Ed Davis, 28, C/PF
2017-2018 statistics: 5.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 18.9 MPG
In all honesty, Ed Davis may be the most difficult player on this list to lure to Los Angeles without breaking the bank.
In January, Damian Lillard voiced his praise for Davis just days prior to the NBA trade deadline, comparing their bond to that of longtime teammates Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. Couple that with what Davis said yesterday about staying in Portland, and you have what seems like an impossible situation.
But the NBA is a business, and fresh off a sweep by the New Orleans Pelicans, the Trail Blazers will be looking to make some personnel changes. And given Davis’s unrestricted free agent status, Portland may let him walk in order to create cap space.
Enter the Los Angeles Clippers.
Davis can offer virtually everything Jordan can, minus the Earth-crushing lobs. He’s a stout defender, strong on the boards, and while his offensive game is limited, he shot a career-high 66.7% from the free-throw line this year.
If the Clippers can negotiate a fair contract, Davis could be a solid replacement for Jordan for a fraction of the price.