The Clippers have yet to confirm a move before the February 2017 trade deadline, but rumors have suggested that Blake Griffin could be the odd man out in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Clippers could be in the cusp of rebuilding, with three of their core roster likely to explore free agency next summer. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and J.J. Reddick are set to become free agents in the summer of 2017, which could open up a potential move for the Clips before the deadline. According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, Griffin could be the likely odd man out should the Clips decide to consider such move.
"With three max players on the roster, the Clippers have a math problem that forces Doc to scrape the bottom of the free-agent barrel each summer. They'd lack that third star without Griffin, but they'd add a great deal of financial flexibility while changing their roster complexion," O'Connor wrote.
While the Clippers have yet to determine which among the aforementioned players could be trade chips, many believe Griffin could be the odd man out should the team decide on such move. Chris Broussard of Fox Sports explored a trade scenario that would see the Clippers send Griffin to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal.
"Stars getting dealt in their prime for one another is rare, but the 23-year old Beal could get a fresh start in LA," Jason McIntyre of USA Today Sports' The Big Lead wrote.
"The most appealing part for Griffin is that you start over the in the East, where it'd feel like the #2 seed was the goal every year that LeBron was still in the league."
Adding Griffin would give Wall his first ever All-Star tandem with the Wizards, creating a duo that could rival top teams in the league, especially in the Eastern Conference. Griffin's ability to generate offense and crash the boards would instantly address the Wizards' issues in both departments, while unloading Beal's multi-year contract.
However, there are many levels trading for Griffin may not be the best move for the Wizards. Griffin is likely to explore free agency next summer, which could make him a potential one-year rental for Washington unless the All-Star center commits to sign with the team come summer of 2017.
As for the Clippers, getting Beal in return could kick start the team's rebuild if Paul and Reddick decides to join another team this coming summer. There are major concerns over Beal's ability to stay healthy, but he is an effective scorer when playing well and would be the perfect center piece to slot alongside DeAndre Jordan should the Clippers hit the reset button.
In any case, it is unlikely the Clippers move Griffin before the deadline, despite suffering a knee injury for the third-straight time in as many as three seasons. But if the Clippers do not feel like they could legitimately compete for a champion this season, trading Griffin is an option.
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