NBA Trade Rumors: Why Andre Iguodala and Los Angeles Clippers Are a Perfect Fit

The Los Angeles Clippers are a player or two (and a new owner) short of being a perennial playoff contender in the NBA, with a gaping void at small forward that could very easily be filled by Andre Iguodala.

The Philadelphia 76ers discussed sending Iggy to play for the Clippers' Staple Center co-tenants, the Lakers, back in June in a swap that would've sent Lamar Odom to the City of Brotherly Love, far away from his beloved Kardashians. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors were also in on the action.

With A.I. still on the roster, Doug Collins is left with a web of swingmen to untangle, with Evan Turner and Andres Nocioni peddling for playing time, though Nocioni figures to get the axe via the amnesty clause included in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Surely, Vinny Del Negro would be more than happy to find a place for Iggy in the Clips' rotation. The team is already set with stars at just about every position—Blake Griffin at power forward, Eric Gordon at shooting guard, Mo Williams at point guard and DeAndre Jordan and Chris Kaman at center—except for small forward, where only an underwhelming amalgamation of Jamario Moon, Ryan Gomes and Al-Farouq Aminu remains.

Iguodala would slot perfectly into the spot, serving immediately as both the squad's best perimeter defender, and as yet, another player capable of creating his own and contributing to a winning effort in a number of ways. Iggy has long been a jack-of-all-trades-type player, averaging 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game across seven NBA seasons.

Yet, despite those strong stats, A.I. has never quite gotten his due, in part because of the money he's currently owed—$44 million over the next three years—but mostly as a function of playing an anonymous style on a team that hasn't won much since he's been there.

A change of scenery, from Broad Street to Figueroa Street, would give Iggy the opportunity to fit his talents into a team that, like his current one, is loaded with young talent and on the cusp of doing some special things. Of course, that would mean the Clippers would have to take on more salary—something their notoriously stingy owner, Donald Sterling, might not be so keen to do.

But, if such a deal were to get The Donald's approval, it would likely require that the Clips send back someone like, say, Kaman, who's owed $12.7 million this season and will be a free agent in 2012. Kaman's absence would open up more playing time (and less competition) for DeAndre Jordan, who took significant strides beyond being just an athletic freak while playing alongside Griffin last season.

As for the Sixers, they would receive a skilled former All-Star to plug in at center, ahead of Spencer Hawes and Marreese Speights, to serve as a dependable pivot for their young squad for a year, before his bloated salary flies off the books. Meanwhile, Iggy's departure would afford Evan Turner, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, the opportunity to start consistently and prove that he can be a star in The Association for years to come.

Clearly, a win-win situation for the Clippers and the Sixers. Now, the task falls to Neil Olshey and Ed Stefanski to get on the phone and work out a deal that makes sense for both teams.