Kevin Durant (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly planning to pitch Kevin Durant a chance to form a "Big Four" with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in Los Angeles.
Durant has included the Clippers as one of the six teams he plans to meet once the market opens on July 1, giving Doc Rivers and the Clips a chance to lure one of the most coveted player in this year's free agency class. According to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register, the Clippers are expected to pitch Durant on joining Paul, Griffin and Jordan.
"The Clippers are scheduled to meet with free-agency's top prize on the first full day of free agency (Friday) in New York, sending Coach Doc Rivers and owner Steve Ballmer to try and pitch the former MVP," Woike noted.
"While all options will be discussed, the Clippers are expected to a highlight a scenario in which Durant would sign a deal to play alongside Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin."
There is no doubt acquiring Durant would be the ultimate key for the Clippers to become legit title contenders in the league. Alongside Paul, Griffin and Jordan, Durant will have a formidable supporting cast to contend the likes of the Spurs and Warriors or any LeBron James-led team.
However, for the Clippers to offer Durant a max contract, Woike believes LA has to let go of all their free agents or make a significant trade that would involve one of the team's Big Three.
"To make the most competitive offer possible, the Clippers would have to trade J.J. Redick, Paul Pierce and C.J. Wilcox and renounce the rights to first-round pick Brice Johnson and all of their own free agents," Woike wrote.
"The Clippers could also discuss scenarios in which they trade one member of their "Big Three," either to a team with cap space or to the Thunder in a sign-and-trade."
One possible scenario the Clippers may explore is trading Griffin, who has been linked to several trade rumors in the past few months. Griffin, who is owed $20 million next season, could free up enough space to sign Durant.
According to The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks, a sign-and-trade involving Griffin is the only way the Clips could land Durant.
"Doc Rivers has been adamant that he would keep their Big Three together for one more season, but the only way the Clippers would be able to acquire Durant would be if they offered one of their stars, presumably Griffin, an Oklahoma City native, in a sign-and-trade," Tjarks wrote.
Griffin would change the dynamic of the Thunder, but would be a natural fit playing alongside Russell Westbrook. However, trading Griffin, an OKC native, to the Thunder would probably make the Clippers less appealing for Durant, who have other realistic options like the Spurs, Thunder and Warriors.
It would be interesting whether the Clippers could lure Durant to play for the other Los Angeles-based team. But with other teams offering a more realistic shot to win a title, the Clippers should need to pull off all the stops to land this year's top free agent.
