The NBA trade deadline is just a few days away and the LA Clippers have been mentioned several times around various players in the league. With the team reportedly looking to add one final piece that will improve them on the margins, it makes sense to see their name pop up constantly.
There are some rumors that seem more believable than others though, especially given how the team’s front office has worked quietly behind the scenes over the past couple of seasons.
With so many names, it’s hard to sort out who is a probable candidate and who isn’t. That won’t stop us from trying though.
Buy or Sell for the LA Clippers: Tomas Satoransky
Tomas Satoransky was one of the early mentioned names in relation to the LA Clippers but even at the time, it seemed shaky at best. Sato’s name was mentioned by Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer, who mentioned him in passing while detailing the Clippers’ potential postseason threat.
With Sato’s salary being difficult to match, this seemed more simply like a random thought from Tjarks about a player that would fit the current roster but probably isn’t attainable.
Verdict: Sell
Buy or Sell for the LA Clippers: Evan Fournier
Another guard mentioned for the Clippers is Evan Fournier of the Orlando Magic. There’s a tiny bit more substance here but only slightly. His name comes the way of a rival executive who wouldn’t be shocked if the Clippers explored trading for him.
That doesn’t build a lot of confidence in this rumor, as any rival executive could speculate just about anything. Fournier does have an expiring contract worth $17 million, making him somewhat difficult to salary match for the Clippers without giving up Patrick Beverley plus another key piece of the team. It’s for those two reasons that I’m out.