With the way Doc Rivers has practically removed Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson from the Los Angeles Clippers’ rotation, it looks increasingly more likely a trade could be coming. So, if they’re going to make something happen, here are five players they should target to fix the second unit once and for all.
Now that C.J. Wilcox is reportedly available for trade, and Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson are practically removed from the rotation, it seems more and more likely that the Los Angeles Clippers could be considering a multi-player trade before the February 18 deadline. Of course, Jamal Crawford has his scoring value and is also mentioned in trade rumors, but besides Crawford, the Clippers are going to need to group some players together in order to make a worthwhile trade.
Stephenson and Smith simply don’t have enough value by themselves to bring in much in return, so the chance of Doc Rivers combining them or using Wilcox as an extra piece looks most likely.
These two summer acquisitions are down to minimal minutes when they actually do play, while Smith is even worse off between the two as he’s received a DNP in six of the last eight games. What makes matters even worse for their case to stay in L.A. is that the Clippers are winning just fine without using them much, as they continue riding their seven-game win streak.
So, let’s explore some possible trade targets.
As you’ll see in these trade ideas, the limited value of the pieces the Clippers have to offer makes targeting much talent difficult to achieve. With that in mind, a couple of these trades will be difficult to pull off, but there’s no harm in surveying any possibilities or players that will help the team.
If Steve Ballmer and Doc want to take the Clippers to another level, rather than a contender who are simply going to sit below the Western Conference’s big three of the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors, a trade to tweak the bench could work. And that’s what this piece will look at — some hypothetical trades that could help improve the second unit once and for all. Both in terms of adding an upgrade and removing a player who isn’t helping much anyway.
Because let’s face it, despite their recent improvement and high potential, it’s going to be incredibly difficult for the Clippers to try to get past teams like the Warriors and Spurs in the playoffs.
Quick note: It’s not necessarily urgent that the Clippers make a trade right now. Without Blake Griffin, the bench has been surprisingly effective, especially on offense. However, the hot shooting from the second unit can’t last forever, Crawford can’t always be counted on and Smith and Stephenson have almost been removed from the rotation. These trades could finally help improve the Clippers’ bench for good.
Next: A surprise target