Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (Photo : Stephen Dunn / Getty Images Sport)
The NBA Trade rumors are heating up with one preseason contender already biting the dust.
The LA Clippers coach and President for Basketball Operations Doc Rivers acknowledged that his team is on the edge of getting stale, as he bared in a Zach Lowe article from Grantland.
"We're right on the borderline," Doc Rivers said. "I have no problem saying that. I'm a believer that teams can get stale. After a while, you don't win. It just doesn't work. We're right at the edge. Oklahoma City is on the edge. Memphis, too. We just have to accept it."
While he also dragged two of his bitterest rivals on the classification, there is no doubt that Rivers is correct. It may be true that this was a very weird season with the Blake Griffin incident and the various injuries throughout the year. It ended abruptly not because of Doc Rivers but due to injuries to Paul and Griffin. Nevertheless, this year counts as another blown chance and both players are getting older.
While blowing up the team is not yet a given, ESPN Insider has discussed on who among the Clippers Big Three should be traded.
Amin Elhassan: "Depends on what brings back the biggest and best haul. For example, if OKC native Blake Griffin can be used in a Durant sign-and-trade, obviously that's the way you go"
The ESPN personality known for his "hot takes" then elaborates: "But absent that sort of manna from heaven, it probably makes a lot more sense to trade Paul -- the eldest of the big three -- and try to keep the window of opportunity open."
That's an interesting stance as trading Paul for a younger talent does help the team get younger but that won't necessarily bring the team closer to a championship. CP3 is arguably the main reason why the Clippers are a contender despite their two frontline talents.
Kevin Pelton, an ESPN analytics guy, has this perspective: "If the Clippers are trying to maximize their chances of winning next year, Griffin, since the team has shown the ability to win without him and could get the kind of secondary creator necessary to play without him against elite competition in return. If they're instead trying to maximize their chances of winning in the next five years, Paul is the choice given his high value and age."
Doc Rivers is acting on a "win-now" mandate and that's why he used their measly cap space gambling on veterans that no other teams dared to touch (Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith) a gamble that failed miserably.
Still, the Clippers did show resilience on an extended stretch without Griffin and it may have intrigued Rivers on how far they could go if they had 3 and D players rather than Blake's inside game.
Pelton is correct-if the stance of the ownership is to go for a championship again, Trading Griffin to fill out their holes could be the key, but Paul may only have two of his best years left.
If they want to be a contender for the long term, even if it means they're not a strong contender next season, then they should hold on to Blake Griffin. Teams on the verge of a championship who implode deep in the playoffs may be ready to trade a vital, long term investment piece for the one season of the composure, maturity and leadership of CP3.
