Los Angeles Clippers should explore a Tobias Harris trade with the Raptors

In what has become a common trend here at LA Sports Hub, we think that the Los Angeles Clippers are better suited to sell talent, not buy.

The Los Angeles Clippers are only setting the team up for long-term mediocrity with the current plan that the front office is initiating.

I understand the desire to stay away from a rebuild and I admire the fact that Jerry West and company are doing all they can to try to snag a playoff seed in the Western Conference.

At the end of the day, though, the Los Angeles Clippers have no real chance at getting past any of the top five or six teams in the Western Conference and are playing without an identity. It is better to lose with an identity than hold on to pieces to avoid those losses.

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With not many long-term contracts and no real star power, the Clippers should be selling all of the team’s expendable assets to bring in youth and future draft picks. While the team may not realize that until the trade deadline during the season, the Clippers can get much more for the assets now.

The most intriguing and valuable asset is Tobias Harris, who has really excelled as a combo forward in the league and arguably outplayed Blake Griffin after the Clippers traded him last season.

As a member of the Clippers, Harris averaged 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

At just 25 years old, Harris is going to blossom into a 20-point-per-game scorer as early as next season.

The problem is, though, that the Clippers only control Harris for one more season. After what we assume will be a breakout year, Harris is going to take a large contract elsewhere or even sign with a team that is ready to contend.

The Clippers are not that team. Thus, it may be time to trade him. If so, the Toronto Raptors become an interesting target.

The trade:

This trade has multiple layers to it. Let’s start with the Clippers side.

In exchange for Harris the Clippers would be getting a solid player, yet still a downgrade, with a big contract in Serge Ibaka. Ibaka is owed $45 million over the next two seasons. Since the Clippers will be rebuilding, the team can afford the cap hit.

Los Angeles is also receiving OG Anunoby. Anunoby was a first-round pick in 2017 and has a decent ceiling as a productive forward in the NBA. All he needs is the playing time, something the Los Angeles Clippers can easily provide. Throw in a top-10 protected pick that will likely be in the high teens next year and the Clippers are getting a nice return for one year of services.

As for the Raptors, the team is not only getting an upgrade over Ibaka in Harris, the team is also receiving salary cap relief. The Eastern Conference is wide open next season and the Raptors may be a few small improvements away from contending.

Plus, this allows the team to evaluate the future next season if they do indeed fall flat in the East. Toronto could either re-sign Harris and run with that core or decide to blow it up and have nice trade assets in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.

Patrick Beverley is also a nice expiring contract to throw in that adds defense off the bench for Toronto. Throw in a second-round pick that the team can utilize in other trades and this deal seems balanced, fair and accomplishes what both teams should be setting out to do.

Next: Trading for Kawhi Leonard would be a mistake

As good as Harris is, the Los Angeles Clippers really are not going to win anything with or without him. Thus, his services would best be utilized on a team that is close to title contention, like the Toronto Raptors.

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