NBA Draft Rumor: Clippers And Thunder Trading Picks
Isn’t it nice when everyone can get what they want? With a glut of frontcourt bodies already on the hook in Los Angeles, it appears that if the Clippers can find a taker for Baron Davis, they’d be willing to swap the No. 1 pick for No. 3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
After it appears the Grizzlies are going to step up and take Hasheem Thabeet with the No. 2 pick, that leaves Ricky Rubio at the No. 3 - a PG that the Clippers have been rumored to be enamoured with, while the Thunder clearly will do whatever it takes to land Blake Griffin.
The only problem with this is that Oklahoma City has no use for Baron with Russell Westbrook at the helm, and it will be difficult for them to find a taker for his over $12 million per season contract that runs through 2011-2012.
If you were the Clippers, would you make this trade?
May 27th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Lakers Nation Twitter says:
Baron, No. 1 & Kaman and a future pick for Kevin Durant, Krstic and Earl Watson . . . Durant’s going to leave anyways in a year, might as well get something for him now!
May 27th, 2009 at 11:17 am
sure says:
Don’t ever count a talented guard out. I’d pick Baron over 80% percent of the guards now. Send him to L.A. or Atlanta. Better yet Phoenix or Denver to get healthy first LOL. Healthy he’s a top 3 pg in this league. I’d even send him to Miami with Wade. Let Tinsley and Ron Ron play for N.Y. Worth a try. I know entourage. Who knows. With age comes wisdom SOMETIMES. Ron has matured so why can’t tinsley(TALENT) top 5 guard in the league when he plays. Runs a team better than skip just w/o the jumpshot. Oh yeah gm’s scouts and coaches. Every player from NY isn’t Lamar,Artest or Skip. Just a small sample of what NY has to offer. Were not dead just being blackballed by the league and used by colleges.
May 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am
that_dude says:
trade zach randolph for raymond felton… that could work… or trade randolph for tj ford…. CLIPPERS need a younf PG… they need it for the nucleus of griffin-throton-gordon to work… and they still got enuf younf bigs like kaman and deandre jordan… steve novak is a decent bench player… tehy need to focus on their young cores, trade everybody…
May 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
mosduff says:
man… people have short memories. I think Baron Davis, right now, is way better than Westbrook.
May 27th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Rafa23 says:
yes, but baron also is 30, injury prone and has a horrible contract. did i mention he clashes with coaches?
May 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
DADDY GREEN says:
^^^^^agree with mosduff
b diddy is one of the most impactful players in the league when healthy. don’t sleep and don’t 4get what he can do on the court scoring and passing. and im a dallas mavs hardcore fan so trust me i know bout b diddy (06-07 first round, tears….)
May 27th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Xavier says:
Grizz will take Rubio, there’s no need to draft Thabeet second even if they DO want him, and that’s a big, big assumption, specially when the Grizzlies GM, Hollins AND Marc Gasol just met with Rubio this past weekend.
May 27th, 2009 at 11:46 am
karizmatic says:
I think Baron could do well in conjunction with Durant, Green, anfd potentially Griffin, Also Westbrook could move to the 2 or be a backup. I would seriously consider this trade if I were Oklahoma City. I really can’t understand the Clippers logic though. I would think they could trade some of the guys they have in the front court, keep Davis and get Griffin. I wouldn’t look to trade the number one pick if I were them.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
nowwhatyo says:
if the clippers are going to give the thunder baron davis and blake griffin for the 3rd pick, then they are friggin idiots! if the thunder roll out a line up of baron, westbrook, durant, blake griffin and kristic/collison/whoever (with jeff green off the bench), they’d be a very scary team. definitely not a team to take for granted with that lineup. although i would think green would have to be included with the 3rd pick.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
jzsmoove says:
the Clippers miss Shaun Livingston so much that they willing to pay the price and embarass themselves once again, just to get Rubio. Meanwhile giving away a top PF who will be very good at least just to get rid of a (currently, it could change when Baron is healthy) bad contract. What else can I say except, HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
May 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Kobeef says:
What exactly is this rumored trade?
Baron Davis and the #1 to OKC for the #3 and Westbrook? That doesn’t even work on paper…
Here’s how I can see this working
OKC trades Wesbrook, Green, Collison, Watson, and #3 (Rubio) (+/- $23 million in salaries) to LA and starts:
PG - Davis/Gordon?
