Grade the Trade: Wild mock idea has Clippers trading Paul George to Atlanta
As the LA Clippers have not made any blockbuster move, their offseason will soon take a turn. Whether that is trading for James Harden or entering a long-awaited rebuild, the front office must make some noise before the clock runs out.
Furthermore, although the LA Clippers do not have a favorable amount of draft picks to work with, they have countless players with high value. This gives the front office a decent amount of trade leverage with almost any team in the NBA. What’s more, the Clippers play in the city of Los Angeles, one of the biggest markets in the league. Due to their location, they are automatically one of the top destinations for superstar athletes.
Moreover, LA Clippers recently re-signed Russell Westbrook and Mason Plumlee. This makes it evident they will not be in rebuild mode any time soon. Still, plans are subject to change based on what the front office believes is best for the franchise.
On that note, LA’s two highly valued superstars are Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. However, Leonard’s trade value has likely dropped because of his age and injury history. On the other hand, George is still one of the league’s most valued stars.
This puts him in the trade boat if the Clippers’ front office considered shaking things up. Conversely, a great landing spot for George would be the Atlanta Hawks, as they are young and capable of meeting LA’s asking price.
That said, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report constructed a proposal with the Clippers shipping George to Atlanta. What makes this trade a lousy idea is what LA receives in return for their eight-time all-star.