The Grizzlies are sending veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe to the Clippers in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Daniel Oturu, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) reported.
Bledsoe, who was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2010 draft, began his career with the Clippers, playing with the franchise for three seasons before being dealt to the Suns back in 2013.
The Clippers’ gaining a trade exception is noteworthy, as the $8.3 million slot could be used to bring in another player who can contribute this season. The team will be without Kawhi Leonard for most if not all of the 2021-22 campaign as he recovers from a torn ACL and because he re-signed as a free agent rather than simply being under contract, the Clippers will not be eligible for a disabled player exception.
Trading Beverley ($14.32MM), Rondo ($8.25MM), and Oturu ($1.52MM) for Bledsoe ($18.13MM) will also save the Clippers some money on a tax bill, as Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter).
More Buzz From Around the NBA
- The Wizards had a busy offseason but they may not being done making moves. During a recent conference call with FortyEightMinutes and other media, GM Tommy Sheppard indicated that he was still making calls around the league and still talking with other teams. “I think you always want to give every opportunity to make the roster better,” the GM said. Sheppard did mentioned adding players on Exhibit 10 contracts as well and the team has since adding former top high school recruit Kyree Walker to its training camp roster.
- The Heat wanted to trade for a second-round pick in the 2021 draft in order to select guard DeJon Jarreau, though the former UMass and Houston guard wasn’t selected and Miami was able to signed their guy as an undrafted free agent, Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel relays. The 6-foot-5 guard is a contender for one of Miami’s two-way slots.
- DeMar DeRozan said the Bulls’ sign-and-trade for Lonzo Ball gave him more incentive to join Chicago. “Once Lonzo signed, that made it even more appealing,” DeRozan said (via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic). “You could see what they were working toward, and it was something I wanted to be a part of. It wasn’t too much of a pitch that they had to make after that.” The Bulls are hoping to make the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
- Dallas has an interest in Raptors point guard Goran Dragic as well as Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. Each has been linked to Dallas previously with Dragic nearly heading to Dallas during the 2019 offseason and reports of the team’s interest in Markkanen surfacing this past season. Townsend adds that nothing is “imminent” on either front.
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