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Los Angeles Clippers: Raptors should make similar moves

By Ryan Snellings

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 25: Tobias Harris #34 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles the ball as Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors defends during the first half of an NBA game at Air Canada Centre on March 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 25: Tobias Harris #34 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles the ball as Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors defends during the first half of an NBA game at Air Canada Centre on March 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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With the Toronto Raptors getting swept in the second round, they should look at the Los Angeles Clippers for inspiration.

Stop me when this sounds familiar. There’s a great regular season team with two star players who somehow always fall apart in the playoffs. One is in his early thirties while the other is in his late twenties. Both are on max contracts. There’s also a big man who is earning over $20 million a year. No matter what small moves this team makes, they have been unable to break through once they hit the post season. Sounds a lot like the Los Angeles Clippers, right?

It also describes the Toronto Raptors, who just fell to arguably the greatest player ever. (That’s another discussion.) The Raptors now are going to have to look inward and make a decision on whether to keep trying the same thing over and over or move some pieces and re-tool. This is where they should look at the Clippers.

This year, the Clippers traded both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and could potentially let DeAndre Jordan walk. This came after the front office realized that the Western Conference is currently stacked and with powerhouses like Golden State around, may not be something the team can compete with. Instead, they cut losses and amassed assets and picks to help the future.

Like Los Angeles, the Raptors need to think about moving one or both of their star players, similarly to what the Clips did. Neither looks to be the guy on a championship team, but could easily be the second or third best player on a real contender.

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Now, the Raptors situation is slightly different. For starters, both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are both under contract for several more years. This makes moving them and their money more difficult. Teams may be less inclined to take these big contracts, but if Detroit was willing to take on Blake Griffin, then anything is possible.

If you can only move one of the two players, Lowry would likely be the better candidate in terms of basketball. He is older and could be a solid point guard and spot up shooter. A team like Milwaukee who could have him share ball handling duties would be a good fit. However, he is due to make over $30 million over the next two seasons and that is a tough pill for teams to swallow.

Serge Ibaka presents similar problems, with his contract seemingly valuing him a lot more then his play. While he is a nice piece,

The real asset in this situation is DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is a proven All-Star and could net some nice assets for Toronto. He’s been the face of the franchise, similar to Blake Griffin for the Clips, but he’s likely best served as the second best player on a team. He’s only 28, so he still has several good years left in the tank.

If a team thinks they are one or two pieces away from winning, he could be the right piece. Teams, such as Philly, could offer pieces to Toronto in order to move their winning timetable up. Other teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, could just be looking for a star player to bring them back to relevancy (And in the Lakers case, he is a California native). He would likely have a good trade market this summer if they do decide to make him available.

Next: Understanding the Clippers odds in the NBA Draft Lottery

The Raptors likely need to make a move this summer. LeBron James doesn’t appear to age like a normal human being, assuming he stays in Cleveland. Boston looks to be a monster of a team, especially once Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving are healthy. Philly, although still probably another year or two away, will be a threat as well. The Raptors need to take a look at the Eastern Conference landscape and then realize that, like the Clippers, their time may not be now. While not guaranteed to work, at least it gives the franchise hope. They’ll need to cut their losses and begin to re-tool for the future.

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