2012 NBA Trade Deadline

[mkwest]

Neil Olshey downplays likelihood of Clippers making a trade

Neil Olshey has listened to everyone clamoring for the Clippers to make a move before Thursday's noon (PST) trade deadline in an attempt to stop the team's current slide.

The Clippers' vice president of basketball operations has heard from his coaching staff, the team's fans and media, all of them stressing the need to acquire a player in the wake of Chauncey Billups' season-ending Achilles' tendon injury that appears to have shaken the team.

Olshey is making and taking phone calls from other general managers. But his mantra to Clippers fans is: "Your help is coming from the inside."

"If the Clippers can acquire a player without giving up much in terms of assets that help them move the needle a little bit this year and maintain their flexibility long term, they may do something," Olshey said.

Making a deal now, Olshey suggested, "takes away your ability to get better next summer, when you really need to get better. [So] why would you do it?"

Brad Turner, LA Times

Only official deal so far has been the Warriors sending Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown's EC to Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

[Em1]

ouch. hopefully a negotiating tactic

[apet8945]

This is whats best for the team. Glad Olshey see's it that way. Amazing how things can change in just a month's time. We were just a piece away from contending for a championship to now basically accepting that we won't do anything this year and putting ourselves in position for next year.

Olshey was so close to having a team contend for a championship, it sucks it didn't happen. But I still take my hat off to this guy for the job he's done. I trust whatever Olshey says.

[mkwest]

The Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz have discussed a Raja Bell trade, according to sources.

Alex Kennedy

[mkwest]

ouch. hopefully a negotiating tactic

We just really don't have that much to offer. The trade exceptions are so small that it really limits what you can acquire with them. Teams want 1st round picks and young players if they're not getting much in terms of equal talent back. We're definitely lacking on that end.

This is whats best for the team. Glad Olshey see's it that way. Amazing how things can change in just a month's time. We were just a piece away from contending for a championship to now basically accepting that we won't do anything this year and putting ourselves in position for next year.

Olshey was so close to having a team contend for a championship, it sucks it didn't happen. But I still take my hat off to this guy for the job he's done. I trust whatever Olshey says.

I don't want to see us make a move just for the sake of making a move, but something clearly needs to change. I'd prefer it be the coach, but the earliest that would happen is the offseason.

Initially I was against trading Bledsoe for a player that is essentially an expiring, but there are benefits to freeing up cap space next season. At this point, I'm kind of indifferent.

[og15]

Sadly, Raja Bell has kinda dropped off a lot defensively. He's shooting great, but defensively he's not better than Foye, actually I'd say current Raja is worse, and his contract extends into next season. Unless it's for Gomes who's contract also extends until next season and makes slightly more, Raja is just not worth it at this stage in his career.

I mentioned it in the other thread, but the minutes that Ellis takes might open up trade possibilities in regards to one of Milwaukee's wings.

[Det the Threat]

Sadly, Raja Bell has kinda dropped off a lot defensively. He's shooting great, but defensively he's not better than Foye, actually I'd say current Raja is worse, and his contract extends into next season. Unless it's for Gomes who's contract also extends until next season and makes slightly more, Raja is just not worth it at this stage in his career.

I mentioned it in the other thread, but the minutes that Ellis takes might open up trade possibilities in regards to one of Milwaukee's wings.

Exactly and I wouldn't mind Delfino or Dunleavy Jr. coming over here.

[mkwest]

While some sources are claiming the Los Angeles Clippers are in talks with the Utah Jazz for Raja Bell, those close to the team deny LA has any interest in the veteran guard.

The Clippers would like to add in a defensive-minded two guard who can score but Bell doesn’t appear to be on their wish list. Raja’s $3.2 million salary fits easily into LA’s $3.8 million
trade exception and wouldn’t cost a first-round pick but given Bell’s age and $3.5 million salary next year, he just doesn’t appeal to the Clippers.

The younger C.J. Miles might be more attractive (also at $3.7 million a player who fits in LA’s exception) but he’s probably not someone the Clippers would give up Eric Bledsoe (or a first-round pick) to attain.

Sources tell HOOPSWORLD that the Jazz and New Jersey Nets have discussed a Miles swap for pieces like Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro. The Nets would like to trim off as much salary as possible for the offseason when they hope to attain the services of center Dwight Howard. Miles has an expiring deal while both Morrow and Petro have another at a combined $7.5 million.

Eric Pincus, HoopsWorld

[mkwest]

Sadly, Raja Bell has kinda dropped off a lot defensively. He's shooting great, but defensively he's not better than Foye, actually I'd say current Raja is worse, and his contract extends into next season. Unless it's for Gomes who's contract also extends until next season and makes slightly more, Raja is just not worth it at this stage in his career.

I mentioned it in the other thread, but the minutes that Ellis takes might open up trade possibilities in regards to one of Milwaukee's wings.

I'd take Bell if they took back Gomes. Our crap for theirs.

Even though I wouldn't mind adding him, a play for Dunleavy could be kind of awkward. Delfino could be a nice pick up and is expiring at the end of the season.

[apet8945]

Damn, Morrow and Petro are available? Clippers should be on that.

I wonder if Nets would take Foye + Cook for Morrow and Petro.

We would then have to get Bell though. Maybe Jazz would take a 2nd rounder for him.

Lol, it's so hard not to want the Clippers to make a move to stir things up a bit. I think we would get better though if we were able to get Morrow, Petro, and Bell at the expense of Foye, Cook, and a 2nd rounder. Leaves us with no cap space though.

[og15]

Petro and Morrow both extend into next season. They would handicap the roster in terms of making the moves one truly wants. Morrow's shooting is great, but he's horrible on defense. If the SG isn't a high level one, then it needs to be a defensive SG. Petro won't get any playing time. Both Kenyon and Reggie are better than him and he makes $3.5 million next season.