SG - Thabo/Weaver
SF - Durant/?
PF - Griffin/?
C - Kristic/Sene?
LA trades Baron, Gordon and Griffin (+/-21 million) to OKC and starts:
PG - Rubio/Westbrook/Watson
SG - Westbrook/Green
SF - Thornton/Green
PF - Collison/…Z-bo*
C - Kaman/….Camby*
* Ultimately I think the Clips use Camby to move Z-bo in a package and rebuild arount this young core.
From OKC’s perspective it hurts to give up Westbrook but the chance to get Griffin is worth anything but Durant.
From the Clips perspective, they either need to get younger or closer to competing - and this move makes them an exciting young team.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
Wow, Jon (or Brent, or whoever) Barry had it right when the Clips won the first pick! Stu Scott asks him, “What’s the first thing that came to mind when you saw that?”
“They’re gonna screw it up. Just take Blake Griffin and be done with it.”
May 27th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
ya diddy is impactful when hes healthy but hes never healthy and hes also kind of a dick…every team hes been on complains about him breakin off plays and doin his own thing…the thunder don’t need stuff like that on a young team.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
SEANY_T says:
Surely if the clips are wanting to get rid of The Baron and offering Blake Griffin they’ll be loads of takers won’t there? Sure Davis contract is pretty hefty but he’s far from finished in the league. Wasn’t his bum season a product of his environment and not Necessarily him? If I was a gm with a gap at the point and the chance to get a young super stud I’d bit their hand off to get this deal done. Sounds like a stupid rumour. If you were the clips you’re write off last season and build a team that you could ultilise Davis and Griffin in…
May 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Kyle says:
The Thunder should make the trade, and then trade Baron Davis to Atlanta for Mike Bibby’s expiring contract.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
SEANY_T says:
With regard to my earlier comment, I’m guessing if The Clips are serious about getting out from under Davis’s contract they’re open to more than just swapping picks right? If they put Griffin on the table teams from all over the league would be on the phone offering up the pieces that could get it done.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
doc says:
I think they should trade the number 1 pick and Eric Gordon to the Sixers for Willie Green.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Vinny says:
so the question is- is dunleavy worse as a coach or gm?? so he cant get along with davis(because davis wants to run and dunleavy is a control freak) so he gives him and griffin away for Rubio?? he cant be that stupid-can he???
May 27th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Tyler Whitcomb says:
If you can get Blake in any way, make the trade happen. Even if you can’t find a taker for Baron, this could leave you with a lineup of
1. Westbrook
2. Durant
3. Green
4. Griffin
5. Kristic
With Baron off the bench or even
1. Baron Davis
2. Russell Westbrook
3. Kevin Durant
4. Blake Griffin
5. Kenard Kristic
With Jeff Green coming off the bench or even start Green and have Kristic come off the bench. that lineup would give you the most talent, just no size.
May 27th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Clip says:
Clippers trade the #1 pick? I am a Clipper fan, but if they trade Griffin, I am DONE. Rubio’s stats are lackluster and he is more hype and hope then anything else right now. Baron Davis is a baller and trading him after one season is short sighted. This move will be a bust. Sterling has a no brainier in front of him right now. We will be able to move ZBo, Camby or Kaman, so just chill on the nonsense.
May 27th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Seven Duece says:
Tinsley never has nor ever will be a top 5 pg, get off that narcotic! The Clippers would be better off dumping both Davis & Randolph and drafting Griffen. Everybody has been saying Baron is a top 5 pg, but is he a top 5 leader? I think not. Ship him to Indiana for Ford or Jack and some cap filler. As for Randolph, he should do something that’ll and him in jail or get his contract voided soon enough.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Big Island says:
I can’t wait to see how badly the Clippers screw up. I hope they do trade the pick so that Griffin won’t be stuck there.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Jon says:
OKC is fine with the #3 pick. They already have a very good young core with Durant, Green & Westbrook. If they add another good young player with the #3 pick, they should make the playoffs within 2 yrs.
