The Small Forward Problem (And Doc's Answer)

[madmaxmedia]

No, the team doesn't need a superstar, you don't need a team full of superstars. Here are players that could fit the SF role for the Clippers:

Trevor Ariza (and I'm aware of his poor shooting this season)
Marvin Williams
Thabo Sefolosha
C.J. Miles

...but the team also needs a third big man. This has been an issue for years. Two needs, neither requiring a superstar, and they have been a third big that can fit with both Blake and DJ, and a SF.

Side note:
Anyone else think a super athletic 6ft 7in SF who is shooting 51.7% and 41.% from deep this season might be useful for the team? If so, I hear Wes is interested in some minutes. I feel as though we have some quality pieces but Doc can't coach them and hence gives up on them straight away. I doubt any new player we bring in mid-season will click instantly and solve our problems. Hell, even Lance is shooting over 40% from deep which is outstanding considering his reputation. If only his defense wasn't so disgraceful.

I think even if we hypothetically were able to package salaries for a high profile SF, I am wondering if that SF will only end up with reduced impact in our starting lineup. The offense runs through our 2 ball-dominant stars. Redick fits in well because he can catch and shoot.

So Luc + Wesley Johnson may be better than trading away depth (not that certain players play much anyway.) I'm not really a big fan of Wesley Johnson, but he is content to be a 5th wheel, can catch and shoot 3's, and is athletic. Any additional traits beyond that may not get utilized in the starting lineup anyway.

One of the guys in g15's list would be nice, but we've been looking for a guy like that for years. We don't have the cap space to sign one via FA, so we end up with some nice 'poor man' attempts that haven't worked out (Matt Barnes by far being the biggest success.)

[wassuphomeboy]

It would be nice to have Paul George whenever he decides he wants to come home.

[Wammy Giveaway]

You may have seen this on the Trade Thread already. But yeah: Doc wants Kevin Durant. Secret Woj bomb.

Yahoo! Sports: Warriors Serious Threat To Sign Kevin Durant

[tweet]https://twitter.com/FlyByKnite/status/694596959554785282[/tweet]

[nickhx2]

FWIW i think kd matches super well with the rest of the clippers core in an almost perfect way. i just don't see how there is much more synergy there.

i also kind of think it works well for OKC if it comes down to it, and in terms of fit too. but i'm no expert on that team nor do i know what their needs are for a dominant post player.

[TucsonClip]

Regarding the Clippers, I think a sign and trade of Blake for Durant is a no-brainer. Durant is the perfect fit next to DJ, Redick and CP3. He can fill our hole at the 3 and also play the 4 next to DJ. I'd do that deal in a heartbeat, assuming his health checks out.

[nickhx2]

same. and i'd think okc would have be happy about that arrangement on many levels. getting a hometown talent, someone who can have just as much impact as KD, someone who actually is still getting better, etc. but of course we're operating under the premise that durant says "ya, ship me out." which i don't find likely.

that said, if KD did indeed say "yeah send me to LAC" i'd imagine there's ways to clear up cap space so we could just outright sign KD and keep blake at the same time, right?

[Forte IV]

It would be nice to have Paul George whenever he decides he wants to come home.

Idk if Doc does though. Remember Paul did cheat on Doc's daughter with a Miami stripper who consequently had a child.

[nickhx2]

good point! forgot about that

[BlzMwt]

i would think that OKC would prefer to keep Durant even if you view Durant and Blake as equals in terms of overall talent/impact (which they aren't) because of their depth of bigs. There was a report today (don't know how accurate it is) that OKC was looking to get more wing depth before the trade deadline. They already have Ibaka, Adams, Kanter, Collison and McGary as for as bigs go. So in the context of their team, keeping Durant would obviously be preferable.

[nickhx2]

broussard says clips have interest in rudy gay. take that for what you will.

from what i gather though, they want redick and it's not happening, so the needle's not moving on that front.

[Wammy Giveaway]

broussard says clips have interest in rudy gay. take that for what you will.

from what i gather though, they want redick and it's not happening, so the needle's not moving on that front.

The report says that the Kings do not like what the Clippers are offering. Lance Stephenson, Jamal Crawford, C.J. Wilcox and Branden Dawson are the only four players the Clippers can treat as trade pieces. In my opinion, the Kings will only budge if the Clippers give up DeAndre Jordan. But the Clippers want Kevin Durant and it'll require Blake Griffin for the trade to work.

If the Clippers trade for Gay, they'll bow out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.
But if they trade for Gay, the Clips could be compensated with DeMarcus Cousins, assuming DJ is on the table.

The Griffin incident will be used by the 29 other teams in the league against the Clippers in an attempt to rob them build and force them into a rebuild. I'd say the Clips not bother with a Gay trade (no pun intended).

[mattd13]

I hope doc will stay the coarse and hope wes can figure it out so when blake comes back we will be set. the only player I would like to see go is Austin because we need a better second unit pg. obviously that will not happen. so that unit will be up and down. lets hope it's up at playoff time.

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kpelton/status/695783591599472640[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/kpelton/status/695784280618700800[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/LucasJHann/status/695784136657760257[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/695792581482045440[/tweet]

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LucasJHann/status/696019497078104064[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/qlippers/status/696031452790542336[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/LucasJHann/status/696032091008585728[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/ClipperKyle/status/696046873380044801[/tweet]

[nickhx2]

is rudy gay really a dude who could handle being 3rd or 4th option?

[Ranma]

Maybe earlier in his NBA career but I have my doubts now. The Clippers are supposedly still interested, so if we can get him for Crawford and Stephenson, I'd be okay with it. I'd still rather have Eric Gordon, though, even with our need at small forward. Can Doc convince him to play defense and team ball? I'd guess he thinks he could. Maybe Gay will be so happy to leave the hot mess that is Sac-Town that he'll be willing to do whatever Doc asks of him.

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jasonrmcintyre/status/696892603439054848[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/696880380129968132[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/696880502310047744[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/TomLorenzo/status/696880870809014272[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FlyByKnite/status/696890360111304704[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FlyByKnite/status/696889794228572162[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/kpelton/status/696890349168381952[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/696889519803645953[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/ClipsNationSBN/status/696889577953488896[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/LucasJHann/status/696889657678827521[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/696889883000991744[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/696889961518362624[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/APOOCH/status/696890407771312128[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/696897248903438336[/tweet]

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/700442263269285888[/tweet]

[apet8945]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/700442263269285888[/tweet]

This is actually not true.

Matt Barnes scored 30 off the bench in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the 2012-2013 playoffs.

http://www.nba.com/games/20130503/LACMEM/gameinfo.html?ls=pot

Unless they're only counting regular season games, at which point I still wouldn't know if it was true or not, but I guess I'd take their word for it.

[Ranma]

This is actually not true.

Matt Barnes scored 30 off the bench in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the 2012-2013 playoffs.

http://www.nba.com/games/20130503/LACMEM/gameinfo.html?ls=pot

Unless they're only counting regular season games, at which point I still wouldn't know if it was true or not, but I guess I'd take their word for it.

Good catch. It still didn't happen under Doc's watch since that game was Vinny Del Negro's last as Clippers coach, I believe. I'll assume ESPN was referring to the regular season.