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LA Clippers: Best and Worst Transactions of the last 10 years

By Nathan Jacobo

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 19: A view of the court at Staples Center during the game between the LA Clippers and the Houston Rockets on December 19, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 19: A view of the court at Staples Center during the game between the LA Clippers and the Houston Rockets on December 19, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LA Clippers DeAndre Jordan
LA Clippers DeAndre Jordan (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

2015-2016

Best Move: Convincing DeAndre Jordan to re-sign

At the beginning of the 2015-16 off-season, DeAndre Jordan and the Dallas Mavericks verbally agreed to a 4-yr/$80 million deal that would have signaled the end of Lob City and the Clippers looking like they were heading to rebuild mode, or so we thought.

A couple of days later, Jordan was second-guessing his decision and contemplating coming back to the Clippers.

As soon as management learned of this change in events, they gathered the troops which included Coach Doc Rivers, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and newly-acquired Paul Pierce.

That day, all eyes were on Twitter as Clippers players were firing off emoji’s left and right as they detailed their journey of getting DeAndre Jordan back.

On that same night of July 8th, Jordan officially re-signed with the Clippers on a 4-yr/$88 million pact that kept him apart of the Clippers core and the defensive anchor of the team.

Losing DJ would have hurt since there wasn’t really any solid replacements out there.

Honorable Mention for Best Move

Coming off of a decent season with the rebuilding New York Knicks, Aldrich signed with the LA Clippers with the hope of being the teams’ third-center behind DeAndre Jordan and Josh Smith (signed from Houston).

Josh Smith‘s fit in Doc’s offense didn’t go well as Doc traded him back to the Rockets within the first three months of the season.

With a hole at backup center position, it was Aldrich’s time to step-up and show what he was capable of. Before the Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell pick-and-roll duo existed, it was Pablo Prigioni throwing dimes to Aldrich.

Worst Move: Signing Paul Pierce

The common theme for worst moves that the Clippers made during this past decade was signing old-forwards who had very little or nothing left in the tank.

Pierce, 37 at the time, signed a 3-yr/$10 million deal in what would end up being the final chapter in his NBA career.

When he was first signed, Coach Doc Rivers hoped that the team finally found their starting small-forward. It soon became apparent that Pierce couldn’t keep up with the younger, faster and stronger forwards that were starting on opposing teams.

Pierce struggled to find minutes as his body was slowly but surely giving out.

Pierce admitted a couple weeks ago when he interviewed Doc, that they both agreed he should be a player-coach in his last two seasons with the Clippers.

Just this week, Pierce said he wished the Clippers took him back in the 1998 NBA Draft.

Read. Paul Pierce wanted to be drafted by the LA Clippers. light

Honorable Mention for Worst Move

Just as Lance Stephenson was finding his groove with the LA Clippers, they shipped him minutes before the buzzer sounded at the Trade Deadline.

They sent Stephenson and 2019 1st-Rd Pick (Matisse Thybulle) to Memphis for forward Jeff Green.

Green was known for inconsistent play at times, flashing his potential of being a top-forward and other times only scoring 4 points per game.

Rivers, who coached Green, firmly believed this would finally be his answer at small forward. Green played decently during his time with the Clippers.

When the Playoffs came, he was forced to become the starting power forward after Blake Griffin and Chris Paul were knocked out for the rest of the Playoffs against Portland.

The Clippers would lose to the Blazers in 6 games. Green left in the off-season when he signed a 1-yr/$15 million deal with the Orlando Magic.