The NBA trade deadline is February 10 and the Clippers are an interesting team when it comes to their direction ahead of it. They’ve weathered the storm of losing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, though they could still move some veterans with an eye on restocking their cupboard (L.A. doesn’t have a first-round draft pick until 2027).
The team has made Eric Bledsoe available in trade negotiations, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The scribe also adds that Los Angeles has made Marcus Morris and Serge Ibaka available as well.
Making a move at some point is inevitable for this Clippers team and O’Connor notes that the club’s next major objective is to find a new point guard.
While Reggie Jackson currently mans the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Kawhi in Toronto, or even like George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can both manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.
Spencer Dinwiddie could be an option for the franchise. The California-native is a year removed from an ACL injury and during his 40 games with Washington this season, there has no doubt been some rust. Yet, there have also been flashes of the player Dinwiddie was blossoming into prior to the injury and he’d arguably be a great fit next to George and Leonard once each is 100 percent healthy again.
O’Connor also names John Wall among the options on the market, though he argues that Jalen Brunson is actually the best fit for Los Angeles due to his quick decision-making (Dallas could ultimately end up keeping Brunson as Luka’s backcourt mate of the future, though the Villanova product will be a free agent at year’s end).
More NBA Rumors, News & Notes
- Goran Dragic Trade Coming? The Raptors are “almost” certain to find a trade for Dragic ahead of the deadline, O’Connor writes in the same piece while wondering whether the 35-year-old point guard is out of the Clippers’ price range.
- Latest on Bradley Beal: The shooting guard will miss at least two games with a left wrist injury. The ailment isn’t believed to be too serious, though Beal will be evaluated later in the week and there’s a chance he misses even more time.
- Joel Embiid to get some rest: Embiid has been on a tear lately, playing an NBA MVP candidate. He’ll sit again against the Grizzlies on Monday night, however, for rest purposes. Embiid should be back in the lineup for when the team takes on the Wizards on Wednesday.
- Michael Porter Jr. unlikely to play again this season: The Nuggets have received a Disabled Player Exception for MPJ, which means an independent doctor deemed the forward unlikely to be out through at least June 15. Denver has until March 10 to use the exception to bring another player on board.
- Cavaliers dangling Ricky Rubio, picks? Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the team is willing to give up this year’s first-rounder as well as Ricky Rubio’s contract (Rubio is essentially out for the season with a torn ACL) in order to bring on another guard or wing. The Cavs have a Disabled Player Exception worth $8.9 million that they can use to sign or trade for someone, though if they deal Rubio, they would lose that tool.
- Miami renews Silva’s deal again: The Heat have signed Chris Silva to a fourth 10-day deal (via Ira Winderman). NBA players are normally limited to two 10-day deals with a franchise before they are required to either sign the player to a remainder of season deal or move on; however, the league altered the rules with the COVID-related hardship deals, which applied to Miami since they’ve had players in and out of the lineup all season long.
