The Clippers claimed Chauncey Billups off waivers while also pursuing a trade for Chris Paul.

“My whole thing was if they were pursuing C.P., why would they get in my way?” Billups said. “When they got me, the C.P. trade was off. Then it was back on, off, back on and then, boom, they get C.P. It made me more like, ‘Why would y’all get in my way if that is what you were trying to do?’ ”

In the days since the trade, Billups has calmed down and accepted his role on a new team. Billups has a strong friendship with Paul.

“When you play two point guards like that, you have to somehow use it as an advantage,” Billups said. “Both of us have to run pick-and-rolls, incorporate what’s going on and make teams match up with us because we are going to be small in the backcourt. And I never liked playing [shooting guard], to be honest with you, because the one advantage that I always had was I was bigger and stronger than anyone at [point guard].

“Now I slide down and I’m smaller than everyone at my position. What are we going to do to that even that out? Those are things I talked to [Clippers coach] Vinny [Del Negro] about. We just got to get creative.”

Billups is expected to control the ball a lot when in the game with Paul, which could free up the latter for more scoring opportunities.

“It’s all good,” Billups said. “I’m going to do what I always do: Make the situation better than when I got here.”