Crazy Trade Ideas That Could Land Los Angeles Clippers a Small Forward
It's not a secret anymore: The Los Angeles Clippers are lacking depth on the wing.
The Clippers haven't been able to guard particularly well on the perimeter. Even when they communicate properly, get to spots on time and help each other, there isn't enough one-on-one defense out by the three-point line.
Matt Barnes was supposed to be the wing stopper heading into the year, but Barnes is 34 years old and is starting to show it. He can still guard, but dropping a heavy load of the defensive burden on him is irresponsible for an organization with championship aspirations.
So, if the Clips want to lock down opposing wings, their best bet may be to look outside the organization.
Last year, coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers tried to fix team weaknesses by waiting for organizations to buy out potentially helpful veterans. The Clippers could pull a similar strategy this year, maybe holding out for Andrei Kirilenko's freedom and trying to bring him in if he hits midseason free agency.
They could also go the more conventional route: make a trade. If they do decide to make a swap, here are eight realistic and not-so-realistic suggestions with the big ones saved for last.
The Hawks Package
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Clippers receive: DeMarre Carroll, John Jenkins
Atlanta Hawks receive: Jamal Crawford, Reggie Bullock
This is a simple need-for-need trade.
Carroll is wonderful defender, able to guard point guards through forwards. He shoots 40 percent from three-point land and comes off the books at the end of the year. Jenkins, meanwhile, may be recovering from offseason back surgery, but he's supremely accurate from long range in his own right.
The Hawks love shooters, but it's become clear they're not particularly high on Jenkins, considering how little he's played over his first few NBA seasons. Maybe they feel differently about Bullock, who's shown he can knock in shots when he's open, though he struggles with the same aspect of offense as Jenkins: moving off the ball.
Crawford is the kicker. His 2015-16 salary is only partially guaranteed, and he can play the instant-offense-off-the-bench role the Hawks have missed since...well, getting rid of Crawford in 2011. Think what Lou Williams was last year but better.
The Hornets Package
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Clippers receive: Gerald Henderson, protected first-round pick
Charlotte Hornets receive: Jamal Crawford
Crawford for Henderson straight up wouldn't make much sense for the Clippers. While Henderson is a defensive upgrade over Crawford, he's not exactly a lockdown stopper and doesn't help exorbitant amounts as a shooter.
If Charlotte really wanted Crawford's low-risk contract to help with the lack of shooting and struggling guard production on the roster, it may have to grease the deal with a first-round pick. But a small-market team with a losing record should never be in the business of trading away first-rounders for sixth men, no matter how good. So, when I say protected, I mean really protected.
Charlotte probably doesn't do that deal until it's something like a top-20 protected pick that could eventually turn over to the second round at some point down the line. And if Doc's team is looking for immediate help, those sorts of conditions on a draft pick probably wouldn't be enough to land Henderson, who could be on the brink of losing playing time under coach Steve Clifford and who isn't as productive a player as Crawford in a vacuum.
A deal of this sort could get done. It's just hard to figure out details for two teams in completely different spots.
The Nuggets Package
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Clippers receive: Wilson Chandler
Denver Nuggets receive: Jamal Crawford, C.J. Wilcox
Chandler may not shoot the lights out from three, but he is a consistent threat from the corners, which is where he'd spend much of his time in the Clippers offense. Most importantly, he'd give the Clips a legitimate wing defender to put alongside Barnes.
The Nuggets may be a bit unsure about their future plans. As ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz wrote last week, this is a team that management thought could win in 2014-15. So far, it hasn't, though Denver is in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
If the Nugs don't want to move forward with Chandler, they can unload him for Crawford and his partially guaranteed 2015-16 salary while acquiring a guard to help their struggles scoring off the dribble and late in the shot clock.
It's possible the Clips would be hesitant to let go of Crawford, who is their most reliable ball-handler behind Paul. If that's the case, maybe J.J. Redick becomes disposable for Chandler. Their contracts actually match up almost perfectly, and Redick's higher salary would allow the Clips to remove the rookie Wilcox from the deal, who could entice Denver because of his age but is mostly there to even out the money.
The 76ers Package
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Clippers receive: Hollis Thompson
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Future second-round pick
Thompson may be off to a struggling start this year, but he put up a 46-40-71 shooting line as a rookie last season, albeit while almost never shooting.
What does tanking 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie not care about? 76ers who aren't part of the long-term plan.
What does he love? Future second-round picks.
The Clips could use either the Byron Mullens or Antawn Jamison trade exceptions to absorb the Georgetown product's $915K cap number. Thompson defends a little, knocks down the three and though he's hesitant to release his shots often, he could find far more space within the Clippers offense than he does on the 76ers.
He wouldn't play much but could probably be a slight upgrade for short stints. If the Sixers can get some value and keep tanking, this might be a deal they'd accept. They are, after all, known for compiling as many second-round picks as possible.
Don't lie; the dullness of this deal is somewhat exciting.
The Lakers Package
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Clippers receive: Wesley Johnson
LA Lakers receive: Future second-round pick
This deal might be less sexy than the Philly one.
