The LA Clippers still have a chance at one of these three point guards.
When the NBA’s trade moratorium lifted on Monday, the moves happened quickly. The two biggest deals of the day centered around point guards. Chris Paul was sent to the Phoenix Suns for Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, and other assets. Jrue Holiday was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks for a trove of picks, Eric Bledsoe, and George Hill. The LA Clippers had a couple of the players in these deals circled as potential targets and now must look elsewhere.
That isn’t to say there isn’t a shortage of attainable point guards but with the Holiday trade setting the precedence for the rest of the trade market, the team might have trouble finding a partner. With that in mind, let’s look at the three best point guards that still seem attainable to the Clips.
Honorable Mentions
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston. Now that it has become apparent that James Harden will likely be traded and the Rockets are blowing things up, it stands to reason that the Rockets will part ways with Westbrook as well.
There’s one issue – his massive contract. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Westbrook is more or less untradable at this point in time. Sure, teams can offer things for him but Houston won’t get value back equal to his talent. The Clippers could make an offer to bring him to LA but unless Montrezl Harrell agrees to a sign-and-trade and the team adds in the likes of Patrick Beverley and Rodney McGruder, getting the $41 million together is a tough ask.
Westbrook will move eventually but it’s tough for me to count him as “attainable” for the sake of this article. Just don’t forget he’s lingering out there.
Ricky Rubio
The forgotten player in yesterday’s dealings is Ricky Rubio. Rubio had a nice season in Phoenix but was the victim of circumstance. Obviously, Chris Paul was an upgrade over him, so it makes sense he ended up in Oklahoma City. Do I think he stays there? Probably not.
However, I also don’t think the Clippers have what the Thunder are looking for. The Thunder reportedly don’t want long-term deals and instead want assets. Seeing as how they already own all of the Clippers’ draft picks for the next 50 years, LA just doesn’t have a route to get Rubio at this point. There is the possibility that they flip Lou Williams for the Mavericks’ first round draft pick but until that materializes, I think Rubio is a long shot.
LA Clippers Target #1 – Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo is the player I think most likely ends up in a Clippers uniform when free agency is all said and done. The team already expressed interest in him and he fits what the team needs – a pass-first type of guard who is also helpful on the defensive end.
The Clippers would likely have to shell out some money in order to bring Rondo in. Rondo opted out of a $2.6 million player option in order to try and earn a bit more on the open market. The Clippers only currently have their mini mid-level exception, meaning they can spend around $5 million to add him to the team. Depending on what they do the next few days, they could get back up to the full mid-level exception but the team has other holes that will also need to be addressed.
Rondo isn’t a knockdown shooter and in theory, could cause spacing problems for the Clippers’ offense but he does enough to warrant a roster spot. The Clips need someone that can generate assists after Kawhi Leonard led the team in that category last year with just 5.5 per game. Rondo’s average was lower but was also on a much lesser usage rate.
Seeing as how Rondo probably wants to join a contender and the Lakers just traded for a point guard, the match between him and the LA Clippers just makes sense.
LA Clippers Target #2 – Kris Dunn
Kris Dunn isn’t the sexiest target on the free agency market but he’s a perfectly serviceable guard that the LA Clippers absolutely should pursue. Dunn probably won’t win the starting job from Patrick Beverley but he would give the team a defensive-minded point guard to play with the second unit.
The team has already been reported to have interest in Dunn after the Chicago Bulls opted to not extend him a qualifying offer.
The Bulls plan to not issue a qualifying offer to Kris Dunn, per sources. The Clippers are among several teams expected to show interest in the soon-to-be-free-agent guard.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 16, 2020
Can also confirm Bulls will extend qualifying offer to Denzel Valentine, which @DarnellMayberry had 1st.
Dunn is still young enough at 26 years old and while not an extreme scoring threat, he has averaged 8.3 points per game. Much like Rondo, the issue lies with his three point shooting. Dunn is just a 30.6% shooter from deep during his career on only 1.8 attempts. That’s not great but he can still contribute.
Dunn’s biggest asset will be his defense. He averages 1.5 steals per game and his 6’9″ wingspan gives him the ability to switch onto bigger players. Dunn won’t be a flashy signing and the Clips likely won’t get much attention if he’s the move they make but he’s good enough that their bench will improve if he’s brought into the fold.
LA Clippers Target #3 – Someone from New Orleans
No, this isn’t a specific player and is a bit of a cop-out but New Orleans is primed to deal one of their point guards. In their deal for Jrue Holiday, the team added both Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. With Lonzo Ball and Frank Jackson already on the roster, it makes sense that at least one of the four point guards will be on the move.
The smart money is on Eric Bledsoe, who is set to make $16 million this year and $18 million in 2021-22. With the Pelicans pushing more towards youth, they probably would like to get some more draft capital back while sending Bledsoe away. The Clippers could make the rumored move to get a draft pick from Dallas and then flip that plus some assets to New Orleans to bring Bledsoe back to the team that drafted him.
There are concerns about his half-court game, something that became a big issue in Milwaukee during the playoffs but he’s still a solid guard, especially if he’s coming off the bench. Since the Clips have to trade for him though and Patrick Beverley has one of the more tradable contracts on the team, Bledsoe would likely end up the starter.
Lonzo Ball is probably the more interesting player on the Pelicans’ roster but his trade value and availability are very up in the air. If the Clips manage to get the number 18 pick from the Mavericks, does a package of that and Beverley get it done? I’m not quite sure it’s enough but it’s a conversation the front office should definitely have. Ball can score from all levels and is an excellent passer and solid defender. If the Clips can get him, they’ll not only improve at playmaking but will get a little younger in the process.
George Hill and Frank Jackson are also possibilities but neither grade more than backups. Given this, their trade value should be low so they still might be worth considering to the Clippers who don’t have a ton to offer other teams.
What point guard would you like to see the LA Clippers go for? Let us know on Twitter and keep checking back here for all your news, rumors, opinions, and more!