• The Los Angeles Clippers can make a big trade to acquire Trae Young
• The Hawks get a bevy of players and a first-round pick to move on from the star
• The Clippers will have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA
The Clippers are entering the final years of their contending core of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. After assembling the star duo in 2019, the Clippers have seen four seasons without an NBA Finals appearance. When they made the trade, many people expected the team to contend for titles instantly. It hasn’t panned out that way with the team seeing injuries ruin three out of four seasons.
There is a possible superstar-level talent that the Clippers can go after in Trae Young. The Hawks and Young have plateaued over the last few seasons, with Young creating a lot of locker room tension and drama, especially with his repeated falling out with coaches. With Dejounte Murray under contract and talented players like Adrian Griffin Jr. on the rise. So what do they get in a possible trade for Young?
Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Bones Hyland, Robert Covington, 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC)
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Trae Young
This trade would give the Clippers the firepower they need to compete with the likes of the Nuggets, Lakers, Suns, and Grizzlies atop the West. With one of the strongest starting fives in the league, the Clippers will have to make some minor moves to fill out their rotation.
The Clippers Would Need To Sign Two Free Agents
The Clippers will have some holes to fill on their roster by getting rid of four players in this trade. Two guards, one swingman, and one forward cannot be replaced easily, though Young will easily make up for their departure on the offensive front. The free agent market still has some valid option to fill minutes on a contending Clippers team that maintain players like Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris Sr. Mason Plumlee, and Nicolas Batum after this trade.
Terrance Ross could be a signing that the Clippers can make with relative ease. The shooting guard/small forward played for the Magic and Suns last season, averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He still has stretchability and defensive ability to provide to a contender, provided he gets the opportunity to play. After a trade like this, the Clippers would need him to add to their guard play behind Young and Westbrook while also needing him to play off-ball roles alongside either guard.
Another signing could be veteran forward Will Barton, who had a very rough 22-23 season, averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Kendrick Nunn could be an option to add some backup guard play, averaging 7.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists with the Lakers and Wizards last season.
A better option than Nunn would be Cameron Payne, who averaged 10.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds last season for the Suns, or Jaylen Nowell, who averaged 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists for the Wolves.
The Last Chance For Kawhi Leonard And Paul George?
Adding Young allows the Clippers to put out a starting lineup of him, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac. They’re not restricted to that and have a lot of optionality, playing Trae in the backcourt with George and having Westbrook as their sixth man, pushing either Nicolas Batum or Marcus Morris Sr. into the starting lineup. If they add the likes of Payne or Ross from the free agency market, it’ll be one of the best teams in the league without question.
This will be Kawhi and PG’s fifth season together and if they can’t win now, the team may have to break this partnership up. Both players are in the final year of their contract and could be gone from the franchise at the end of the season. Steven Ballmer will try to go all-in this season itself to ensure that the team ends its stint in the Crypto.com Arena with a championship. If not, it should at least point to an encouraging direction as they head into the Intuit Dome for the 2023-24 season.
Even if the Kawhi and PG era is ending, Young will be a guaranteed draw for fans in the new arena. The team will also free up money and could build a complementary roster around Young and not have to do a full rebuild. With future picks still owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’ll be crucial for the Clippers to remain competitive.
Young averaged 26.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 10.2 assists last season and can carry a team throughout the regular season. He needs surrounding pieces to have success and he has that in his first season, if the trade happens. He’d have to learn to play off-ball or be the ultimate orchestrator for two of the best off-ball options in the NBA, PG, and Kawhi.
If this season sees another bad ending, the Clippers may be without choice over what they have to do next.
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