This trade I’m just leaving as an ambiguous “superstar trade.” There’s a lot of different permutations, so I don’t even want to suggest a framework. The main point with this one would be that Paul George gets moved out and Jrue Holiday gets brought in. There’s a few different ways that could happen.
You could see just a straight up trade between the two teams – Paul George for Jrue Holiday and somebody like JJ Redick works, moneywise.
Alternatively, you could see a third team get brought in to help facilitate the trade happening. The Nets could be a possibility here, in a trade where Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie go to New Orleans, Paul George goes to the Nets and Jarrett Allen and Jrue Holiday go the Clippers.
Or, would the Warriors be willing to send Wiggins and the number 2 pick to the Pelicans in exchange for Paul George, with the Clippers getting Jrue Holiday and Josh Hart? That would give the Pels a wing and a shot at another top prospect.
The common thread, in my mind, in all of these trades is that the Clippers don’t really feel like they’re getting better in any of them, do they? At best, they all sort of feel like horizontal moves.
I do think this trade route is the one the Pelicans would be most interested in accepting. But it’s also the one that the Clippers are probably least interested in offering.
Ultimately, it seems like this would be a hard trade to get done for the Clippers. What do you think? Do you have a trade package you think is realistic? Let us know on Twitter, and keep checking back for all things LA Clippers.