If trading, and plan on going even younger, what veterans do we keep?

We have to keep either Battier or Hayes as our veteran presence in the locker room. I think Hayes offers us more at this point in his career, he's a crazy good defender, Shane is slipping. Martin will stay but I don't consider him a vet. Scola will stay unless we can use him in a big deal.

 

battier will be the hardest to replace.

chuck is great, but PP seems to be a worthy replacement

 

But if we land a good SF, Iggy Wallace Prince, Battier would be in the deal. Hayes can shut down almost any player in the league, look what he to Amare

 

Are you aware that OKC Thunder were first assured of a franchise player before they traded away their veterans? Both Kevin Durant and Greg Oden were seen as sure things and franchise cornerstones. Seattle was sure to get one or the other and then they decided to trade away Ray Allen and let Rashard Lewis leave via free agency.

 

Isn't Battier the captain of the team or something?

 

Battier and Hayes... That doesn't mean anything though I think Tmac was one last year.

 

Oh snap I just checked and now AB is a team captain with Battier?

 

im not sure and i may be trippin but...wasnt dorsey the captain or something like that right before he got traded

 

Na pretty sure it went Battier Tmac then Batt Hayes now Batt AB.

 

Williams--> wing. Can be a top defender against SGs/SFs, I followed his draft and his D was being compared with the D of guys like Tony Allen or Iguodala, being a better rebounder than them and anybody at his position. He should be elite at this side of the court, as wing.

 

if we're not going anywhere, then what's the point of keeping any veterans? Not that i agree we're not going anywhere, but you dont need leadership to not go anywhere.

 

I say we get rid of Battier. His attitude is not BAD; it's too damn good. We need a veteran with a little more aggression rather than keeping spirits positive. Someone needs to light a fire under their asses and fast, and Bats isn't that person.

 

I would say mostly Battier, even though he has his crappy games, I believe he has the most meaning in the locker room, like before mentioned

 

I don't think Martin is untouchable. There is one guy in particular I'm thinking of who is a shorter but stronger less injury prone version of Kevin Martin - and is 22 yrs old. Anyone know who I'm talking about? That's right - Eric Gordon. The guy is straight up a gamer - good shooter, hits free throws, gets fouled a lot, seems to rise to the occasion in big games. I would say he is close to Martin already and like I said, he's 22.

...the big question is would the Clippers actually trade him. That might be difficult but given how much Donald Sterling loathes Baron Davis at this point, Houston might be able to get Gordon if they agree to swallow Davis' contract. I have seen quite a few Clippers games this season and Baron does look awful, but I could see him splitting time with Lowry as the starter. Throw Aaron Brooks in the deal and the Clippers all of a sudden are a far more uptempo team - or at least that's what your selling them on. If the Clip want financial relief, throw Jeffries in the deal, if they want youth, throw Hill, or Cbud, or Twill in the deal.

Brooks +Martin + either a young prospect of ours or cap relief in the form of Jeffries = Baron Davis' crappy contract and diminished skill and Eric Gordon.

The hope is Gordon turns into an elite scorer and Davis actually gets in shape to become productive again. It's a gamble for sure, but at very least you replace Martin with someone younger and less injury prone and you assume you weren't going to signAB at season's end. Plus we have talented guys we are paying decent money to that can't even crack the rotation. Chuck Hayes comes back and either Hill or Patterson's minutes are gone again AND Williams can't even get off the bench with a hot shooting CBud, Battier, and Kevin Martin ahead of him.

Doesn't help us out in the way we really need(defensive bigs to patrol the paint) BUT it does make us better in the long term and only marginally less competitive in the short term(Brooks is better than Davis at this point)

 

I'd keep Scola. Battier and Hayes (because they are the ideal guys to keep around a young team) and then Miller.

Brooks, Martin and Jeffries would be dealt. And Yao if there are suitors.

I'd be looking at a first from Sacramento for Brooks.

Everybody else would stay.

 

the only player that I do not want to see leaving is Scola. Others are expendable.

 

I reckon in that trade we could even nab DeAndre Jordan. His a shot blocker and athletic. With him in our team we could finally end the center madness(for now) and may even develop him into a Dwight Howard type of player.

 

So technically, we're trading away Brooks, Martin, and young prospects for Eric Gordon, pretty much. Baron Davis is pretty much done - why would you wanna take a chance on a "has been" who has got $29mil left on his contract after this year over 2 years?? He's knees are about as brittle as Yao's feet.

Aside from that, with the type of production that Eric Gordon is giving for what he's getting paid, why would the Clippers deal him?? Yes, he's putting up K-Mart type numbers, but at HALF the price! No way the Clippers do this deal.

Quite honestly.. the only players that I wouldn't mind seeing on this team (that can actually be had) are Chris Kaman and DeAndre Jordan.