Leonard Saldana (@leosaldananba)
The Clippers are at a fork in the road. They have three max players and are trying to add another one. If they complete the trade, then it makes it harder for them to get any pieces later. It would create a big four, but at what cost?
The bench might have the most depth it’s had in years, but you want more than a punchers chance to win the championship. The Clippers are in a tough space because the cap is there, and Griffin and Paul are going to command max contracts when they hit free agency this summer. So you have very little wiggle room, with little likelihood their two super stars take a pay cut.
If you do the trade, staggering the starter’s minutes is a must. Melo will need to fit his game with the others. It doesn’t help that he’s a liability of defense, but to have a chance of making it to the finals, they need Melo and his scoring because Golden State is scoring at a record pace.
Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, fan favorites, are the likely players to be involved in a trade. If you can move little assets, then I say make the trade.
If they make the trade, they need to make it sooner rather than later or don’t make it all because continuity is huge. The closer to the trade deadline it gets, the less likely I want the trade. Don’t discount their consistent 50 win seasons either with their, “Big Three”. They can make noise but need some luck.
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