Report: The Los Angeles Clippers Are Expected To Trade For A Starting Calibre Point Guard By The Deadline. Who Should The Clippers Trade For And Why?

The Los Angeles Clippers have started the season as one of the best teams in the NBA but are looking to improve a few positions. Since last season, the point guard position has been a primary focus for the Clippers as they lack a true vocal leader and playmaker. During this past off-season, the Clippers were monitoring Kyle Lowry as an option to trade. With the Raptors recently stating that Kyle Lowry is not available for trade, the Clippers are not evaluating some other options to upgrade the point guard position. 

According to Chris Mannix from Sports illustrated, the Clippers are interested in Terry Rozier, John Wall, Ricky Rubio and George Hill. All four point guards are great options for the Clippers and are all arguably better fits than Patrick Beverly. With Terry Rozier having the best individual season out of the four, let's dive into which point guard is the best option for the Clippers. 

John Wall

Before this season, John Wall missed close to two seasons with the Washington Wizards and entered this season with plenty of questions. From his health to whether or not he can impact the game the same way he once did, Wall was heavily doubted this season. However, John Wall is having a great individual season and has looked like he was never severely injured. While he is no longer as explosive as he once was, Wall can still attack the paint with ease while being an elite playmaker. 

John Wall on the Clippers would be a great fit if they could afford him. With Paul Goerge and Kawhi Leonard having super-max contracts, the Clippers cannot afford to pay another super-max contract unless they strip the entire roster. Depth is a key part of any successful basketball team, making John Wall not a realistic option for the Clippers to pursue. Once his contract expires, maybe then the Clippers could sign him to a much more modest deal. 

Terry Rozier

Terry Rozier is also on a relatively large contract, but his impact towards the game balances it out. Rozier is having the best season of his career and is a huge part of the Hornets success. His 20 PPG contribution is one of the main reasons why the Hornets are currently a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, making his value much higher than last season. 

While a trade for John Wall would be close to impossible, the Clippers could technically trade for Terry Rozier. The trade would consist of, 

Los Angeles receives- Terry Rozier

Charlotte receives- Marcus Morris Sr, Luke Kennard, and a 2024 second-round pick

The Clippers, outside of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, lack a lot of tradable assets. This would be the best offer that the Clippers could trade that does not involve an abundance of contracts. Nonetheless, the value that Terry Rozier provides far exceeds what Marcus Morris and Luke Kennard bring, making this trade extremely one-sided. The only other trade option that the Clippers could offer would be Marcus Morris, Luke Kennard and Serge Ibaka for Terry Rozier and Cody Zeller, but at that point, why would the Clippers do that trade. 

Ricky Rubio

The Minnesota Timberwolves are the worst team in the NBA and have reclaimed Ricky Rubio this past season. Despite leaving Minnesota for the Utah Jazz a few seasons ago, Rubio ironically finds himself back with the team he started with. However, the Timberwolves were just as bad when he was there the first time making this addition slightly confusing. The Timberwolves are still in a 15-year rebuild and have no reason to keep Rubio. 

Due to how the Timberwolves roster is constructed, trading for young assets or players to help them win games should be their north star. Even though Rubio is a good point guard with above-average playmaking skills, the Timberwolves do not need him. Here is what a possible trade could look like if the Clippers consider pursuing Ricky Rubio. 

Minnesota receives- Patrick Beverly, Patrick Patterson, and Mfiondu Kabengele

Los Angeles receives- Ricky Rubio

This trade's primary reason is to relieve some cap-space for the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Rubio making 17 million dollars for the next two seasons, it makes sense why they would want to trade him. As far as where the Clippers stand in this trade, they receive an expensive playmaking point guard to help gel the roster much better. Even though Rubio is not the most vocal guard in the NBA, he is still a great playmaker. 

George Hill

Last season, Hill led the NBA in three-point percentage and was a huge contributor to the Milwaukee Bucks success. Unfortunately, he was traded this past off-season as part of a package for Jrue Holiday. Shortly after, Hill would be traded again to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he is currently playing. 

The interest for Hill by the Clippers is odd as he has only played 14 games this season due to injury. His efficiency has taken a slight dip, but Hill is still one of the most efficient NBA players this season. However, Hill has never been a playmaker and is a player that the Clippers do not need. He is more of a scorer as his career-best in assists was 5.1, which was in the 2014-15 season. 

Having Hill as a back-up point guard would be great for the Clippers, but this team is looking for a starting calibre guard. The Clippers should trade for him but not with the intention of making him a starter. 

Concluding Thoughts

All four point guards would be great fits for different reasons, but after reflecting on the trades and contracts, none of them are worth trading for. With John Wall being the biggest name out of the four, he is too expensive, making him not an option. Rozier, who is having the best season of his career, would cost a significant chunk of the Clippers depth, which is not an option if the Clippers want to contend. Ricky Rubio is an average point guard in the NBA, and even though he can play make, he is not worth 17 million dollars. Lastly, George Hill, who is an efficient scorer, would be a great fit as a bench player but not as a starter, making him the most viable option out of the four guards. 

The Clippers should discard the guards they are interested in entirely and pursue guards such as Rajon Rondo, Elfrid Payton, Patty Mills, or Lonzo Ball. If the Clippers can land any of these four point guards, they would be in a much better position than the guards they are actually interested in. All four of these guards are vocal leaders and are known for their playmaking ability. While a player like Patty Mills is expensive, he was one of the main reasons why the Spurs won the 2014 championship due to his leadership.