Rumor: Bled & DJ for Gordon & Lopez

[Ranma]

I know it's ESPN Insider but it's another talking point for the offseason:

There is sure to be plenty of buzz in the weeks and months to come about the future of New Orleans shooting guard Eric Gordon and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe. Today, Michael McNamara of BourbonStreetShots.com tweets that the two teams could already be considering a deal that involves the both of them.

Here’s more on that.

McNamara tweets: “Off air with Clippers writer, he said he has heard a lot of buzz from FO sources that a Bledsoe/(DeAndre) Jordan for EG/(Robin) Lopez deal could go down.”

This is sure to get the attention of both fan bases. The Clips are already quite familiar with Gordon, being that the shooting guard started his career there before heading east in the Chris Paul deal. If the team resigns Paul, as expected, and brings in a talent like Gordon, suddenly the Clips potentially have a third top option to turn to along with Paul and Blake Griffin. And replacing Jordan with Lopez would give them a much better contract and arguably a better center. What they’d lose with Jordan, though, is an athletic 5 who could run the floor and block a lot of shots.


Again, this is just a rumor for now, but it’s something to think about going forward in what could be a very interesting offseason for both teams.

ClipsNation: Eric Gordon coming back????

[azncorruptedo17]

would that even work financially?

[madmaxmedia]

I don't see how it could, I doubt salaries match up.

It would be pretty tempting though-

[Clip34life]

Hope EJ doesn't bring that bad attitude with him here. Also would still need to trade for a starting SF like Ariza or something. Further, this team still needs more young players.

[mj_shoefanatic]

DO IT GARY then swap Butler/Ariza with DC.

[mttwlsn16]

Loved EJ when he was here. Don't like the attitude/injury issues tho

[og15]

EJ hasn't been healthy for two seasons, that's a lot of money for an unhealthy player. Also trading for EJ really minimizes the need for Jamal. Sadly for Crawford, he's not a SG/SF, so with EJ playing 30+ MPG, where are his minutes?

I guess the solution would to run a three guard lineup of Paul/Gordon/Crawford where for about 12-13 MPG, either Crawford or Gordon is the primary ball handler.

Gordon + Lopez = $19 million
Jordan + Bledsoe =$12.6 million

So someone like Caron would have to be going out in such a trade also.

I would personally prefer to work the three way angle and get EJ to Phoenix and try and get Frye and their high lottery pick while shipping out Jordan and Bledsoe. I don't know if I trust EJ's injuries, and the team would have a "big" three, but will be pretty tight salary wise. Getting close to luxury level and probably surpassing after filling out the roster.

[mike3]

It'd certainly be tempting, I'd love to get someone like Ariza here. A HEALTHY lineup of CP/EJ/Ariza/Blake/Lopez would be fun.

But certainly a risk on EJ's health

[og15]

Paul - $18.7M
EJ - $14.3M
Ariza - $7.8M
Griffin - $16.4M
Lopez - $5.1M

That's a $62.3M starting lineup. Luxury tax was $70.3M, so you have about $8M to work with, but wait...

Add Crawford ($5.2M), Green ($1.4M), Hill ($2M) = $8.6M, so you are $600K above luxury

If you're trying to stay below luxury, you would have to trade Crawford for a second round pick or something and fill out the roster with guys making about $2M max. So you could have a bench of:
Green ($1.6M)
Hill ($2M)
Odom (vet min)
Turiaf (vet min)
25th pick ($1M)
2nd round pick (900K)
Other player (vet min)


Then you would still be above luxury a little and have the league's worst bench. I don't think it would be worth, but either way, the trade doesn't even work without Caron going out too.

[Neddy]

EJ hasn't been healthy for two seasons, that's a lot of money for an unhealthy player. Also trading for EJ really minimizes the need for Jamal. Sadly for Crawford, he's not a SG/SF, so with EJ playing 30+ MPG, where are his minutes?

hmmm is this a rhetorical question, og? it seems you answered yourself where jamal's minutes would come from.

[Neddy]

i'm all in.

i would rather take an injury prone but spectacular 3rd offensive option who can be the #1 option on a poor team like EJ over a 8-8 averaging center who can't even be called a decent #5 option, and a young PG who's minutes are limited due to who he is playing behind. i know EJ's deal can be seen toxic, knowing how often he's been hurt, but you also have to take into account that it's hard to find motivation to play through minor injuries when you get traded from an up and coming team that just started get noticed, to the armpit of NBA.
besides, DJ's contract can be seen as far more toxic, considering his production and limitations.

