LA Clippers
LA saw an opportunity in the Griffin trade to do a few different things. First, they got a young player who has trended upward his whole career in Tobias Harris. Second, they were able to receive a first-round pick in a loaded draft. (More on that in a minute). Finally, they got two unique players in Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic who have filled roles on the team and also aren’t signed long term and could potentially be trade bait.
This Season
All three players mentioned above have contributed in different ways to help the Clips reach a record of 24-16, good enough to be sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference. The team wasn’t predicted to even make the playoffs, so it’s safe to say this has been a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.
The most interesting player (involved in the trade) has been Tobias Harris, who very possibly could make his first All-Star Game this season. Harris is putting up career numbers at 21.1 PPG, grabbing 8.0 rebounds and dishing out 2.2 assists, all while flirting with a 50/40/90 shooting split.
Compared to Griffin, he is filling the stat sheet a bit less, but is scoring more efficiently. Harris is also three years younger and does not have a history of injuries. He also fits a little more into the way the modern NBA is playing and hasn’t had to work as hard to adapt his game like Griffin has. But this wasn’t just a one for one deal.
Avery Bradley has been hit or miss this year, mainly missing. His defensive presence is often talked about and he has had stand out performances, such as an overtime win against Memphis, but it is hard to see him staying beyond this season.
Boban Marjanovic has also been hit or miss, but his minutes are spotty and often end with fans clamoring for more. He has quickly become a fan favorite and should the Clips keep Tobias past this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bobi return as part of a packaged deal.
Going Forward
The future is where the Clippers won this trade.
With the 12th pick in the draft, which came from Detroit, the Clippers ended up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. (He was taken 11th, but LA traded the 12th selection, Miles Bridges, for him).
Gilgeous-Alexander has all the tools to be a long-term starter for the Clippers and is in fact already starting for the team in his rookie season. While his numbers aren’t eye popping, there are little bursts where you can see just how special he really is.
The deal also allowed the Clippers to get their cap space ready for the summer of 2019 when players like Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard enter free agency. With their sights set on both guys, LA has several paths to landing one of or both superstars.
In fact, many think Kawhi to LA is all but a certainty and it’s almost impossible to argue that he’s not an improvement over Griffin.
If not, they still would retain Tobias Harris’ Bird Rights, which means he could still be with the team in the long run.
We recently broke down all the scenarios related to the cap situation, but long story short, the team is sitting pretty for the future while still surprisingly in the mix for this year.
All in all, the Griffin trade stung both him and the Clippers fan base but there is hard evidence to prove that LA won. Detroit may have also won, just not in the same way. They got a superstar that helps sell tickets in a new arena.
When Blake enters Staples Center on Saturday, there will be a lot of emotion. Just remember what he did for the franchise, but also what him being moved does for us going forward.