NBA Trade Rumors: Ray Allen Would Help LA Clippers Much More Than Jamal Crawford

The Los Angeles Clippers have been desperate for a starting-caliber shooting guard since Chauncey Billups went down with a season-ending Achilles tear. Now they are finally getting serious about trading for one before the deadline.

According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, the team will be making a strong push up until the deadline to bring in a veteran 2-guard and the marquee names on their wish list are Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford.

Allen would far and away be the best option for this young team on the cusp of becoming serious championship contenders.

He’s got the winning pedigree, veteran leadership and—of course—that picturesque jump shot.

Because Allen is a natural off-guard, and not a PG masquerading as one like Chauncey, he’s going to be a better fit in the offense and just as adequate a defender.

Before that Achilles injury, Billups was averaging 15.0 PPG, 4.0 APG and 2.5 RPG in an offense that is right around the top-five in scoring. Jesus Shuttlesworth is currently contributing 14.9 PPG, 2.7 APG, 2.9 RPG for a Boston offense in the bottom-five of points per contest.

It’s obvious that Ray’s numbers would get a boost playing with CP3 and in a faster system. He’ll bring some defensive toughness and team-oriented attitude over from the Celtics as well.

If the Clippers decided to go another direction and bring in Jamal Crawford, they’d actually be worse off than standing pat.

Crawford is a relentless gunner who doesn’t even care if he starts or comes off the bench, because he knows he’ll take more shots than most of the starting five combined.

The 31-year-old averages 13.1 shots in 31.9 minutes for his career but only knocks them down at a 41 percent clip. He’s even worse from deep and makes just 1.7 of his 4.9 attempts per game.

Jamal has decent size for a SG, but his defense is lacking for someone standing at 6'5''.

He’s not a team-oriented player and averages less than four assists per game despite dominating the ball when he is on the court.

When the Clippers decide to make their choice on who to pressure hard into trading away their SG, they need to go with the Celtics over the Trail Blazers.

It all comes down to how a player will fit in this system with CP3, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and the other young guns.

Allen is the obvious choice and his presence would make this team a legitimate championship contender in 2012.