hive, singing a two-year, 20-million-dollar contract with the Indiana Pacers.

'David looks at the Pacers as a good young team with a lot of potential,' West's agent, Lance Young told the Indianapolis Star on Sunday. 'He feels his experience and leadership will help a team like the Pacers.'

After opting out of a contract with the Hornets that would have paid him 7.5 million dollars this season, West was reportedly headed to the Boston Celtics in a proposed sign-and-trade deal. But those talks fell through, allowing the unrestricted free agent to land with the Pacers.

West averaged 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds last season with the Hornets. The eight-year veteran suffered a torn knee ligament in March, but was declared healthy in October.

Meanwhile, Paul, a four-time All-Star guard, appeared to be headed to the LA Lakers on Friday as the centrepiece of a blockbuster three-team deal.

The Hornets were to receive reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom from the Lakers along with Argentine power forward Luis Scola, high-scoring guard Kevin Martin and a first-round pick from the Houston Rockets.

Also, the Lakers would have sent four-time All-Star power forward Pau Gasol to the Rockets, but commissioner David Stern rejected it, citing 'basketball reasons.'

Los Angeles and New Orleans attempted to rework the trade until the Lakers pulled out of the discussions late Saturday night, saying the Hornets were asking too much for Paul.

The Lakers then shipped Odom along with a 2012 second-round pick to the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, who parted ways with their first-round pick next year.

The move came hours after defensive-minded centre Tyson Chandler signed a reported four-year deal worth about 56 million dollars with the New York Knicks.

The Lakers are now expected to re-direct their focus on acquiring Orlando Magic superstar centre Dwight Howard, who has demanded a trade.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Paul still might end up in Hollywood, but as a member of the LA Clippers.

After losing out on Gasol, who was expected to replace retired Chinese super centre Yao Ming, the Rockets have targeted the Spanish star's younger brother Marc, signing the Memphis Grizzlies starting centre to a four-year, 55-million-dollar offer sheet.

However, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley intends to match any offer to keep the 26-year-old restricted free agent in the den.

'We're keeping Marc,' Heisley told NBA.com. 'We can't afford to let him go. Marc and his agent have to decide what they want to do. But we would definitely match that if that came up to us.'

The question is whether Gasol, who averaged a mediocre 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds last season, wants to remain in Memphis. Already, he has been offered a five-year deal in the 60-million-dollar neighborhood, according the Commercial-Appeal.

'Marc will decide whether he wants to be here. We will aggressively go after him,' Heisley said. 'He's a restricted free agent, so we can match whatever is out there.

In other dealings around the league:

The Knicks inked guard Mike Bibby to a reported one-year contract worth the veteran's minimum 1.4 million dollars and re-signed forward Jared Jeffries.

The Charlotte Bobcats signed guard Kemba Walker, the ninth pick in this year's NBA Draft, who led Connecticut to the 2011 NCAA Championship.

The Golden State Warriors signed restricted free agent forward DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers to a four-year, 40-million-dollar offer sheet, the Oakland Tribune reported.

The Clippers have three days to match the offer, or Jordan will become a Warrior. Jordan averaged 7.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 80 contests last season for the Clippers.

The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to terms with 39-year-old backup forward/centre Kurt Thomas, who averaged 4.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season for the Chicago Bulls.

Thomas, who will be joining his ninth NBA team, owns career averages of 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 16 seasons.