LA Clippers: Don’t expect another big midseason trade in 2020
The LA Clippers traded stars Blake Griffin and Tobias Harris away in back-to-back seasons, but that doesn’t mean we should expect another in 2020.
Over the past few seasons, the LA Clippers have set a few precedents. For example, they’ve identified the kinds of players that they prefer to build the roster around — that is, players with a two-way skillset and a decent (or better) shot from three-point range. That also goes into the culture the team has established now, and that’s why the Clippers made the moves they did this offseason to acquire guys like Maurice Harkless, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. They all fulfill that criteria.
In addition to that, one of the precedents the team has set is trading away the best player on the roster. First it was Blake Griffin, who the Clippers deal to Detroit in early 2018. The following season it was Tobias Harris, who came over from the Griffin trade. Harris was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a package of assets that ultimately helped the Clippers acquire Ivica Zubac, George and Leonard.
The trades were hard to swallow at first, but both times, they were justified. After all, without them, the Clippers never would have been able to enjoy this offseason in the way they have.
As good as Griffin was with the Clippers, it was clear that he alone couldn’t lead LA to a title. Of course, they could have built around him, but after the Chris Paul experiment got them nowhere and Griffin’s health remained in question, LA didn’t have much of a choice but to trade the face of their franchise.
Harris, who was in the midst of a career year with the Clippers in 2018-2019, wasn’t enough to lead LA to a title, either. Again, the team could have built around him, or at least gotten him some supporting stars. But with a big payday on the horizon and an upcoming free agent class featuring some of the best players the game has to offer, the Clippers decided to cash-in on Harris rather than let him walk in the summer.
Now, the 2019-2020 season is fast approaching. With a little less than two months remaining until preseason basketball begins, fans and writers alike are already looking forward to seeing what the season has in store for them. One thing fans shouldn’t expect from the Clippers, though, is another big midseason trade like we’ve seen in the past two years.
George and Leonard are the guys for the LA Clippers. They’re the two players that make the prior trades of Griffin and Harris worth it. They are the endgame.
On top of all that, it’s hard to imagine another player becoming available for trade that’s better than either of them, and considering both players could test free agency in 2021, LA would be foolish to trade either part of their superstar duo — especially since they were so keen on playing together for the Clippers.
None of this is to say that the Clippers won’t be active during this season’s trade deadline. There are still a few holes in the roster, and with a surplus of guards, LA could look to move one or two in hopes of acquiring some more depth down low.
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But now that the LA Clippers have two players that are more than capable of leading the team to a championship, along with a superstar supporting cast, it would seem that the franchise will break the rule of three and avoid trading one of their star players for the third consecutive season.