Clippers must choose: Doc Rivers the GM or Doc the coach?

10 July 2013 – Bye bye Bledsoe, hello J.J.

Okay, so one ray of light in this Doc Rivers sideshow of trades was the acquisition of J.J. Redick in a trade with Milwaukee.

The Clippers traded away Caron Butler and Eric Bledsoe to the Phoenix Suns, and received Redick from the Bucks and Jared Dudley from the Suns. Arguably Redick’s reputation as one of the best shooters in the NBA, particularly off screens, and Bledsoe’s poor health record makes the Clippers the winners of this trade.

Although Dudley would eventually be usurped by Matt Barnes for the starting small forward role he was a pretty good veteran for the team to have, even if he has since been more effective for the Bucks and Wizards than he ever was in L.A.

However, this trade comes with a hint of annoyance, because Dudley would later be traded in 2014 with a protected 2017 first-round pick to Milwaukee, for Carlos Delfino, Miroslav Raduljica (both of whom were waived) and a protected 2015 second-round pick. Yet again, another first rounder was traded away. Obviously, we are yet to see which player this pick will become, but let’s assume value in a first-round pick whether that is as a player or tradeable asset.

The savings made by shedding the remaining salary of Dudley was used to sign Chris Douglas-Roberts and Ekpe Udoh, both of whom saw limited action, and neither of whom are still with the squad.

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