[Kyle]

Love the trade talent wise. Happy EJ/Healthy would be incredible but those are two big ifs. Lopez can actually score in the low post and hit a 10 footer. Its not pretty, but his hook shot is fairly effective and is a pretty good shot blocker. This would be a very interesting trade...

[Clip34life]

Would it be asking too much to do this?

DJ/Eric Bledsoe for Anderson, Lopez, and Jason Smith?

[mkwest]

I don't think it'll happen, but it's interesting to say the least.

For sentimental reasons, I'd love it.

However, for every other reason, I wouldn't be all gung ho about it. EJ makes a lot of money and is unreliable on the health front.

I was initially disappointed that we had to include EJ in the deal for Paul. At the time, I would have rather moved Bledsoe, Aminu, Kaman and the pick. The thought was that we'd be a good team with Paul/Grifin, but we would have a legitimate shot at a title if it were CP3/BG/EJ. Is Gordon as hurt as we were led to believe? Was New Orleans just being extremely cautious and conservative to help their draft position? Was he dogging it in New Orleans and would he give more effort on a team that he wants to be on? It's easy to speculate, but we won't know for sure until he is actually on another team.

Provided he gets back (or close to) his 2010-2011 form, he would be one of the first 2 options offensively. He spreads the floor and can get to the foul line. Defensively, he's a big upgrade over every other 2 guard on the team.

Financially, it would leave us hamstring with $50M+ going to 3 players. Luxury Tax concerns may arise, but we don't have to worry about the Repeater Tax for quite some time. If the team needs to go over, then I think that they should, however it's not my money.

Robin Lopez is a solid center. I would like to see him increase his defensive rebounds, but he is decent on the offensive glass, can hit his free-throws and is a solid shot blocker. Throughout his career, he has nice percentages from the mid-range (16-23ft), but on low volume. I'd like to see him expand on that.

[ejftw]

I honestly don't buy all of Eric's injuries. It seems like the Pelicans were just trying to tank away.

But even with that said, unless Paul takes a paycut, or maybe a front loaded deal, I can't see the deal being done due to the $$$

[Neddy]

BTW, have you guys actually tried this rumor on trade machine? this does not work financially. sounds like a bogus crap. it only works if you substitute hill with caron. but if you were the pelicans, would you want DJ +Caron just to gain bledsoe, and give up EJ and lopez? i know caron is an expiring, and bledsoe will still be on a rookie deal, but this move will immediately put a damper on the pelicans to make further moves to improve their team for the remaining offseason. looks like just another baseless rumor and nothing else.

[Neddy]

ryan anderson +vasquez +their lottory pick for DJ + bled and our 25th? i doubt a rebuilding team such as the regurgitating birds will give up their pick, even in this low level talent draft pool.

maybe we are better off standing pat and just draft allen crabbe.

[scoobs07]

This would be a solid deal for both teams. Clippers would end up with 4 players on their roster that get over 16ppg! EJ would have to back up CP for 14-15mpg in order to give Crawford his 28-30mpg.

[og15]

EJ hasn't been healthy for two seasons, that's a lot of money for an unhealthy player. Also trading for EJ really minimizes the need for Jamal. Sadly for Crawford, he's not a SG/SF, so with EJ playing 30+ MPG, where are his minutes?

hmmm is this a rhetorical question, og? it seems you answered yourself where jamal's minutes would come from.

I suppose I did, though I don't know if that's the best solution. Certainly don't want to see too much three guards and neither too much of EJ or Crawford running point, though at least EJ wouldn't be as bad.

I honestly don't buy all of Eric's injuries. It seems like the Pelicans were just trying to tank away.

But even with that said, unless Paul takes a paycut, or maybe a front loaded deal, I can't see the deal being done due to the $$$

He's also getting ankle surgery, the injuries are real.

My issue is not only about EJ and his health, but also about how do you fill the rest of the roster? That's a lot of money in the starting lineup.

[madmaxmedia]

i'm all in.

i would rather take an injury prone but spectacular 3rd offensive option who can be the #1 option on a poor team like EJ over a 8-8 averaging center who can't even be called a decent #5 option, and a young PG who's minutes are limited due to who he is playing behind. i know EJ's deal can be seen toxic, knowing how often he's been hurt, but you also have to take into account that it's hard to find motivation to play through minor injuries when you get traded from an up and coming team that just started get noticed, to the armpit of NBA.
besides, DJ's contract can be seen as far more toxic, considering his production and limitations.

And to think, WE used to be that armpit!