NBA Rumors: Trade Buzz Surrounding Jamal Crawford, Paul Pierce and More
With the 2014-15 season finally confined to its glorious past, the NBA rumor mill once again returns to prominence.
The 2015 NBA draft takes place June 25, leaving all 30 teams with precious few days to complete trades or signings that will allow them to put the finishing touches on a draft strategy. No team is spared from the duties of roster maintenance—not even the newly minted NBA champs, the Golden State Warriors.
Let's take a look at some of the latest rumors emanating from the West Coast.
Los Angeles Clippers Seeking The Truth, May Offload Crawford
Having already pulled off the rare mid-June, headline-worthy trade for Lance Stephenson, the Los Angeles Clippers are the early front-runners for the most compelling offseason (the unveiling of the new logo certainly gives them another boost).
Stephenson's game dropped off dramatically in his lone season in Charlotte—8.8 player efficiency rating (PER) last season, per Basketball-Reference, down from 14.7 in 2013-14—and head coach Doc Rivers will certainly be hoping to convert him back into the mind game-playing, two-way threat that he was with the Indiana Pacers.
According to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi, Rivers may not be done revamping his roster in an attempt to get the Clippers to those elusive Western Conference Finals (and beyond): "One of the options the Clippers are exploring, according to sources, is Paul Pierce, who could sign a mini-midlevel exception of $3.37 million for up to three years if he declines his $5.5 million player option with Washington."
Paul Pierce averaged 11.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game last season. He started every game he appeared in and was one fraction of a second and one fingernail length away from hitting one of the all-time great postseason buzzer-beaters against the Atlanta Hawks. The move would also reunite Pierce with Rivers; they won a championship in 2008 as members of the Boston Celtics.
Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy seems to think Rivers is awaiting the return of his former star:
If Pierce doesn't sign with L.A., then the team is still left with a glut at the shooting guard position. It appears Jamal Crawford may be on the block to relieve that pressure, per Markazi: "The Clippers are also exploring trade options for Jamal Crawford, according to sources, and one possibility is trading Crawford and C.J. Wilcox, the team’s 2014 first round pick, to the Denver Nuggets for Wilson Chandler. The Clippers inquired about Chandler last season but nothing materialized."
Crawford, master of the four-point play, averaged 15.8 points on 32.7 percent shooting from downtown, both low marks in his three Clippers seasons. Wilson Chandler isn't the offensive threat that Crawford is, but he's a far better rebounder, is taller with a much larger frame (more lineup flexibility), can drive to the hoop and doesn't need the ball in his hands as often to score points—inside or out.
| Chandler | 6.1 | .342 | .452 | .935 | 4.8 | 2.3 |
| Crawford | 1.9 | .327 | .319 | .748 | 3.7 | 6.9 |
Crawford may have an advantage over Chandler in creating his own shot, but the addition of Stephenson (a player who thrives with the ball in his hands), the potential addition of Pierce and the presence of Chris Paul would create a group of players who thrive when dribbling and dictating play.
The Denver Nuggets have been in a state of Western Conference limbo the past two seasons—11th- and 12th-place finishes after ending up third in the West in 2012-13—and may be inclined to capitalize on the value of players in their athletic prime (like Chandler) and restructure the team.
David Lee Reportedly Done in Golden State
How can the Golden State Warriors keep their juggernaut of a championship-winning team intact in the coming years and perhaps make a run at establishing a Bay Area dynasty on the rock-solid foundation provided by league-MVP Stephen Curry and sharpshooting guard Klay Thompson?
They can trade away their second-highest-paid and second-longest-tenured player in David Lee, of course. Per ESPN.com's Marc Stein: "Sources said the Warriors have privately acknowledged to Lee and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, that it would be unfair to the former All-Star to ask him to continue to serve in a limited role next season after Lee accepted his diminished minutes without complaint all season."
Lee is due $15.493 million in 2015-16, just a shade behind Thompson's $15.501 million, per Spotrac. The 32-year-old forward/center went from being an All-Star in 2012-13 with the team to an end-of-the-bench afterthought this season.
| 2012-13 | 36.8 | 18.5 | .519 | 11.2 | 3.5 | 19.2 |
| 2013-14 | 33.2 | 18.2 | .523 | 9.3 | 2.1 | 19.1 |
| 2014-15 | 18.4 | 7.9 | .511 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 17.8 |
Playing time became even rarer during the playoffs, with Lee seeing the hardwood for a precious 8.4 minutes per game. Stein notes Lee essentially lost his starting role to Draymond Green, who just so happens to be a restricted free agent this year and will cost the Warriors a pretty penny to keep—not that fans of the team should worry.
“I’ll be here,” Green said regarding his future in Golden State, per the San Jose Mercury News' Tim Kawakami. “I love this group of guys.”
Lee's probable departure from the team appears to be amicable (the championship hardware certainly helps), with the former Florida Gator even stating that he learned something valuable in his time riding the pine, per Stein: "So it's really been a great learning experience for me this year. While it's been frustrating as a competitor to not be in there as much as I want to be in there, it's been kind of cool to let go of my ego this year and say, 'Hey, this is about the team.'"
Lee still managed to put up 15.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per 36 minutes this season, so he still has the potential to be a productive player for an emerging contender looking for added firepower in the frontcourt. However, his age and hefty contract may prove to be prohibitive for young or rebuilding teams.
Advanced stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
