The Clippers seem to be headed toward a complete rebuild and the fire sale is underway after trading Blake Griffin to Detroit this week (despite what Steve Ballmer may tell you).
There are two other valuable veteran pieces on the trade block, guard Lou Williams and All-NBA center and longtime Clipper DeAndre Jordan.
Jordan has been rumored as a destination for many teams around the NBA in the last few weeks, most notably Cleveland and Milkwaukee, but there is another team that has reportedly talked with the Clippers about acquiring Jordan: the Portland Trailblazers.
Here is an excerpt from a piece by Broderick Turner of the LA Times:
“The Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers have discussed a trade involving L.A. center DeAndre Jordan but a formal offer was never made, according to NBA officials who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The Clippers have been seeking a first-round draft pick, financial flexibility and young players in return for Jordan, according to the executives.”
Jordan would be a perfect fit to solidify the middle and run the pick-and-roll with the Blazers elite back court of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but who would the Clippers realistically want in return other than Lillard or McCollum?
The only trade that could even work money wise would have to include Evan Turner and his horrific contract for two more years or Harkless, Meyers Leonard and Al-Farouq Aminu. The best deal that the Blazers could offer would be Turner, Jusuf Nurkic and a couple 1st round picks, which shouldn’t appeal to the Clippers at all.
The only way Jordan is moved in my opinion is to Cleveland for Thompson and Brooklyn’s 2018 pick or to Milwaukee for Jabari Parker and some salary fillers.
