The LA Clippers Should Sign Austin Rivers
By Paul Tooke
After being bought out by the Phoenix Suns, Austin Rivers is now a free agent. The LA Clippers should look at signing him.
Less than six months ago the LA Clippers traded Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat. Since then Rivers has been traded to the Suns and bought out, making him a free agent at 26 years of age. A reunion between the LA Clippers and Rivers could benefit both parties in several different ways. Here are three reasons that the LA Clippers should sign him.
Austin Rivers Could Easily Fit in
Rivers was part of the Clippers roster for four seasons. During that time, he evolved from a bottom bench player to a reliable starter. During his last season with the Clippers, Rivers averaged 15 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds and a steal in less than 34 minutes per game. His attentive defense and ability to heat up started to finally convince fans that he was more than just the coach’s son before he was moved in the following offseason.
When the Clippers traded Rivers, the team was dealing with a surplus of guards including the newly drafted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson. Since then, the roster chaos has settled and minutes have been managed. The team would have a much easier time fitting Austin Rivers into the current scheme now than they would during the summer, making signing the former Blue Devil worthwhile. Rivers could fill in for the currently injured Lou Williams as well as any guards or small forwards in the future. Rivers has past experience playing with both coach Doc Rivers and several of the current players. He would quickly gel with the team if added to the roster.
The Clippers are Better than the Rest
The Wizards have been struggling and the Suns will likely be tanking as their best player sits on the sideline, injured. The Clippers, however, are doing far better than ever expected. Though they have lost their past four games, they sit at the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Rivers has been reported to be in a contract discussion with the Memphis Grizzlies, even they are having a less successful season than the Clippers. Rivers has a good chance of making a playoff run with the LA Clippers.
The Clippers can Afford to Sign Rivers
Fans and analysts bickered about the team paying Rivers 35 million dollars for a three-year contract in the past, but with that contract said and done, there is now a chance for the team and Rivers to discuss a new payment plan. The team has cleared enough cap space to sign two max-contract players to the roster in the upcoming summer. There is now time for a new contract to be discussed with Rivers that would fit both parties’ financial desires.