Bill Simmons' Blake Griffin trade idea

[CroCorvus]

Blake Griffin is one of the ten best players in the league. You write a blank check for a top ten player.

Yeah they mentioned that towards the end of last season, Blake looked like a top 3 player... so you basically give up anything it takes to get him.

They also suggested that his stats could actually be better if a team ran the ball through him and he wasn't playing next to D'Andre Jordan.

DJ is a defensive big who never gets the ball down low by purpose. He doesn't have a back to the basket game like every center should have, he dosen't have a face to the basket game also, no mid range jumper either, so to tell BG's numbers would be better if he wasn't playing next to DJ is misleading at least. The only way DJ is scoring is alleyoops and by picking those leftover misses... so that leads us to defense where he could eventually have a couple more rebounds if he played alongside let's say some average NBA center...just saying...
 

[Dino Pitino]

I would do it. Griffin is what the people who want Love think Love is. But I'd way rather hold onto Crowder. Most of the value the Clippers get is the Nets 1st, so they should be happy with Bradley, Sully, and filler. If there's a value gap left, fill it with another non-Nets 1st. Get it done without Crowder and the Celtics might remain a top 3 defense. Griffin isn't a defensive liability. He would upgrade their rebounding as much as Love, is an even better passer than Love, would be a second go-to scorer to pair with Isaiah but as a way more versatile scorer than Love, and we could legitimately sell Durant on the chance to step into a lineup and have a good, fresh shot to win a title as opposed to offering him the chance to play with LeBron's rejected leftovers.

[CroCorvus]

Now I know it would be extremely hard to do this trade without including Smart, Crowder and IT, but if I'm Ainge those are three men that are the heart and soul of this team. Let's break it down:

IT - they have enough ball handlers so I doubt they would value him that much.

Crowder - he could play besides DJ at the four, just like Paul plays right now. He is a great competitor, young on a very good long contract. Taking into consideration that most of minutes at SF Doc's is giving to Wes Johnson, Mbah a Moute, Lance and Pierce. Now that is no real competition for Crowder so he would be instantly injected into starting five.

Smart - pairing him with the Paul you could get a monstrous defensive backcourt. Considering his ability to guard small forwards, they could pair him with Paul and JJ...

As I said already, I'm sure Clips would love to grab Crowder and Smart, but if I'm Ainge I would do whatever to leave them in Celtics uniform, because they are the core of this team.

So, here is the trade I would be willing to make and I think it is not completely one sided:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=jm8zk9l

Clips get:
Kelly O (suits extremely well with DJ and even in the small ball lineups or at the end of the game)
Bradley (more experienced Marcus Smart, cost controlled, someone to guard Steph, could be inserted into starting lineup or could go from the bench, Doc knows him very well)
Sullinger (a solid, young PF from the bench, Doc knows him, could be signed on a reasonable price),
James Young (maybe Doc sees something in him (deadly shooter), because I don't),
D Lee (plain salary filler on a expiring contract - not that they need one but hey, it good to have space for the next season...),
BKN 2016 pick,
BOS 2016 pick,
BKN 2017 or 2018 (only one, we keep the better).


Now with the way they are playing without BG and with all the things happening around him off the court, it might be possible for them to consider this offer.
They are getting 3 young, quality, stand up guys, good locker room guys, good teammates in KO, AB and Sully who can produce immediately from the get go. Finally they get quality bench. That means they continue to push for the third seed in the west, they get in the playoffs with good chance of competing for the Championship. Plus they are getting a salary relief by getting rid of Lees contract (maybe they re sign him on the cheap, who knows).
And the best thing for them is by doing all that they are getting a very good chance of selecting in the TOP 3 in next years draft.

Boston gets: BG, Paul (gets a fair well tour, comes from the bench) and Crazy Lance (they free up his 9 mil a year for the next season).
 

Clips: Paul, Redick, Mbah a Moute/Johnson, Kelly O, Jordan
(bench: Crawford, Bradley, Sullinger, Lee, Rivers, Aldrich, Prigioni, Young...)

