Noted NBA scoopmaster Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to break the news via Twitter. The Los Angeles Clippers have reached an agreement on a blockbuster trade that will send 9-time NBA All-Star point guard Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets. This news is guaranteed to shake up the NBA community and the Western Conference.

What does this deal mean for the Los Angeles Clippers?

It was only a few days ago that fellow Los Angeles Clippers All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both opted out of their contracts to become free agents. The Clippers were on the verge of losing both star players and Adrian Wojnarowski's sources reported that Paul told the team that he was going to sign with the Houston Rockets in free agency.

This meant the the Clippers would lose Chris Paul and have nothing to show for it. So they convinced him to opt-in to his contract with them, so that they could then trade him to Houston and get some assets in return. With Paul leaving many suspect Blake Griffin could leave the team, whether in free agency or by opting-in and getting traded a team of his choosing.

What the Clippers got in return for Chris Paul was Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Lou Williams and a 2018 first round pick. Patrick Beverley will compete to fill Paul's starting role at point guard. Last season, Beverley averaged 9.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals. He is known for his defense, having been named a first team All-Defensive player this year.

Last year, Sam Dekker averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1 assist. The 22-year-old should fill Paul Pierce's role as backup small forward. Finally, Lou Williams should provide scoring whether he starts or comes off the bench. Last season he averaged 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3 assists.

What does this deal mean for the Houston Rockets?

This deal gives the Houston Rockets a second All-Star alongside James Harden, who was the runner-up for MVP for the second time in three seasons. These two along with Coach of the Year Mike D'Antoni and Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon, let the Rockets keep their main core while giving up relatively little to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris Paul will be a big improvement in the scoring and assist department over Beverley, while playing the same high level of defense.

The biggest question will how the All-Star duo of James Harden and Chris Paul will mesh together and how long this will take. Both players are ball dominant, needing it in their hands to score, assist and facilitate the offense. Also will the duo of Harden and Paul will be enough for the Rockets to truly compete with the Golden State Warriors or jump past the San Antonio Spurs? With free agency officially starting in a few days, the picture of how the Rockets compare to these two teams should be clearer soon enough.
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