The Los Angeles Clippers and I have a love-hate relationship. When I give love, they make me hate my decision; when I hate on them, they play well and everyone loves them. I am sticking to my guns; this team is the weakest among playoff candidates in the Western Conference. The Clippers looked terrible in the third quarter against the first place Golden State Warriors last Sunday. Yes, they are without their star forward Blake Griffin and veteran guard Jamal Crawford, but I am not convinced those players make them that much better. Even with the headlines made by the play of DeAndre Jordan since the All-Star break, Chris Paul does not have the cast around him to win, causing him to press the issue and force things.
You would think when Griffin returns things will be different, right? Not so fast. The former dunk contest winner was posting his lowest rebounding and shooting numbers of his career before his injury. This team still does not have the depth or perimeter play to go far in the playoffs, if they even make it there.
So, what does the future look like? Well, Jordan will be entering unrestricted free agency this summer, as many teams will looks to target his services. With it likely costing at least $12 million per year to keep him, is it worth it for a player with such a lack of an offensive game and such poor free throw shooting? HELL YES! Jordan’s uncanny abilities to rebound, defend the pick, and roll and get an easy shot at virtually any time is definitely worth the big bucks. What about their two stars?
When the team drafted Griffin in 2009 and acquired Paul in 2011 the team’s success grew exponentially, but since then they have been running on a treadmill. While Jordan has become a force, their other additions have included overpaying J.J. Redick and Spencer Hawes. There is too much money tied up in their current roster that is not worth the product on the court. With Paul growing older and other point guards in the league only getting better, you’d have to think the window for this team’s championship aspirations is closing fast.
So what’s next? With Jordan being the only significant upcoming free agent for the team, a trade will likely be in order, but who do you trade? Do you trade the highlight of your team, who has not only become a star on and off the court, or arguably the best point guard of the better part of the last two decades who saved the franchise? Obviously it is about who is more replaceable. Aside from sheer talent, there is Paul’s competitiveness and leadership, but Griffin has a longer career ahead of him.
Thinking about possible destinations, a team would be more willing to give up young talent with high potential for the younger Griffin. But if there was a team who could be title contenders with the addition of a top flight point guard, they would also be willing to give up key assets. Sounds pretty obvious, right? What I’m saying is a team bad team is less likely to give up a lot for Paul because if they have to give up too many players for him, they will still be bad with him. But at least in giving up a lot for Griffin, the team will have time to improve because of his longer “life-span” ahead of him in the league.
So what would the Clippers be looking for? Someone to step in as a starter at either Paul’s or Griffin’s position. Alongside, a wing player who can create their own shot.
My first thought on this subject was shipping Blake Griffin to the Utah Jazz for Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Here is a case of a bad team that might be willing to give up a lot for Griffin. Hayward is a second-tier star right now, who the Jazz may feel they had to overpay for this past offseason. While Favors has improved each year, he may never have the offensive game Griffin has. With a slew of young guards and the breakout of the second-year center Rudy Gobert, the Jazz would have a solid supporting cast around Griffin, while the Clippers would have a legitimate outside scoring threat while reacquiring another athletic four, who defends and rebounds at a high rate. Another good option for Griffin could be Kenneth Faried, along with either Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, or both. The wing players in this deal may not be as talented, but the money situation could fit better than in the trade with the Jazz, as Hayward and Favors are both set to make over $12 million for the next few years.
In Orlando, there is a young trio of forwards that even includes the Mini-Blake Aaron Gordon, who packaged with Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless could seem enticing to the Clippers, especially since these players would come even cheaper and potentially with a high draft pick. My final thought on the Griffin front is interesting because it includes a veteran big who will cost money, and a guard who has been accused of not being a good teammate.
On another note, sending Griffin to the Charlotte Hornets for Al Jefferson and Lance Stephenson actually makes a lot of sense. Despite of all of Stephenson’s issues, no one ever accused him of not playing hard, which is what this team needs. With his ability to be a playmaker and defend on the wing, he would be a great fit alongside Paul, Crawford or even Reddick in the backcourt. Although Jefferson has been playing the center position since joining the Jazz in 2010, he came into this league and made a name for himself as a power forward. As long as he gets on the block with room to operate, he won’t really care what you call him, and neither would the Clippers.
Although those seem nice, I find it less likely that the team would rather trade Griffin than Paul, so what could they get for CP3? The Jazz and Nuggets could still be in the mix by using the same wing players, but sending Trey Burke and Ty Lawson, respectively, instead of Favors and Faried. In their effort to lure Kevin Love and Greg Monroe, the Boston Celtics could get involved with Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and Evan Turner, along with any number of draft picks over the next five seasons or so. As I said, a lesser team may have reservations about trading their young assets for an aging guard. The Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks all have All-Star point guards and capable wings and could benefit from Paul’s services.
Goran Dragic and Luol Deng from Miami, Jrue Holliday and Tyreke Evans from New Orleans, and Rajon Rondo and Chandler Parsons from Dallas would all be able to add depth to Los Angeles while not holding a major drop-off in the playmaking department at point guard, (especially in the case of Miami and Dallas). Even for New Orleans, they could offer the best playmaking wing of these three teams in Tyreke Evans. In any of these cases the team would immediately rise in the ranks of their conference by partnering Paul with their current stars.
Of course, these scenarios are all extremely hypothetical for now. I doubt anyone in the Clippers organization is seriously thinking about trading one of their two stars right now, but with the team likely to not make it past the second round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season; they should consider it.
The Heat Check Magazine 