Boston: IT, Smart, Crowder, Griffin, Johnson (you have it all, defense and points)
(bench: Rozier, ET, Hunter, PP, Lance, Zeller, Jerebko, Mickey)

Tell me what you think, thx.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Blake Griffin is one of the ten best players in the league. You write a blank check for a top ten player.

Yeah they mentioned that towards the end of last season, Blake looked like a top 3 player... so you basically give up anything it takes to get him.

They also suggested that his stats could actually be better if a team ran the ball through him and he wasn't playing next to D'Andre Jordan.

DJ is a defensive big who never gets the ball down low by purpose. He doesn't have a back to the basket game like every center should have, he dosen't have a face to the basket game also, no mid range jumper either, so to tell BG's numbers would be better if he wasn't playing next to DJ is misleading at least. The only way DJ is scoring is alleyoops and by picking those leftover misses... so that leads us to defense where he could eventually have a couple more rebounds if he played alongside let's say some average NBA center...just saying...

I think it's more of a spacing issue. It's tough for Blake to operate when DJ is taking up a lot of the space down low versus if he played with a guy like Olynyk, who can space the floor and free up the inside for Blake to go to work.

[jmen788]

I want to know what # the Brooklyn pick will be before we trade it... If that's not an option I would only trade it for Demarcus Cousins (although he's not available), so we should wait till the draft order is determined.

[LarBrd33]

I want to know what # the Brooklyn pick will be before we trade it...

If it ends up top 2, you don't do this deal. 

If it ends up outside of the top 2, I don't think the Clippers consider this deal.

It's the "Deal or No Deal" premise.   That pick has perceived value based on what might be in the case.  You can wait and see if it's 1 million dollars (much more than the perceived value had been in January)... or wait and find out it's a whammy case with 10 bucks in it.

[JBcat]

I would do it. Griffin is what the people who want Love think Love is. But I'd way rather hold onto Crowder. Most of the value the Clippers get is the Nets 1st, so they should be happy with Bradley, Sully, and filler. If there's a value gap left, fill it with another non-Nets 1st. Get it done without Crowder and the Celtics might remain a top 3 defense. Griffin isn't a defensive liability. He would upgrade their rebounding as much as Love, is an even better passer than Love, would be a second go-to scorer to pair with Isaiah but as a way more versatile scorer than Love, and we could legitimately sell Durant on the chance to step into a lineup and have a good, fresh shot to win a title as opposed to offering him the chance to play with LeBron's rejected leftovers.

This.  I would even say I would love to hold onto Bradley if there is any way.  We started playing better when he got himself back in the lineup.   He really helps us stretch the floor, and we really don't have a reliable replacement at the 2 spot now.  The 3 guard rotation of Smart, IT, and Bradley is part of our team's identity.   

So if we could work out a 3 team deal with say using Lee's contract, Sully, 1 or so of our young guys not in the rotation, maybe Zeller, and any number of our non Nets picks involved.  The 3rd rebuilding team gets all of our picks involved in the deal, Sully go's to LA along with the vet players from the 3rd team.   Just spitballing but maybe that third team is Denver with Galo and/or Faired going to LA as well. 

If we have to trade the Nets pick so be it but only as a last resort.   Maybe we can take back a bad contract like we did with Wallace to soften the blow.  I'm greedy but I'd really like to hold onto KO, Crowder, Bradley, Smart, and IT, and everyone else is fair game.  lol 

Then in the offseason go after a legit center like Horford or Dwight Howard.   I've never been a fan of Howard's antics, but he seems to have matured somewhat.  A nice anchor to have on D, and might be willing to leave Houston.   

[86MaxwellSmart]

Well, I think Doc Rivers owes us and Danny something---IF he decides to trade Blake Griffin---it better be to us.

[Vermont Green]

I like Blake Griffin better than Kevin Love, I will say that.

