Clippers & Blazers could swap superstars in a blockbuster trade this off-season. Who is winning this trade?
The Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trailblazers are headed towards elimination. Despite both teams having significantly better rosters on paper, it’s fascinating to see both organizations struggle in the first round. However, according to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, he believes that swapping superstars could be a risk worth taking for both organizations. Before diving into what Buckley proposed, let’s examine the situations of both teams.
Los Angeles Clippers
For a second straight season in a row, the Los Angeles Clippers face the Dallas Mavericks. When these two organizations met each other in the playoffs, the Clippers eliminated the Mavericks in 6 games. Fast-forward to their current series, and the Mavericks are projected to replicate what the Clippers did to them a year ago despite the Mavericks being the underdogs.
During the off-season and at the trade deadline, the Clippers made changes to their front-office and roster. These changes gave the Clippers a new identity and a better roster. By struggling in the first round against a far worse Mavericks team, it begs the question of whether the Clippers have a chance at winning a championship. Unlike the Mavericks, who could sacrifice their season as most of their core players are under contract, the Clippers do not have that luxury due to Kawhi Leonard’s expiring contract. If the Clippers do not make it far into the playoffs, Kawhi Leonard will most likely pursue other options.
Portland Trailblazers
For close to a decade, the Portland Trailblazers have been a great team that only needed one or two pieces to become elite. In the 2019 NBA playoffs, the NBA witnessed Damian Lillard and the Blazers dominance in the Western Conference despite being ridiculed with injuries and match-ups where they were destined to lose. Unfortunately, the Blazers lost in the conference finals and have yet to make a similar run.
Patience is running thin in Portland as they need to make changes to their roster this off-season. They have always had a good or great roster, but never an elite roster. Damian Lillard is currently 32-years-old and does not have the luxury of believing in a team that can’t win. Like Kawhi, if the Blazers lose in the first round of the playoffs, Portland could enter a route similar to the Houston Rockets this season and blow up the entire team.
Both organizations are cursed when it comes to the playoffs. The Blazers and Clippers are the better teams in their first-round match-ups, and yet they still struggle. While the Blazers haven’t had an abysmal game in their series, the Clippers have had three abysmal games and will most likely be eliminated in the first round. This is why both teams need to make a significant change to their core. Here is the trade that Zach Buckley proposed and believes could help both organizations.
The Trade
Clippers receive- CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Robert Covington and 2023 first-round pick (top-five protected)
Blazers receive- Paul George, Ivica Zubac and Luke Kennard
According to Buckley, if a trade were to be accepted, three contingencies would have to happen: The Blazers and Clippers would have to lose in the first round, Kawhi re-signing to the Clippers, and Damian Lillard approving the trade. Those are three significant factors that would need to happen if this were an option both teams would entertain.
This trade proposal is odd for several reasons. The Portland Trailblazers and Los Angeles Clippers roster do not like each other at all. In the 2020 playoffs, Damian Lillard and Paul George were attacking each other through social media. Before the 2020 playoffs, Lillard waved Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder goodbye, which most likely initiated their minor rivalry. Rather than applauding Lillard’s game-winner, George cried to the media and famously claimed that it was a “bad shot.”
The other significant factor about why this trade would not work is Lillard’s loyalty towards his teammates. According to Buckley, Lillard would have to sign off on this trade to send CJ McCollum to the Clippers. For almost a decade, Lillard and McCollum have been good friends and teammates. That reason alone would prevent Lillard from signing off a trade like this as his values go against selling his teammates.
Lastly, if this trade were to happen, chemistry would plummet on this team. George and Lillard do not like each other, so a potential team-up would only affect this team badly. The Blazers would lose this trade while the Clippers get a much better package. They receive CJ McCollum, a player who is much more reliable in the playoffs than Paul George. They also receive their new franchise center in Jusuf Nurkic and bring in a solid 3&D player in Robert Covington. If Kawhi Leonard decides to re-sign with this version of the Clippers, this team would be the favourites to make the NBA finals assuming their team chemistry is smooth. The Clippers get major upgrades while the Blazers get significantly worse, hence why this is a bad trade.
Concluding thoughts
While Paul George is the best player in the trade, he would make the Blazers much worse. His ability not to show up in the playoffs is hurting his value on every level. In game four of the playoffs, he was arguably the main reason why the Clippers lost as he turned over the ball many times while looking lost offensively. If the Blazers want to win a championship with Damian Lillard, the last thing they should do is trade for Paul George.
