The LA Clippers seem to be approaching the trade deadline with an open mind. Just a little bit after the word being that the Clips would only be trying to improve along the margins, a rumor got out that they might be looking a little bit bigger than that.
According to the Indianapolis Star, the LA Clippers are asking around about Myles Turner’s availability. And while it may be tough to get a deal done, it’s never to soon to start wondering about the effects of such a trade.
How would Myles Turner fit in the LA Clippers rotation?
For the sake of this, let’s just assume that Ivica Zubac is included in any Myles Turner trade. Not because I’m eager to see him gone, but just because it doesn’t make any sense to make the deal and keep Zubac on roster.
My bet would be that the LA Clippers aren’t inquiring after Myles Turner with the intent of bringing in a backup center. We would probably see Turner play in the starting lineup, anchoring the defense.
A starting five which has been dynamite on offense but is only recently getting the defense going would be bolstered by the addition of Turner. The Pacers’ defensive rating is 109.9 when Myles Turner is on the court, so the LA Clippers would have to be salivating at the thought of pairing him with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
This would let Serge Ibaka come off the bench for the LA Clippers. His defense and floor spacing would help the second unit while letting Serge play fewer minutes and rest in preparation for the playoffs.
The LA Clippers could also play around with even more lineup flexibility if Myles Turner were anchoring the paint. A lineup with two of Lou Williams, Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard would be less destructive on the defensive end with Turner behind them.
Much like the current pairing of Serge and Zu, we would probably see the LA Clippers stagger Serge and Myles, giving them each their run with the starters and the bench. The biggest question would be who closes, and that may come down to whichever center is playing better on a given night.
On a night when the offense is more important – say, the LA Clippers are playing from behind and need to focus on scoring – Serge would probably get the nod, as his shooting is a bit more reliable than Turner’s. If the Clips were holding onto a thin lead, you’d see Myles Turner out there making sure that there are no easy buckets.
Again, the trade is pretty tough to make work, but it’s fun to think about how Ty Lue would handle having an All-Defense level big man at the level of Myles Turner.