Let’s Debate: Did the Clippers make a mistake by not trading key players?

In our first editions of “Let’s Debate” Isaac Gutierrez and Jason Reed discuss the lack of activity from the Los Angeles Clippers at the NBA Trade Deadline.

The moves, or lack thereof, the Los Angeles Clippers decided to make at the trade deadline have sparked plenty of controversy in the NBA community. Many are of the opinion that the team should have traded the likes of Deandre Jordan and Lou Williams, in order to tank and rebuild for the future.

I take a differing stance on the matter. To me, what the team has done is totally understandable, and likely a step in the right direction. Of course, with a topic as polarizing as this, someone here at LA Sports Hub has a differing point of view.

Today I am joined by site expert, Jason Reed, to discuss the future of the Los Angeles Clippers. He is of the opinion that the team should fully commit to bottoming out and engaging in a full-scale rebuild.

Let us know in the comments or on twitter who you agree with on the topic.

Let’s get into it.

Isaac: Hey Jason, so who do you think the team should have traded at the deadline? And why should they have made these moves?

Jason: I think they should have moved Deandre Jordan, Lou Williams, and Avery Bradley. Because they are only setting themselves up to be the most middle of the pack team in NBA history. If you are going to trade your franchise guy in Blake Griffin then you need to fully commit to this rebuild.

I understand the Clippers may have been scared of Griffin’s contract (as they couldn’t have won a title with him), but why pay him that to begin with if they are just going to get cold feet. It is not like they signed him three years ago, they signed that extension before the season! I understand why they wanted to trade Griffin, I just don’t understand why they are still pretending like they have a chance

Isaac: Well I think they had to sign Griffin so they could make the exact move they ended up making. Signing him and then trading him is better than letting him walk for nothing. And this may be a little bit of a hot take, but they really aren’t much worse of a team by replacing Blake with Harris and Bradley.

Jason: By that logic, though, I would expect a far better trade return. They got an expiring contract, a B-level forward and a draft pick that will fall outside the lottery.

Compare that to Pau Gasol nearly ten years ago (who was around the same level, if not worse, than Griffin) the Grizzlies got Marc Gasol, an all-star center. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but this trade package stunk.

Isaac:  Personally I’m really high on both of the players they received. Harris has made a lot of improvement this season, he’s shooting over 40% from three this year which is much better from where he was the year prior. And Avery Bradley is the type of player you need to try and slow down the elite guards in the league.

In terms of the pick, they now have two first-round picks that’ll land in the middle of the draft order, if I was the GM I’d try and package the two picks for one in the back half of the lottery.

Plus they weren’t going to get as big of a haul for Griffin because he’s going to be making such an absurd amount of money. Not a lot of teams are going to want to pay that, for the same reasons the Clippers didn’t.

Jason:  Tobias Harris will do nothing for the Clippers moving forward and Avery Bradley is going to walk after the season.

It makes more sense, in my eyes, to trade DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams for a high pick (Nets pick or the Lakers pick from Boston). Then, package Avery Bradley to a team like the Lakers for Jordan Clarkson (Young and the deal works for both sides). Then, come draft night, the Clippers are completely stripped. Their pick is likely in the 8-10 range. Lakers in the 6-8 range. The Pistons in the 16-18 range. Then you package Harris and the Pistons pick for another pick around the 10 spot (Let’s say, Jazz/Pelicans).

Boom. Three picks in the top ten.

Isaac: Getting a high pick like that for them is wishful thinking. I could see getting some later round picks for both of them individually but that’s it.

Who’s to say they won’t bring Bradley back next year? He shouldn’t be that expensive, especially since most teams don’t have cap space and we’ll likely see the market start to correct itself from the ludicrous contracts we’ve seen the past few years.

That plan sounds great, assuming the team wants to rebuild. Clearly, their goal is to still compete. With a core of Lou Williams, Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Deandre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick  Beverley and the two rookies they’ll draft in the first round, you aren’t that far away from being a solid team. Especially if they get a new coach in the offseason, which all signs point to happening.

Jason:  That is assuming DeAndre Jordan does not walk away, which he very well may. Plus, twist it however you want, that group of guys, one lottery pick and one non-lottery pick is not going to contend for anything. The Clippers would essentially become the exact team the Pistons were to start 2017 and that obviously was not working.

Both had:
– Solid, not great PG.
– Decent draft pick (Kennard)
– Tobias Harris (and Avery Bradley, if he stays)
– Shot blocking center that is not a true #1 option and can’t shoot free throws.

Throw in Danilo Gallinari (who is always injured), Milos Teodosic (who does not do much more than Ish Smith) and a young forward (Sam Dekker → Stanley Johnson) and you essentially have the 2017 Detroit Pistons + Lou Williams.

Isaac: Oh wow that’s a great comparison. But No way Deandre Jordan doesn’t opt into his contract, it’s too much money to pass up. But you’re forgetting one thing, they’ll have the cap space to pursue some more nice parts. I’m not saying they’ll be contenders, but being even a lower seeded playoff team puts people in the seats more than attempting to rebuild, so i get it.

Jason: No they won’t. If all of the player options stay, which by your argument seems to be the case, they will have literally NO room for any stars. Right now they have -$19 million in practical cap space.

Isaac: Well if they fire Doc, they’ll for sure dump Austin Rivers‘ contract. And they can always find a way to move Milos Teodosic and Wesley Johnson. I’m not saying they’ll add a star, but they will be able to do some maneuvering to add some solid pieces.

Jason: But who would take Rivers’ contract without the Clippers giving up youth? No one.

Isaac: You know who would trade for Austin Rivers? Whatever team hires his father.

Just Kidding

But in all seriousness, they might have to give up a future pick, but teams always find ways to clear space for players in the offseason. Just look at what the Rockets did in order to bring in Chris Paul.

Jason: But they saw how bad that went in LA. I would have to assume that teams would make it clear they don’t want Austin.

And that’s even worse, giving up a future pick to free up cap space so you can be a seventh seed instead of a ninth seed.

Isaac: Actually I just remembered, he’d be an expiring contract so it may not be that hard to trade him.

You wouldn’t have to give up a very valuable pick to offload an expiring contract of a 15 PPG player. It wouldn’t hurt them in the long run.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

Jason: In that case why not keep him? What player on the market can you sign for the same amount that would actually want to come to the Clippers and could produce the same?

Regardless, with Austin Rivers or without, this team is nothing more than a swept team out of the first round of the playoffs.

Isaac: Well in the end, when you have a solid group of players like they have now that has them in the playoff race this year, it makes more sense to keep the group together and see if you can add a few new pieces and a new coach in order to improve.

With a fan base as weak as the Clippers’, staying a respectable team that is in the playoffs with two first round pick rookies coming in the pipeline makes more sense than embarking upon a full rebuild.

Jason: I would disagree. I think it is better to lose and at least have an identity. Right now, the Clippers have no identity.

Next: How the Clippers can package a deal for Trae Young

Isaac: Well I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree. There are two ways to look at it, and I choose the way that is trusting in Jerry West.

But you made some good points, I’m glad we had this discussion. I look forward to more like this, until next time Jason.

Jason: I look forward to beating you in more debates as well, until next time.

Isaac: …