Marc Stein: Clippers Gauging Trade Value Of Paul George With Blazers, Rockets Possible Destinations

Here are the players I'd give up the #4 pick, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, or Jabari Smith Jr. for:

Spoiler

* marks not available for trade according to common sense/any rumors

*Nikola Jokic
*Joel Embiid
*Giannis Antetokounmpo
*Luka Doncic
*Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
*De'Aaron Fox
*Tyrese Haliburton
*Victor Wembanyama
*Jayson Tatum
*Donovan Mitchell
*Anthony Edwards
Scoot Henderson

If a guy is over 30, I don't care how good he is, not interested. Doesn't match our timeline. Even if we somehow had Jokic at the helm, the current team is not championship-ready for at least another couple years.

If he isn't a top 10 player or doesn't have a realistic chance to become a top 10 player, also not interested. Our guys have too much surplus value on their current rookie contracts and we don't yet know where they'll peak.

 

This works... i think I would do it but don't love it...

To Clippers
Sharpe, Tate, Green, #23

To Rockets
3, Simons, 2025 unprotected 1 from Blazers

To Blazers
4, George, Martin

Clippers get 3 young players and a pick for George. They go from the oldest team to average. They also save 125 million of Balmer's money in tax savings. He has the cash but this position puts them in better shape for the new cba rules and why spend 170 million a year in salary and tax on George to play 50 games for you?

Blazers add George and Martin while still netting the 4th pick to extract further value. This costs them Simons, #23, and a future 2025 pick to get George at the cost of moving down 1 spot.

The rockets give up Tate and Martin which is a low price. They move up to 3 to draft Scoot and replace Green with Simons who is a very similar player but more advanced. He's a career 38.9% 3pt shooter and at 24 is young enough to age with the team. You lose some cap space and upside potential with Green. They have similar defensive shortfalls so that is somewhat moot. They also add a valuable pick as Lillard and George will be 34 the season the pick conveys. I don't think I do it without the future pick.

Green is tough to let go but Scoot may be similar upside and Simons is a good shooter now instead of hoping Green becomes one.

 

Unlikely but what the hell:

 

I maybe alone on this but I would love it if it happened

 

I might like that better than mine but then you have the issue of Simons, Green, Porter, and Christopher for one spot.

Might as well swap out Garuba and Christopher.

The understated part is that saves Balmer almost 200 million in 1 year alone. They have the highest tax bill out there.

I know he has the money but why waste it on a non contender. It also helps them navigate new cba rules in a year that would make it harder to add players.

 

I know the Green only fans people will freak out...

It's comparing:

Thompson/Green

Or

Scoot/Simons

I think they are roughly the same upside....

 

Obviously not enough for the Clippers, but I'd give up a lot for #3, Simons, and Nurkic. A lot. I'd throw in #20 this year, trade KJM, take the protection of next year's pick, and maybe even throw in more. It's the type of trade that sets us up for a while, organically. It's an interesting proposition for Portland, too, because they give Dame some ammo without mortgage their future. Even without a FA you'd have something like:

Simons / Green / Miller / Smith / Sengun
KPJ / Christopher / Tate / Eason / Nurkic

Simons, Green, Miller, and Smith would create great spacing around Segun in a Jovic mold.

 

sounds like we'd be the third team in this deal to me. maybe we move up to #3rd with Paul George going to Portland.

 

I thinks it plenty for the Clippers because of the salary relief. Maybe make the restriction top 3 on Nets pick OR throw in KJM and/or Tate. I think Portland is the one getting shafted here, so we may have to sweeten the pot with the 20th pick. Scoot or Miller at 3 would be fine.

 

The Rockets are hellbent on having a logjam at forward. Tari & Jabari are supposed to be our forwards of the future, but it seems the front office refuses to admit the Jalen Green pick was any sort of mistake. They still want the feminine influencer to be the face of the franchise.
The Rockets need a point guard and center; and they really need to sell high on Jalen’s “potential” for assets, then upgrade to a winning player like Austin Reaves.
Paul George for $50mil/year? Is Tilman going b**** and moan to pull the plug in 2 years like he did with CP3? This team seems pretty hopeless with the idiots we have steering the ship.
Let’s hope Udoka can make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t.

 

This is my hope. Makes sense to Portland in a way, too -- they move down one spot and pick up Paul George, appeasing Dame and keeping a top 5 pick.

 

not sure what would go to LAC. maybe Simons,Nurkic, a future first, #20, KJM?

 

I legitimately have no idea. I'm not sure what Paul George's trade value would be given he has a player option after this season. From our end, are we the one trading the future first? I'd be fine trading #20 and KJM to move up to #3, but I would be hesitant to throw in future draft capital unless we're getting back something more than #3.

 

Clippers are in a weird position. They've built a really good team around their stars, but their stars are always injured. When Kawhi plays, he's really good, but man, even load management isn't saving the guy. Is it even worth running it back again just to see the same outcome? Didn't Kawhi have a significant knee injury these past playoffs? I would hate being a fan of their team right now.

 

i think it really depends on our value of Scoot. If he’s a franchise guy and a tier above Amen, I think we gladly trade a future 1st to move up. I do think this trade scenario makes a lot of sense for Portland. Dame likes the Thompsons, Amen has more position versatility than Scoot, they still get the high upside swing with Amen, but they get a legit #2 star to pair with Dame.

However, the Hornets will take Scoot so I don’t think this is gonna happen.

 

Wrong

 

Paul George is damaged goods.

Clippers trying to sell the Ferrari with engine problems.

 

There are guys there I disagree with. Guys like Ant, Mitchell, Fox aren't either a 4th and one of Bari, Green or Sengun. Tatum and SGA are debatable. I think someone like Green could reach or surpass them as he's more naturally talented than those two so decent work ethic and a good coaching staff could get Green to that level or above.

Whas Ant that much better than Green over their first two years in their careers outside of Ant being on a better more veteran team?

 

Yeah I didn't realize how often he was hurt, but I also don't want anything to do with Harden on this team. No Harden, Zion, or Irving

 

What's a feminine influencer?

Your hero Andrew Tate just got arrested for rape.