Chris Paul and Anthony Davis (Photo : Jeff Gross | Getty Images Sport)
The NBA trade rumors continue as the LA Clippers have slightly improved but are still inconsistent.
One of the catalysts for the Clippers success (or failure) is Chris Paul. He is one of the smartest point guards in the game today, but most observers note that his play is on the downswing based on this season.
If the Clippers continue on this pace, it might be best for Chris Paul to admit that this particular Clippers team has reached its ceiling, and as Doc Rivers mentioned to Zach Lowe in Grantland, the team can get "stale."
The Clippers could no longer improve their team as their cap is filled with max contracts to Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. They made their big stride last year, but fell short of even the Western Conference Finals. All of their bravado couldn't even book them a date with the Golden State Warriors, and that "lucky" team has already beat them twice this season.
As shown in the offseason, the Clippers could no longer add any more significant pieces to their big three. They took a risk with Lance Stephenson via trade, an aging Paul Pierce who could only provide limited clutch minutes in the Playoffs (if they even reach that far).It was wildly optimistic to think that Josh Smith, Wesley Johnson and Cole Aldrich could turn the needle for them.
At some point in the season, Rivers may admit that he was right about teams getting stale, and he also stated that they're on the deadline. Thus, he might press that "Reset" button-or maybe the "return" button, if there is one.
In a Real GM forum thread on whether the Clips should overhaul their roster, it was mentioned that Chris Paul returning to the New Orleans Pelicans could be explored even before a Blake Griffin trade.
As both teams struggle and even disappoint, such a trade actually sounds promising. In this Trade Machine-approved proposal, Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford would be sent to the Pelicans with the hope of maximizing Anthony Davis. If we look at how CP3 helped Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan become stars, imagine what he would do for the Unibrow. Such a pairing may make them a free agent destination.
For the Clippers, they can start again with a stretch four on an expiring contract (Ryan Anderson), a proven scorer like Tyreke Evans and a replacement point in Jrue Holiday.
The actual trade may be tweaked, but the concept of CP3 returning the Pelicans is something to consider.
