nba roundup | Thursday’s games

Hornets: The NBA, as owners of the New Orleans Hornets, won’t trade All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA spokesman Mike Bass says: “It’s not true that the owners killed the deal, the deal was never discussed at the Board of Governors meeting and the league office declined to make the trade for basketball reasons.” A person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press that the framework for a deal had been in place, but that Paul would report to Hornets camp Friday. Lakers forward Lamar Odom would have gone to New Orleans and fellow Los Angeles forward Pau Gasol to Houston, the third team in the trade.

Clippers: Free agent Caron Butler is leaving the Dallas Mavericks to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. Butler had been working out in Chicago and is recovered from a ruptured tendon in his right knee that limited him to 29 games with the NBA champion Mavericks last season. He averaged 15.0 points and was the team’s second-leading scorer when he was hurt on New Year’s Day.

Pistons: Detroit is attempting to rebuild by keeping at least a couple key players. Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko will re-sign with the Pistons. Prince, an unrestricted free agent, is expected to sign a four year, $27-million contract. Jerebko, a restricted free agent, will be back for a $16 million, four-year deal.

Trail Blazers: Center Greg Oden, Portland’s often-injured former No. 1 draft pick, will sign the Trail Blazers’ $8.9 million qualifying offer on Friday. It is not clear when Oden, who is coming off left knee surgery, might be available to play for the Blazers.

Heat: Shane Battier will be with Miami this season. Saying he only wants “a winning role” at this point in his career, Battier said he would sign with the Eastern Conference champion Heat.

Associated Press