Actually, no it's not. Few things are less fun than participating in the downfall of one of the NBA's best franchises and basketball cities.
Johnson makes the same cap number as Thompson, so the Clips could use one of the trade exceptions to acquire him. He may not make a major impact and he certainly wouldn't be an automatic fix, but for 14 to 18 minutes a night, he could give the Clips better production than what they're getting from Bullock.
As for the Lakers, if you're sinking toward the bottom of the Western Conference, why not grab a free draft pick if you have the opportunity?
Johnson can't be traded until Dec. 15 since he was a free agent over the summer, but this could be a small-time deal to consider down the line.
The Grizzlies Package
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Clippers receive: Tony Allen
Memphis Grizzlies receive: Jamal Crawford
There's absolutely no chance this happens right now. The Grizzlies look like title contenders, and there isn't any way they break up the core of their team, which has been around for years now. But this is still fun.
Conceptually, Memphis gets a scorer, shooter and extra ball-handler on the wing. The Clippers get a defender who can make up for their shortcomings on the perimeter and automatically gives them some high-potential defensive lineups. (You know you'd love to see Chris Paul, Allen, Barnes, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan share the floor.)
We're only seeing this in our minds, though. This deal is never happening. Pretend you never read this slide.
The Three-Team Deal
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Clippers receive: Khris Middleton, John Henson
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Mike Dunleavy, Tony Snell
Chicago Bulls receive: Jamal Crawford
Give me a chance to sell this.
Doesn't your heart break just a little every time you see Henson gazing onto the court from the bench, as if he's peaking at a long lost love? The third-year big man is averaging a mere 12.8 minutes a game for Jason Kidd a season after making major strides. So, let's find him some deserved playing time.
In the UNC product, the Clippers get a big who defends, blocks shots and rebounds. They also acquire Middleton, who can play the 2, 3 or stretch 4, hits long balls and guards on the wing.
The Bulls get some extra guard production, a scorer to run their second unit and some Derrick Rose insurance. Plus, if anyone can hide Crawford's questionable defensive skills, it's Tom Thibodeau.
The Bucks, meanwhile, make or break this deal. Middleton has been off to a slow start, and Henson's playing time would imply Kidd isn't particularly high on him in the present. If the Bucks believe their strong defensive beginning to the season is meaningful (Milwaukee ranks eighth in points allowed per possession), then maybe they try to build upon that, picking up Snell, who could fit into Kidd's crop of long defenders quite nicely. And Dunleavy would give the Bucks an extra shooter on a reasonable, short contract.
New owners often like to come in and make somewhat of a splash. Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens snatched Kidd from Brooklyn. They drafted Jabari Parker. We're still waiting on the flashy trade, though.
But we should always focus on what's most important. Whatever happens, let's just get John Henson some playing time.
The Suns Package (AKA "The D.J. Package")
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Clippers receive: Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee, Markief Morris
Phoenix Suns receive: DeAndre Jordan
A lot has to happen for this deal even to have a chance.
First, the Clippers have to decide that Jordan, who is a free agent during the summer of 2015, is no longer in their long-term plans.
Second, the team has to figure out if D.J. will command a max contract. If he does, the Clips may be best off unloading him in-season, getting value in return and using Spencer Hawes as an interim center until they can find a rim protector to play behind Griffin.
And third, Rivers would basically have to agree to punt the 2015 playoffs, since it's near impossible to win a championship without rim protection (unless you have LeBron James on your team). But if you're deciding not to re-sign Jordan, it's presumably because you're not a contender with him.
The Clippers would get back an athletic wing in Green, who's capable of playing defense, though he's hardly a consistent stopper and often gets lost off the ball. They'd also receive a modest and cheap rim protector in Plumlee along with Morris, one of the league's most underrated forwards, whose four-year, $32 million extension kicks in next year.
Then, there's the deal from Phoenix's end.
The Suns would have to make the deal with the intention of re-signing Jordan over the summer, regardless of what salary he commands. That would mean they'd likely be choosing D.J. over impending free agent Goran Dragic. So, maybe a Dragic trade follows.
Jordan could work well on both sides of Jeff Hornacek's schemes, and the deal would give the Suns a top-seven or -eight defensive center around which to build a core. Plus, who wouldn't be giddy to see an Eric Bledsoe-Jordan reunion (Non-Vinny Del Negro Category)?
There are adjustments to be made here. P.J. Tucker could enter the deal with someone else leaving. Draft picks could be thrown around. And considering Rivers and Suns general manager Ryan McDonough once worked together with the Celtics and have already traded before, some compromise could be reached.
At the very least, this is a deal McDonough would have to think about, and the Clips could get back a bunch of help at a reasonable price.
Fred Katz averaged almost one point per game in fifth grade but maintains that his per-36-minute numbers were astonishing. Find more of his work at WashingtonPost.com or on ESPN's TrueHoop Network at ClipperBlog.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FredKatz.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are current as of Nov. 26 and are courtesy of Basketball-Reference and NBA.com.
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