I guess you have to assume the trade starts with BKN #1 2016.  The second element is probably Jae Crowder.  They need an upgrade at SF.  Then you need to give them Lee or Amir just to balance salaries.  Evan Turner may be of interest to them also but then they need to start adding in more players.

So I think that leaves us at Crowder, Amir plus BKN #1 for Griffin.  They may want to add in a Bradley Stevenson swap.

So my trade is:

Griffin
Stephenson

for

Crowder
Johnson
Bradley
BKN 2016

I think if I am LAC, I don't do this unless I am really down on Griffin for some reason.  They get good value back for him but they don't get better.  Even if we add another pick, why would they want to take a step back at this point in time?

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I would do it, with the only exception of either getting two first rounders, 1 this year, one in the future that's not the Brooklyn pick or just the Brooklyn pick itself.

I love Jae, but I'd take a top 10 player (arguably) in the NBA over him any day. It makes sense for the Clippers to ask for Crowder as well, so this deal works both ways.

We will have Blake and Isaiah moving forward, still with draft picks and cap room. I like that direction.

[Boris Badenov]

Why would LAC do a deal that made them significantly worse now? Paul is not young.

like for example wouldn't LAC be interested in Love? Love and pieces for Griffin...Love fits better with DJ and he's wanted to come to LA before, supposedly.

Or heck how about Griffin for Carmelo and maybe other pieces? NYK gets someone younger to pair with KP up front and begins rebuilding in earnest.

[Surferdad]

I would do it. Griffin is what the people who want Love think Love is. But I'd way rather hold onto Crowder. Most of the value the Clippers get is the Nets 1st, so they should be happy with Bradley, Sully, and filler. If there's a value gap left, fill it with another non-Nets 1st. Get it done without Crowder and the Celtics might remain a top 3 defense. Griffin isn't a defensive liability. He would upgrade their rebounding as much as Love, is an even better passer than Love, would be a second go-to scorer to pair with Isaiah but as a way more versatile scorer than Love, and we could legitimately sell Durant on the chance to step into a lineup and have a good, fresh shot to win a title as opposed to offering him the chance to play with LeBron's rejected leftovers.

This.  I would even say I would love to hold onto Bradley if there is any way.  We started playing better when he got himself back in the lineup.   He really helps us stretch the floor, and we really don't have a reliable replacement at the 2 spot now.  The 3 guard rotation of Smart, IT, and Bradley is part of our team's identity.   

So if we could work out a 3 team deal with say using Lee's contract, Sully, 1 or so of our young guys not in the rotation, maybe Zeller, and any number of our non Nets picks involved.  The 3rd rebuilding team gets all of our picks involved in the deal, Sully go's to LA along with the vet players from the 3rd team.   Just spitballing but maybe that third team is Denver with Galo and/or Faired going to LA as well. 

If we have to trade the Nets pick so be it but only as a last resort.   Maybe we can take back a bad contract like we did with Wallace to soften the blow.  I'm greedy but I'd really like to hold onto KO, Crowder, Bradley, Smart, and IT, and everyone else is fair game.  lol 

Then in the offseason go after a legit center like Horford or Dwight Howard.   I've never been a fan of Howard's antics, but he seems to have matured somewhat.  A nice anchor to have on D, and might be willing to leave Houston.   

Pretty much agree, though would really like to hold onto Amir as well.  I like Sully but if you're getting Blake, he's obviously better.

IT, Bradley, Crowder, Griffin, Amir
Bench: Smart, ET, Pierce, KO

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Why would LAC do a deal that made them significantly worse now? Paul is not young.

like for example wouldn't LAC be interested in Love? Love and pieces for Griffin...Love fits better with DJ and he's wanted to come to LA before, supposedly.

Or heck how about Griffin for Carmelo and maybe other pieces? NYK gets someone younger to pair with KP up front and begins rebuilding in earnest.

It doesn't make them significantly worse, they are actually doing well without Blake right now.

