OFFICIAL: Clippers Trade Lance Stephenson & Future 1st for Jeff Green

[Ranma]

Don't worry. We're still in good hands with Doc at the helm. If we flame out this postseason, there's always the draft and other assets to utilize to restock our roster and try to finally put together a complete team in year 4 and beyond. Going from contender to pretender just means we know what it takes to get back there. Besides, Blake is the convenient scapegoat to buy more time for Doc to convince Ballmer and his still devoted defenders that he knows what he's doing.

[mattd13]

doc has been horrible but I do not think superman can fix this mess. time to start over sad to say. new coach/gm plus some new players. it is up to balmer at this point.

[Ranma]

doc has been horrible but I do not think superman can fix this mess. time to start over sad to say. new coach/gm plus some new players. it is up to balmer at this point.

I have little sympathy for Del Negro getting fired since, as I've said, he was always a stopgap. VDN called for making a short-sighted trade in order to save his job before he was let go. Meanwhile, Doc has gotten more out of DJ than Vinny ever could have, but he still has yet to improve upon what VDN accomplished in the postseason for the Clips. One could argue that Doc did worse given the respective hands each were dealt. If Vinny Del Negro was a stopgap measure, then what does it say when Doc has yet to make progress going on season 3 despite the advantages?

[Wammy Giveaway]

The stopgap measure in question was a two-part trade: Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe for Dwight Howard via sign-and-trade and DeAndre Jordan for Kevin Garnett. Hindsight is 20-20. Let's play what if:

1. What if Dwight Howard was traded to the Clippers instead of signing with the Houston Rockets in free agency? Howard, together with Chris Paul, represented a part of a previous Big 3 concept which included the now-departed Josh Smith. Smith took a deal with the Detroit Pistons instead.

2. What if Kevin Garnett was traded to the Clippers instead of being traded to the Brooklyn Nets? Garnett could have convinced Chauncey Billups to stay one more year in L.A., but he signed with the Pistons to retire there. Garnett would have been in the starting lineup along with Howard and Paul, and Smith would be KG's backup.

3. Does Doc Rivers stay in Boston or go elsewhere? Paul Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Doc was without a Celtic who he could call his friend. Does he re-sign from coaching, or could he have gone to a place like the Lakers?

4. Would a Paul-Garnett-Howard-Smith core been enough to take the Clippers to the western conference finals? Right now, the Clippers are destined for a third 2nd round exit, rumors of Doc Rivers getting fired, and the Clippers being involved in the LeBron James Brotherhood Dream Team scenario which could see two or three of their teams enter rebuild mode. Vinny Del Negro would still be the coach. Would the Donald Sterling scandal still happen?

Interesting what-ifs.

[madmaxmedia]

Lance is putting up a pretty good stat line in Memphis so far- 15.1/5.1/2.8 on 49.8% FG, pretty much what I was hoping for from him here.

[og15]

I was just hoping for about 10/4/3 based on minutes and usage with about a .530-.550 TS% and a decent Ortg in about the 105 range. His usage in Memphis is influenced by the massive injuries, so I don't think that could have happened here even in a better fitting role (he's isoing a lot there), but we could have gotten more out of him.

[illastrate]

Lance never got a chance to put up those numbers. Being put in Doc's doghouse over did him no favors. He deserved better. In the mins he was given, he played really well. There were nights when his energy alone made the difference for a lackadaisical team effort. He should've taken mins away from Jamal and Austin. He should've started at the 3 when it was known that starting five had the best net rating.

And to throw in a 1st? Absolutely inexcusable mismanagement all the way around for Doc.

[Ranma]

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Ben Golliver, SI.com (3/23/16)

Honorable Mention: Lance Stephenson, Grizzlies. Remember when Memphis headlined its press release announcing its trade of Jeff Green for Stephenson with, “MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES ACQUIRE FUTURE FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK AND LANCE STEPHENSON FROM LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS.” Giving the pick top billing seemed a little cold at the time, but Stephenson has played enough with the Grizzlies that an apology might be in order.

An insane rash of injuries has given coach Dave Joerger no choice but to play Stephenson, who has responded by averaging 15.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG, his best numbers since he was a member of the Pacers. It’s taken a collective effort to keep Memphis in the West’s No. 5 seed and, for once, Stephenson has been a productive member of the collective. The timing couldn’t be better given that his current contract has a team option this summer.

Honorable Mention: Joe Johnson, Heat. Earlier this season, SI.com was convinced that Johnson would see the light and seek a buyout from the woeful Nets, choosing to trade his Big Apple misery for some sunshine and a shot at bolstering a fringe contender in need of wing reinforcements. That’s exactly what happened, albeit with one catch: Johnson chose the Heat instead of the Clippers (SI.com’s guess at the time) and the Cavaliers (who reportedly received some recruiting help from LeBron James).

So far, Johnson’s decision-making skills are looking excellent: he’s averaging 15.8 PPG and shooting a blistering 55.3% from deep for a Heat team that’s been charging up the standings. It’s amazing how quickly a 34-year-old’s season can turn around when he has something meaningful to play for, isn’t it?

All-Surge Team: Second-Half Stars as Teams Make Playoff Push

[og15]

Yea, in hindsight Joe Johnson could have been useful.

At least I hope the Clippers realize that Jeff Green is really an MLE player, and he's probably worth bringing back at the money. I wouldn't mind the guy coming back for $5-7 million/year, but I really hope there is no consideration of paying $9 million+ for him. Jae Crowder is better than him and will make $6.5 million next season. Jeff Green's issue is that he just doesn't have an actual "good" NBA skill, he's just acceptable at a lot of things, which is fine for a role player / key bench guy, but not for a guy you pay big money to.

[nickhx2]

gosh i know. i wonder if he would have considered this team if we weren't holding onto the hope that jeff green would be our savior.

[illastrate]

I will say that Green is someone you can plug in at the PF spot for long stretches because of his size and athleticism. I get why Doc wanted him over Lance. But I just don't think the 1st was necessary. A couple of 2nds would've done the trick imo.

[nickhx2]

i don't even see why the first was necessary. memphis obviously knew what kind of player they had and he wasn't going to contribute anything except a string of off and on again performances. and i think it was pretty plain to see, especially in his last few games as a clipper, that lance with the ball and some minutes could do some pretty effective things (consistently).