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LA Clippers: Pass or Pursue on 5 Point Guard Targets

By Seth Kimbrell

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 Chris Paul
LA Clippers Chris Paul (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

The LA Clippers should pass on Chris Paul

Here’s one that has been floating around for a while. And it sorta makes sense. the LA Clippers need a playmaker, and Chris Paul wants to play for a contender. It even sounds like both parties have some level of interest in exploring it. Which makes sense; last season he averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 assists in 31.5 minutes.

There’s one level of difficulty with CP3 that’s similar to the Russell Westbrook issue: money. He’s making $41 Million this year and has a player option next year for $44 Million. The Clips would need to give up either Paul George or a big combination of players to reach the money needed to even make the trade happen.

Then we’re paying in excess of $40 Million to have a 35 and 36 year old CP3 on the team. And while he was healthy last year, in his previous two years in Houston he missed 47 out of 164 regular season games.

If you’re making a big trade for Paul, you’re gambling that his healthy last year was the norm and the two previous years were the aberration. The problem with that gamble is that, if you lose, you really really lose. It’s hard to imagine a team going all in to grab Chris Paul and still winning the title if his injuries flair up again.

Don’t get me wrong, a healthy Chris Paul who plays like he did last year helps the team. But does he help the team significantly more than, say, Paul George and Landry Shamet? Or some platter of Trezz and Bev and Shamet and Lou Williams?

And, even if you think the answer to that is yes, does a healthy Chris Paul help the team so much that it’s worth rolling the dice on his injury history?

For my money, the answer is no. And so the Clippers should pass on this one.

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