Chauncey Billups

Chauncey Billups, 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 center 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 center 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 wasn’t 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.”

However, CBSSports.com’s Ken Berger says the claiming of Billups could pave the way for the Clippers to sign Paul.