As the different levels of aprons have taken a toll on franchises around the league, expiring contracts are seen as most valuable today. This works out well for the LA Clippers, who have many players on the verge of free agency that could bring in certain stars to save them from a season with few wins. Yet exchanging these pieces for anything other than draft assets signals that the front office has tunnel vision and is unwilling to look ahead.
Lawrence Frank must use his peripherals and examine every which way, like he is crossing the street, before trading LA’s prized contracts for just anything. If the picks are not attached, the phone should be disconnected immediately.
However, what the front office should do is likely not what they will do, as the most arduous task is keeping everyone locked in and achieving a competitive regular-season record; their current 17 losses will not cut it.
The LA Clippers seem probable to add another star, more than anything, at the deadline
The automatic problem-solver in every troubling situation is not another star, contrary to the LA Clippers’ beliefs. They are always striving to lure big names into a big market, with mixed results.
Allow Clippers fans to speak on John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Russell Westbrook: three guards who were hyped beyond measure and, in the blink of an eye, missed their marks.
The lesson here is plain and obvious, but the Clippers have excess pain, stress, and anxiety that has welcomed itself in the building with 17 losses.
Thus, parallel to Sam Amick’s report on Thanksgiving week, the Clippers may prioritize DeMar DeRozan now over draft picks that could easily prevent the franchise from going into a decade-long slump once their aging stars retire or prefer to dream chase on another team via free agency.
Who will the Clippers trade for the risky DeRozan? John Collins’ eye-catching, expiring contract.
This move would be an act of atrocious management. The better use would be to trade for an overpaid player from a contender for a certain number of draft picks, leaving them with Collins.
That said, fans will inevitably be displeased at the deadline, as the Clippers have the tools to win now but lack the capital to win in the future. Therefore, what sense does it make to hunt for a star when there is no guarantee the current situation can be salvaged?