Clippers-Cavs just can't get it together

Mark Heisler of the LA Times reports on the activities in the Clippers war room on draft night. In what reads like a comedy of errors, he describes how the Clippers and Cavaliers just couldn’t get together to finalize a blockbuster trade.

Under the proposed deal with Cleveland, the Clippers would have gotten point guard Andre Miller for their No. 8 and 12 picks plus a player, but they couldn't agree on the player. The Clippers offered Corey Maggette, then made Lamar Odom available late in the process. The Cavaliers demanded Darius Miles. The Clippers refused, according to a source, on orders from Sterling.

Then the Cavaliers drafted a point guard, DeJuan Wagner, with the #6 pick. Minutes later, the Cavaliers called the Clippers and wanted to accept the Odom deal… but only if the Clippers drafted Caron Butler for them with the 8th pick. The problem was that the Clippers had already called in their pick, Chris Wilcox, to the league.

The Clippers then called the Suns (9th pick) and the Heat (10th pick) trying desperately to trade Wilcox for either pick so they could select Butler and complete the Cleveland trade. Phoenix had already called in their pick, Amare Stoudamire. The Heat decided that Butler was too good to pass up and picked him for themselves.

The Cavs continued to call the Clippers during the draft, so all is not lost yet.

Via LA Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Draft

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With rumors of Miller swirling and No. 6 pick, Cavs have options

Via Cleveland Live

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Clippers Say It Is 50-50 They'll Get Miller in Trade

Another day passed and the Clippers were no closer to knowing precisely what they will do tonight with their first-round picks in the NBA draft according to the Los Angeles Times. They have the eighth and 12th overall selections, but have an interest in dealing with the Cleveland Cavaliers for standout point guard Andre Miller.

The word from the Clippers was only that talks continued Tuesday and will continue today. A Clipper spokesman put the chances of a completed deal at 50-50, the same figures Miller gave to an Ohio newspaper.

"It's something that could happen," Miller told the Akron Beacon Journal. "That's between my agent, the coaches and [General Manager] Jim Paxson to decide whether it happens. It's out of my hands." It's up to the Cavaliers to determine whether to part with Miller as the first step in an overhaul of their roster.

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Los Angeles Clippers

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