The problem stems from the fact that 4 years in with this core, and there's no progress. Add to it that the competition even got stiffer, it's either keep running it or change the course. They have little to no cap space to make a good Free Agent signing, and their bench is weak. Blake Griffin can net really good players that even without him, the Clippers would still be one of the top teams in the league. They can bolster their bench in the process.

Just think about it and what Zach Lowe proposed. A big, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and two 1st for Blake. I don't think that deal would bring the Clippers from a top 4 team in the West to just barely making the Playoffs. Paul - Reddick - Crowder - DeAndre would still be a good team, and with that, they'd have Avery and whichever big we give up coming off the bench, solidifying it instantly. And then add the two first that they could either trade or use to get young players. They lose a top 15 player for sure, but it's not like they turn into a lottery team right away. That's still a really good team.

And with this run that they have, winning without Blake, and CP3 playing rather well, maybe it part because of it, that's why there's a case of considering it.

[Boris Badenov]

Why would LAC do a deal that made them significantly worse now? Paul is not young.

like for example wouldn't LAC be interested in Love? Love and pieces for Griffin...Love fits better with DJ and he's wanted to come to LA before, supposedly.

Or heck how about Griffin for Carmelo and maybe other pieces? NYK gets someone younger to pair with KP up front and begins rebuilding in earnest.

It doesn't make them significantly worse, they are actually doing well without Blake right now.

The problem stems from the fact that 4 years in with this core, and there's no progress. Add to it that the competition even got stiffer, it's either keep running it or change the course. They have little to no cap space to make a good Free Agent signing, and their bench is weak. Blake Griffin can net really good players that even without him, the Clippers would still be one of the top teams in the league. They can bolster their bench in the process.

Just think about it and what Zach Lowe proposed. A big, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and two 1st for Blake. I don't think that deal would bring the Clippers from a top 4 team in the West to just barely making the Playoffs. Paul - Reddick - Crowder - DeAndre would still be a good team, and with that, they'd have Avery and whichever big we give up coming off the bench, solidifying it instantly. And then add the two first that they could either trade or use to get young players. They lose a top 15 player for sure, but it's not like they turn into a lottery team right away. That's still a really good team.

And with this run that they have, winning without Blake, and CP3 playing rather well, maybe it part because of it, that's why there's a case of considering it.

I think a 3 way where the pick went somewhere else and brought back another good player could work.

I'm just saying LAC has little incentive to go after a top 5 pick right now. They want good players.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Why would LAC do a deal that made them significantly worse now? Paul is not young.

like for example wouldn't LAC be interested in Love? Love and pieces for Griffin...Love fits better with DJ and he's wanted to come to LA before, supposedly.

Or heck how about Griffin for Carmelo and maybe other pieces? NYK gets someone younger to pair with KP up front and begins rebuilding in earnest.

It doesn't make them significantly worse, they are actually doing well without Blake right now.

The problem stems from the fact that 4 years in with this core, and there's no progress. Add to it that the competition even got stiffer, it's either keep running it or change the course. They have little to no cap space to make a good Free Agent signing, and their bench is weak. Blake Griffin can net really good players that even without him, the Clippers would still be one of the top teams in the league. They can bolster their bench in the process.

Just think about it and what Zach Lowe proposed. A big, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and two 1st for Blake. I don't think that deal would bring the Clippers from a top 4 team in the West to just barely making the Playoffs. Paul - Reddick - Crowder - DeAndre would still be a good team, and with that, they'd have Avery and whichever big we give up coming off the bench, solidifying it instantly. And then add the two first that they could either trade or use to get young players. They lose a top 15 player for sure, but it's not like they turn into a lottery team right away. That's still a really good team.

And with this run that they have, winning without Blake, and CP3 playing rather well, maybe it part because of it, that's why there's a case of considering it.

I think a 3 way where the pick went somewhere else and brought back another good player could work.

I'm just saying LAC has little incentive to go after a top 5 pick right now. They want good players.

Well, they could trade that top 5 pick and get two quality players...