Austin Rivers Trade Rumors: Latest News, Speculation Surrounding Clippers PG

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly could move guard Austin Rivers in a trade for disgruntled New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, should the Knicks lower their asking price. 

Continue for updates. 

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Doc Rivers Comments on Trade Rumors Involving Son

Friday, Jan. 27

"Listen, I would trade anyone," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said, per ESPN.com. "You have to be willing to do that ... and he would be one of them. And any of them would be one. But I don't want to trade any of our guys. I like our team."

Frank Isola of the New York Post identified Rivers on Thursday as one of three players, along with Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick, who may be floated in a potential deal for Anthony. The Knicks are said to be open to moving Anthony, even if they do not receive Chris Paul, Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan in return. 

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Rivers Provides Clippers with Versatile Backcourt Scorer

Rivers, the son of coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers, is averaging 11.9 points and 2.6 assists per game this season. He has put together one of the best months of his career in January, averaging 18.4 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from three-point range.

The Clippers have used him in various roles due to injury, first in an off-ball role to replace an injured Griffin and then most recently as the lead ball-handler in place of Paul. He and Raymond Felton have worked as something of a co-op at point guard for the last four games, though the Clippers are just 1-3 in that stretch.

“He’s just comfortable,” Doc Rivers said, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Daily News. “He’s been playing well. He’s played well all year for the most part... I’d just say he’s kind of figured it out. It’s been good for us. It’s tough to take him out of the lineup.”

If Rivers is actually putting things together, it could not come at a better time for the Clippers. Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Mannix of The Vertical reported that Knicks president Phil Jackson has become "determined" to move Anthony before the February trade deadline.

The relationship between Anthony and Jackson has deteriorated rapidly this season, with both men taking public shots at each other. The pair met last week to discuss Anthony's future with the franchise, a meeting ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne described as "far more contentious than previous sit-downs."

Anthony, who had long maintained his desire to stay in New York, has been increasingly open about a potential trade.

“If they want to go in a different direction, I would have to consider it,’’ Anthony told reporters. “But nobody has gotten in contact with me, and it’s something I don’t worry about or am thinking about it.”

Acquiring Anthony is perhaps the only thing that could reopen the championship window for a Clippers team that's seemingly one or two steps behind the NBA's elite each season. Rivers is the only thing even quasi-resembling a young asset the Clips could flip to New York, and even then he would represent a significant sell-low for someone of Anthony's stature.

Before this season, Rivers had never averaged more than 8.9 points or shot better than 36.4 percent from three. If the Jackson-Carmelo relationship has deteriorated to the point where the former would accept Rivers as a centerpiece in a trade, the Clippers should leap at the opportunity.