Los Angeles Clippers: How To Get Help For Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon
The Los Angeles Clippers are finally on a three game win streak.
They need to keep up the play, notching a win over the Chicago Bulls the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves over the three game streak.
That may not seem like an accomplishment, but for the other team down in LA, it is.
The Clippers still have a long way to go before they are considered contenders, but they have some nice pieces in place for the future.
Here we will take looks at possible trades and rotation tweaks that can help the Los Angeles Clippers win.
Start Al-Farouq Aminu
1 of 6
Aminu has proven that he can score in this league. He has a 20 point game to his name, but needs to step up when it comes to consistency.
He led the league in three point shooting percentages at one point and has shown that he can spread the floor. He can also work to becoming a better defender.
Rasual Butler is a good example of a player with a similar skill set, though Aminu is more athletic. Butler can help guide Aminu and show him a trick or two when it comes to defending and stretching the D.
Draft a Defensive Minded Point Guard This Year
2 of 6
The Clippers need more defense on the perimeter, and this years draft may be a good time to acquire one.
Assuming the Clippers do not get a top three pick in the draft and receive a pick in the range of the fifth to ninth pick, they should go for Kentucky Point Guard Brandon Knight.
He is a great defender on the perimeter and will help disrupt opposing point guards' offensive game.
On the other side of the ball, he can also score and is an able passer.
Trade For a Point Forward
3 of 6
Trading for a player like Andre Iguodala, who can do a little bit of everything, will help the Clippers tremendously. If they find a scoring point guard, a point forward will be almost mandatory to succeed.
A point forward will be able to handle the ball and allow both guards to focus on scoring and defense. They can also play off ball for spot up shooting off Eric Gordon or Blake Griffin drives.
Having a Point Forward will also allow the team to move Eric Gordon to the Point Guard position and acquire a bigger Shooting Guard.
Since Gordron won't be having to handle the ball, he can play more Point Guard.
Trade Baron Davis
4 of 6
Davis is an absolute cancer to a team trying to rebuild.
He is not a leader in the locker room and his unmotivation can drastically affect work ethics of younger players around him.
His best days are long gone and he has lost the explosiveness he once had. This has made him experience a huge drop off, as his jump shots aren't falling either. This has made everything almost useless, except for his passing.
One trait isn't worth the headache that is his attitude.
Find a Good Perimeter Big Man
5 of 6
For the Clippers, a player like Andrea Bargnani would be amazing.
Chris Kaman isn't working out anymore and the Raptors are looking for All-Star talent. Kaman meshing with Griffin is not resulting in wins and Bargnani not rebounding is not resulting in wins for the Raptors.
With Los Angeles, Bargnani's horrible rebounding would be shadowed by Griffin's work on the glass.
Bargnani could stretch the floor and camp out by the perimeter and let Griffin go to work off the drive and on the post. This way, no one is clogging the lane for Griffin and no one is clogging it for Eric Gordon either.
This would also move DeAndre Jordan to the bench. As a starter he has really found a rhythm that he should be able to continue on the bench.
Add a Bench
6 of 6
The Clipper bench is very weak.
Aminu and Eric Bledsoe are the only bright spots and considering that they might both become starters, means you are left with Ryan Gomes, Randy Foye and Rasual Butler as your bench producers.
That is not going to get you wins.
Gomes is a capable defender, but is not so effective on the offensive end.
Foye has been a bust so far.
Butler can produce on both ends, but he is quickly aging and won't keep it up for long.
The best ways to create a bench nowadays is signing veterans with some game left and drafting wisely late in the draft.
If they can acquire another draft pick, they can draft someone to help with the bench.
The Clippers bench should be built differently from the starting lineup. The lineup should be based on scoring and passing, where the bench should have a guy who can create for himself, a point guard who can create for others, a defensive big guy (DeAndre Jordan if he is moved back to the bench) and a post scorer.
This would mean the other team would need different game plans for the bench and starters and would need to make immediate adjustments, which most cannot.
Basically, build the starters around stretching the floor, driving and good passes out of the drive.
Center the bench around guys who can create for each other and post scoring, with a touch of shot blocking.
