Grade the trade: Clippers snag All-Star wing in proposed blockbuster

Would the LA Clippers accept this trade?

The Clippers put Norman Powell on the trade block this summer. Robert Covington and Amir Coffey were not part of their nightly rotation last season, so LA is trading one of their two available first-round picks for DeRozan.

The six-time All-Star turns 34 years old in August. LA has an aging roster that is already struggling to stay healthy. This could be their last real chance at contending for a title. That makes trading a lightly protected 2028 first-round draft pick dangerous, but it increases the Clippers’ odds of winning next season.

DeRozan is entering the final year of his contract, but trading for him only makes sense if it comes with an extension. The Clips are opening a new arena at the start of the 2024-25 season, and they will want to be competitive in year one. If this offer was on the table, LA would have already accepted.

Grade: A-

This is a no-brainer move for the LA Clippers. They get a third All-Star wing and improve their chances next season. It also makes the team a bigger draw as they head into a new arena next summer if they can sign DeRozan to a multi-year deal. LA gets a slight downgrade because of the risk, but it is otherwise a homerun.

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