Nov 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) and forward Blake Griffin (32) walk back to the bench for a time out in the second half of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. Grizzlies won 111-107. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
It’s NBA trade season, and with all the drama surrounding teams like the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings, people want trades and they want them now. Even for the LA Clippers.
Even before Blake Griffin went out due to knee surgery, people were already saying that the New York Knicks need to trade Carmelo Anthony for him. And now with all the drama surrounding Carmelo, Derrick Rose, Phil Jackson, and the Knicks organization in general, rumors have surfaced that Carmelo may want to waive his white flag (no-trade clause) and leave the team. What better place to go to than the LA Clippers, with his pal Chris Paul, where the two can happily-ever-after win rings together and ride banana boats.
Oh, but remember, a trade isn’t a trade unless it’s two-sided. The name people are throwing out the most to be sent to New York is Blake Griffin. He gets injured a lot and the Clippers ‘are better without him’ anyway, so lets just send him to the Knicks where he’ll magically find a way to make their team better. Other trade assets for Carmelo include but are not limited to: Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and Brice Johnson.
Even players such as Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio, and Wilson Chandler are somehow being immersed in trade talks that involve Los Angeles. NBA fans from all over have been throwing together trade transactions, whether they have the Clippers in their best interest or not.
Not only would a trade be unnecessary, but it could backfire. The Clippers really shouldn’t trade for anyone this season.
And here are the reasons why.
Jan 17, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) reacts during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Playoff Seeding
Everything comes down to their production in the playoffs, and their production in the playoffs has a lot to do with seeding. The LA Clippers have been sitting uncomfortably in the Western Conference’s four spot for the majority of the season, which is ideally not where they want to be come playoff time. If they get stuck in the four-five zone, they will presumably meet with the Golden State Warriors in the second round, which will up their chances of another dreaded second round exit.
Being in a six-seven seed come playoff time means a much easier couple of series, and the Clippers wouldn’t have to see the Warriors until the Conference Finals. With the Houston Rockets pretty much locked in the third seed, the Clippers’ only way out is down. Doing so would cost them home court, but it would be worth it.
Obviously, no team in the league is going to intentionally play bad in an attempt to manually construct seeding. Though it may be a clever idea, it’s not in any professional athlete’s blood to intentionally play bad for any reason. All you can do as a fan is make predictions and hope for the best. Though there very much is a possibility that the Clippers could drop to a six or seven seed soon, they may be too much of a good team to stay there, especially with the return of Blake and Chris.
On the other hand, you also have to depend on Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Utah to play well so at least two of those teams advance ahead of them in positioning. All three of those teams have their own problems they’re dealing with, which makes it extremely hard to predict outcomes.
Despite all of that, you can’t deny the fact that aiming for a lower seed will make the playoffs much smoother. But alas, it’s trade season. Fans want to trade for more talent, but doing so will only juxtapose wanting to be a six or seven seed. Bringing in more talent will definitely not help the Clippers dip down in the playoff race, and finishing in the top three is virtually out of reach at this point.
Many fans don’t mind staying in the four-five zone and giving Golden State a run for their money in the second round. And that may be where the Clippers end up after all. But making trades in the meantime may be too much of a gamble.
Jan 12, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during a break in action against the Chicago Bulls during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
At what cost?
A trade will make much more sense if one was thinking ahead to actual production in the playoffs. But even still, would a trade even be worth it in the end? The first suitor that comes to mind is Melo. Fans of his think he’s trapped on the Knicks, and that joining the LA Clippers could be an opportunity for him to finally win a ring. Casual NBA fans think Carmelo would be a good fit (because apparently, Luc Mbah a Moute hasn’t filled the hole in the small forward position whatsoever) for the roster. Clippers fans want Carmelo for his scoring abilities. But with any trade proposal the question becomes: at what cost?
Firstly, trading away any of the core four players (CP3, Blake, Redick, and DeAndre Jordan) is not a good idea. Each of these four players play such an important role on the team on and off the court and cannot be replaced. Not to mention how difficult it would be to get a fair return in a trade when Paul, Griffin and Redick are all on expiring contracts, instantly diminishing what could be landed in return.
Seeing as the Clippers are more than half way through their season, making a major trade would hurt them more than help them. Without at least an entire season to modify the system this team has developed over the past several years, giving a new teammate such an important role could prove to be faulty, especially this year.
Secondly, trading away any of the role players including Austin Rivers or Raymond Felton would not be worth it in most cases. All of the role players on the Clippers know their jobs and are capable of doing them well, as shown in Monday’s game against OKC. Plus, trades are usually done without the particular player’s consent. Bringing a player to this team could cause them to play with a bad attitude, in addition to the uncertainty of the production they’ll bring.
We’ve seen what this team is capable of doing when playing at full health and energy, so why compromise that? You know what they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Lastly, bringing in players such as Melo mainly for offense is unnecessary. When everyone is healthy, the offensive end is not where this team needs extra help. Even without Blake, the Clippers’ offense can be a force to be reckoned with.
January 19, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) and forward Blake Griffin react after forward Brandon Bass (not pictured) draws a foul against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Blake will return
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It’s understandable how people’s perceptions of this team may be distorted due to his absence. It’s been a while, and for the most part, the team has found ways to win without him. This makes it easy to forget how dominant of a force Blake can be when at his best. Let’s not forget that the last time CP3 was out for extended time a couple of seasons ago, Blake stepped up big time and carried the team, in turn finishing third in the MVP voting.
However, this year is different because once Blake returns, he’ll immediately have that same pressure on him. Nonetheless, it’s Blake Griffin. He’s done it before and can do it again. Hopefully, he’ll return to the court fully rested and healthy, and even more explosive than earlier this season as promised.
In the absence of Chris and Blake, the process of acquiring a new player would be even more of a burden for the players that are healthy. They’ll already be playing basketball differently without the two stars, and trying to integrate a new player without them would be too much stress on an already distressed team.
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The future of this team potentially rests on how many rounds are completed in the playoffs. Bringing in a new player just to help the team in the moment may not be the wisest decision.
