Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke a story suggesting the Los Angeles Clippers will not hesitate to replace Blake Griffin with Kevin Durant. Jeff Nisius discusses how this scenario could play out.
It sure has been a tumultuous few weeks for the Los Angeles Clippers’ star forward. The swirling rumors over his suspension have been dulled by rumors of potential trades sending him out of Los Angeles. These rumors have gained steam and were doused with rocket fuel in an article by Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday, suggesting a Blake Griffin for Kevin Durant trade is a possibility.
The premise of the article revolves around Durant possibly joining forces with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green this summer. However, later in the article Griffin’s name pops up:
"Outside of those well-known suitors – Washington, Houston and Miami – there’s another California team determined to make a bid for Durant, league sources tell The Vertical: The Los Angeles Clippers. If the opportunity comes to move Blake Griffin and replace him with Durant, the Clippers won’t hesitate, sources said. Teams are calling on Griffin trades now, but Clippers president and coach Doc Rivers seems determined to play the year out with Griffin and see how far the team advances in the playoffs. Eventually, the Clippers will determine how intrigued Durant might be in becoming a Big Three with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. The Thunder would resist a sign-and-trade deal until the very end – until they were sure Durant was leaving them – but Griffin, an Oklahoma native, could be a fascinating part of that scenario."
In all honesty, adding Durant to the Clippers, flanked by Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan is a no-brainer.
Next: How Durant can fit in L.A.
The fit
Griffin is an elite forward and one of the greatest passing big men of all-time, at least this far into his career. His assist rate is absurd for someone of his size and is comparable to some starting point guards.
Durant fills a huge need for the Clippers as a hybrid forward would can play the three and four. He is also an elite scorer who would add an unbelievable amount of spacing around Jordan and Paul. Imagine a Paul and Jordan pick-and-roll with Durant and Redick spotting up on the wings. How do you defend that horrifying action?
Additionally, Durant takes major pressure off Paul in crunch-time situations, because of his ability to shoot, attack off the dribble and draw fouls. This has been the team’s Achilles heel for years. For as great as Griffin is, he hasn’t been able to relieve the pressure defenses put on Paul with the game on the line.
Finally, Durant is a solid defender, but also can play the four next to Jordan, allowing Rivers all sorts of lineup flexibility moving forward. The Clippers’ roster has desperately needed a starting caliber wing player and Durant gives them one of the very best in the NBA.
Before we jump the gun, there are a few hang ups to any Griffin and Durant swap. The biggest one being would Durant want to join Paul in Los Angeles? There are also financial and CBA restrictions that must be navigated.
Next: Digging into the money
How it works financially
There are two scenarios at play, both in which Durant holds all the power.
First, he can decide his time in Oklahoma City is over this summer.
Durant’s contract expires as of July 1 and he can make it known he will not be returning to the Thunder. Since the Clippers do not have anywhere near enough cap space to sign him outright, their best option would be via sign-and-trade.
Certainly, Rivers could try to build a package around someone other than Griffin, but if they really want Durant the price will be Griffin. According to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, the salary cap is expected to be set around the $89 million range.
New salary cap projections sent out to NBA teams: 2015-16: 67.1 million, tax 81.6, 2016-17: 89 million, tax 108. 2017-18: 108, 127 tax
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 17, 2015
More from Clippers News
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
- LA Clippers 2023-24 full 82-game schedule
Should that happen, Durant would be eligible for a contract starting at $24.92 million. Let’s also keep in mind that an $89 million cap figure is relatively modest. That number could easily exceed $92 million, making Durant’s first year salary even higher. Either way, I am going to use a round figure of a $25 million starting salary.
Next, the Clippers would add Griffin’s 2016-17 salary of $20.14 million. CBA rules stipulate that trade must be within 125% plus $100,000 in order to be legal. Basically, if the cap is set under $90 million the two teams can execute a one-for-one deal.
However, if the cap is set at $90 million or more, the Clippers would need to aggregate more salary in order to make the deal legal. In that case, someone like C.J. Wilcox would likely be added to complete the deal.
The second scenario seems more plausible, but also requires consent from Griffin to be traded back home to Oklahoma City (which could hold up the deal).
Next: What's in it for Durant?
Why would Durant do this?
Durant is obviously very close with Russell Westbrook and the Thunder are one of the league’s elite teams. Additionally, Westbrook isn’t a free agent until next summer. This could lead to Durant agreeing to a one-year deal with a player option on year two, much like LeBron James agreed to with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but for different reasons.
Imagine a Paul and Jordan pick-and-roll with Durant and Redick spotting up on the wings. How do you defend that horrifying action?
The one-year deal provides he and Westbrook one more year to make a title run with the Thunder, the duo is able to hit free agency at the same time and also allows Durant to sign during his 10th season of service. This is a major sticking point, because once a player reaches his 10th year, he is now eligible to sign for 35 percent of the salary cap, instead of 30 percent.
Under this scenario, and again using Givony’s numbers, Durant could sign for somewhere in the $33 to $35 million range. Additionally, this would protect the Thunder as well. Griffin can opt out after the 2016-17 season, making it a risky deal for the Thunder if it occurs during this July.
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
If Durant signs a one-plus-one in July, this would align his contract with Griffin’s. Both players would be eligible for a sign-and-trade, which would then net Griffin a contract starting in the $28-$30 million range. This would also make a one-for-one swap legal under the CBA, saving the Clippers from needing to aggregate more salary.
In either scenario, Durant would have to agree to deal lasting at least three years and no more than four. The Clippers would be losing the foundation of their rebuilt franchise, while the Thunder’s roster would likely be decimated.
Would Blake Griffin agree to a sign-and-trade to play for a depleted Thunder squad? Would Russell Westbrook leave if Griffin was coming to join him?
Next: Clippers are still pursuing a Rudy Gay trade
The deal makes sense for both teams, but there is much more to consider than just each individual team’s needs.