I was going to write today on how Jerami Grant, Josh Huestis, and Terrance Ferguson are going to have to by committee replace Andre Roberson for the duration of this season, but then I saw this trade the Clippers and the Detroit Pistons just made and I think I’ll pass on the initial thought.
So…Jerry West and Lawrence Frank just traded Blake Griffin and his newly signed massive contract to the Detroit Pistons in return for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, and two draft picks. DeAndre Jordan is expected to be traded as well before the deadline as is Lou Williams. So, it’s clear what Jerry West has decided is that this season is over for the Clippers and with all this cap space they just created they plan on some major free agent acquisitions.
Which of course makes me think of Paul George the Cali youngster who grew up as a Clipper fan. Jerry West is in the process of doing a makeover of the Clippers. He has realized they made a huge mistake with the contract they gave to Blake Griffin this summer. What he realized is that even though Blake was the face of his franchise, he’s not a player who can be the ‘guy’ for a championship level team.
Blake Griffin has become a Cali guy since he left the Sooners. He loves the beach. Now he finds himself in Detroit with Andre Drummond and the minimalist Reggie Jackson. Maybe Blake will find himself in Detroit. We’ll see.
But from a Thunder perspective–what Jerry West now has in his possession as a possible trade for Sam Presti does indeed draw my interest.
Tobias Harris is a swing player who’s having the best season of his career. Avery Bradley is a guard who defends like Andre Roberson, but who can actually shoot the basketball. Both of these guys alongside of Westbrook and Adams would be interesting to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, I want Paul George to stay. I love him as a player, but with February 8th looming and still no word of a contract between the Thunder and Paul George…I’m just thinking to myself what would a trade look like which sends Paul George and Alex Abrines to the Clippers for Tobias Harris, Lou Williams rental, and Detroit’s first round draft pick.
Just a thought.