Getting all three would be awful like you said, lol. That's $11 million worth of contracts that would be coming in

[mkwest]

Damn, Morrow and Petro are available? Clippers should be on that.

I wonder if Nets would take Foye + Cook for Morrow and Petro.

We would then have to get Bell though. Maybe Jazz would take a 2nd rounder for him.

Lol, it's so hard not to want the Clippers to make a move to stir things up a bit. I think we would get better though if we were able to get Morrow, Petro, and Bell at the expense of Foye, Cook, and a 2nd rounder. Leaves us with no capspace though.

I mentioned Morrow awhile back. Nets want to clear salary. Foye is expiring and could be traded straight up for Morrow if that's what Neil wanted to do.

I wouldn't take Petro without some very convincing incentive(s) coming back this way. We'd be taking on nearly $8M in salary next season between both Morrow and Petro to help them sign Howard and retain their free-agents.

[og15]

I would like Morrow, but not in exchange or Foye, that is a lateral move in terms of their overall impact except that Morrow goes into next season. If they would do it for a trade exception, then it's a better option, but even then, one has to think whether Morrow is a fit into the teams overall plan and structure.

[apet8945]

Well we would have 12 people on the roster next year. So we could use the Mid-Level to sign Chauncey or Ray Ray and sign Reggie to a vet's minimum. Maybe with a good coach a lineup like this would be able to do well.

Paul-Mo-Bledsoe
Billups-Bell-Leslie
Butler-Morrow-Gomes
Griffin-Evans-Thompkins
DJ-Petro

Doesn't seem so bad.

[mkwest]

I would like Morrow, but not in exchange or Foye, that is a lateral move in terms of their overall impact except that Morrow goes into next season. If they would do it for a trade exception, then it's a better option, but even then, one has to think whether Morrow is a fit into the teams overall plan and structure.

In the other thread (I think it was the wing thread), I mentioned using an exception for Miles and flipping him Morrow. Funny that they're rumored to possibly be traded for each other. Our exception wouldn't cover Morrow's salary.

[mkwest]

Well we would have 12 people on the roster next year. So we could use the Mid-Level to sign Chauncey or Ray Ray and sign Reggie to a vet's minimum. Maybe with a good coach a lineup like this would be able to do well.

Paul-Mo-Bledsoe
Billups-Bell-Leslie
Butler-Morrow-Gomes
Griffin-Evans-Thompkins
DJ-Petro

Doesn't seem so bad.

Under this scenario, the Clippers are basically over the luxury tax threshold before the MLE is even used. Since we'd be a taxpaying team, our MLE would be for $3M as opposed to the non-taxpaying $5M. Ray is getting more than that this offseason whether it be in Boston or somewhere else.

Billups is going to be out for at least 8 months, which would put him at October/November as the earliest possible return. Given his age, I'm expecting that he'll be out a bit longer than that if he does return at all.

Adding all of that salary really doesn't improve our chances next year imo. We'd probably be complaining and looking at what options we'd have at trading our expirings.

[og15]

Well we would have 12 people on the roster next year. So we could use the Mid-Level to sign Chauncey or Ray Ray and sign Reggie to a vet's minimum. Maybe with a good coach a lineup like this would be able to do well.

Paul-Mo-Bledsoe
Billups-Bell-Leslie
Butler-Morrow-Gomes
Griffin-Evans-Thompkins
DJ-Petro

Doesn't seem so bad.

I don't believe that Billups will be back right away will he? I think the recovery is said to be about a year, so at the least he's going to miss the first few months of the season, then he will have to get into game shape, etc. But the "with a good coach" part is obviously the main thing

Still, that lineup wouldn't have too many solid perimeter defensive players, and Evans and Petro is not the most exciting backup big situation to be going into the post season with. Petro should be making league minimum at most. Also, I'd rather have K-Mart as the backup big than Reggie. I love Reggie's hustle and rebounding, but he has his limitations.

If all those guys are coming in, Gomes has to be going out, and having both Bell and Morrow would be slightly redundant especially since one would be paying them about $7.5 million combined. Wouldn't it make more sense to invest $7.5 million into one player that can play SG/SF and is actually impactful?

[Cracka2Hi]

The closer we get the more I want a move. I think I just want a small move, but I'd love a big move no one could think of! There are quite a few players and trades that have been spoken about here that I would be cool with!

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I do like the idea of adding Morrow. Like many of you have said I wouldn't want to trade him for Foye since Morrow doesn't play any defense. I also didn't realize that Morrow's contract extends into next season. If we make any moves we should try to include Cook or Gomes. Not sure if any team would take them but it's worth a try to try and get rid of them.

[mkwest]

Well, Dwight opting into the final year of his contract certainly makes things very interesting. If Orlando does not get something going by this time next season, it will be the same issue again. In fact, it will be very similar for most of the season with all of the questions about where he will end up. This does buy them some time to try to improve team.

Deron Williams is not going to just sit on a team that won't make the playoffs again to wait for Howard to possibly decide to join him. The Nets will have to pay Brook Lopez this summer, which takes away cap space.

Dallas may be getting their next starting pg in hometown player, D-Will.

CP3, BG and Dwight will all be free-agents at the same time. We're guaranteed to keep Blake if we want him. However, CP3 will be totally unrestricted. It's anyone's guess as to how this season turns out, but Neil will have to be on the ball in the next calendar year to assure that CP3 re-ups with us. If Clippers could unload DJ (and not add any long term salary between now and then), they could potentially sign all 3 depending on the salary cap number. Regardless, Neil has some work to do.