If OKC gets B Davis, they will be stuck with a bad contract and an out of shape injury prone player that demands the ball.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Jei says:
seriously, the Clips should just take Griffin and shut the fuck up.
geesh, they keep embarassing themselves.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Sixx says:
@ Kobeef
The Thunder can take Davis’ contract without giving back an equal amount because they are far under the salary cap.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
JP says:
The Clippers are not getting Westbrook back for BD - Not a chance. If you are Sam Presti you realize the disaster that is BD’s contract, and by taking it on you are doing the Clips a favor.
Simple deal - BD and #1 for Nick Collison, Earl Watson, and the #3.
Clips get out of that contract and save 35 MM while getting their man in Rubio.
OKC gets their man, and takes the chance that a backcourt of Westbrook and BD works out.
Check out the piece I wrote on the uncertainty of the top of the board - http://nbadraftdaycountdown.com/2009/05/27/top-5-uncertainty/ - we are podcasting on the pacific tonight - search itunes “nbadraftday”
May 27th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
MissChick says:
If clips are stupid enough to trade away Griffin, I’m going to buy season tickets to the Clip show, just so I can yell and whine about how stupid the Clips are and what a sorry a$$ joke they are.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
45% says:
how mike dunleavy still has a job shocks me more and more each day.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
the cynic says:
i don’t know how they do it, but the clips know how to make losing entertaining. They probably would have drafted Keith Van Horn over Tim Duncan because they already had Keith Closs to play C
May 27th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
n8dogg09 says:
BDiddy shoulda just stayed with the Warriors and built off the 2nd round playoff appearance they had… He goes home to play in LA for one season and now they’re trying to “find a taker” for him. Wow.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Rizwan says:
They are not going to do it. People are crazy with their speculation. Everyone knows the Clippers are bad but yuou have got to be the dumbest mf to trade Blake Griffin for Rubio and getting rid of a bad contract. Rubio is gonna be as good as say Calderon is now, which is good but not when you can get a player like Griffin whose ceiling can be unlimited depending on how he adjusts.
After all, the Clippers is a franchise as well, they do want whats best for the team despite having some fucked up people running the team.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Timmy D says:
Everyone needs to stop with the Grizzlies taking Thabeet at 2 that isnt going to happen!!
The number 2 pick has too much leverage to use on Thabeet!
If the Clippers want Rubio they are going to have to go through Memphis and thats the bottom line
May 28th, 2009 at 12:39 am
Willis says:
So what happens to the Clips when the Kings decide they want Rubio and they trade with Memphis? If the Grizz know that OKC is taking Griffin, then there is no reason to reamin at the two spot, giving the the Kings every opportunity to move up.
May 28th, 2009 at 4:07 am
parker says:
One of the top 5 power forwards ever comes gift wrapped to the Clippers and they are going to trade the pick. AWESOME!!!.
May 28th, 2009 at 7:30 am
rick773 says:
@ parker I agree the trade is dumb but do you think Griffin is one of the TOP 5 forwards ever. He hasn’t even played an actual NBA game yet
May 28th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
D75 says:
I dislike how Dunleavy coaches by stats and percentages, but I feel he is a shrewd GM. I’m excited Blake is going to be a Clipper. As a Clipper fan I’m excited to have Baron and ZBO too. These guys need some time to play together. Any player knows that. We only had two returners last year (Kaman and Thorton). Kaman missed all year. Of course we sucked. But these guys will battle next year out of pride.
May 29th, 2009 at 1:33 am
pitball says:
I’m a Thunder fan, and would do anything to see the Durant/Green/Westbrook core stay together. Sam Presti has made genius moves over the past 2 years, and has them in one helluva situation right now. If anyone can find a way to get the 3rd pick in the Lottery, and still get the best player, it’s him.
Also…the Thunder have 4 first round draft picks over the next two years (had 5, traded 1 for Thabo), which will be used as pieces. This team is already incredibly young, they will not draft 4 first round players in ‘09-’10.
Presti’s a genius. Griffin’s stayin home in OKC.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Dave says:
Nonsense rumour — nothing to it.
The Thunder will try to acquire Griffin but this trade isn’t being considered, and I’m doubtful that it’s even been mentioned (Green + #3 for #1 will be), it’s nowhere near good enough for the Clippers to green light it.
I don’t believe all the negativity about the Clippers needing to dump a #1 pick to move Baron Davis. They want to move Baron? Fine, but they don’t need to lose the #1 pick in order to make that happen.