We have reached the quiet part of the NBA offseason, and most of the major dealings ahead of the 2024-25 season have already been made. The LA Clippers have made substantial progress toward getting their roster back to the level of a playoff contender after losing the services of Paul George in free agency.
However, there are some that think the Clippers will need to add one additional star-level player before they can truly be considered a lock for a playoff spot once again. As we look around the league, there are not a lot of obvious fits. However, one team with an expendable and talented frontcourt player could fit the bill.
The New York Knicks were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference in the latter half of this past season, despite being without All-Star forward Julius Randle. With their newly-revamped roster, Randle may not be the greatest fit with them any longer. If the Knicks are looking to find a new home for Julius, they could potentially find a deal they like with the Clippers.
According to an anonymous Western Conference executive, there are not many squads trying to acquire Randle from New York, with roster fit being the main problem for other teams. "There’s not a lot of teams you can drop him into the lineup and they’d be fine," the executive said. "And there’s not a lot of teams that want to match up contracts there."
An anonymous executive thinks the Clippers are the best fit for Randle
But according to that same exec, the Clippers might be the best option the Knicks have for a trade partner. " want another star for that group," said the executive. "Look around, that is one of the few places where it can make logical sense."
In an article from Heavy Sports, Sean Deveney proposed a deal could look something like this: Randle to the Clippers, Ivica Zubac and P.J. Tucker to the Knicks. This would give New York another star big man up front, replacing the lost production of Isaiah Hartenstein.
As for LA, they would exchange the rock-solid rebounding and overall interior play of Zubac for a more versatile player in Randle. This would be an interesting trade-off, but there is certainly a chance that adding Julius to the Clippers' core could raise their ceiling in the coming season.
The only downside would be taking on Randle's massive contract. The Knicks' big man is still owed $59 million over the next two seasons, and the Clippers will have to be careful with their spending.