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$215M NBA All-Star Floated as Trade Option for LA Clippers

The LA Clippers are in an interesting spot.

Joey Linn

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Climate Pledge Arena.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Climate Pledge Arena. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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The LA Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard for an indefinite period to start the new season. This will place a lot of responsibility on James Harden to keep the team afloat in a competitive Western Conference.

Rather than continuing going all-in on this fading era, the Clippers let Paul George walk in free agency. This left an inevitable talent void in their starting lineup, especially with Leonard out, but it also allowed them to create a level of future financial flexibility that is crucial under the new CBA.

This makes it unlikely the Clippers trade for another star this season, but one potential trade target was proposed by Bleacher Report.

Kawhi Leonard and Zach LaVine
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) moves the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8). / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In a recent article, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey floated Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine as an ambitious target for LA.

Via Bailey: "Zach LaVine wouldn't necessarily guarantee a different outcome, but a consistent 20-point-per-game scorer could go a long way toward filling the gaps on nights when Leonard is unavailable or Harden looks a bit slower than he did in his prime.”

LaVine would presumably be a great fit for the Clippers, but he is entering the third year of his five-year, $215M contract. Given their current situation, it feels almost impossible the Clippers would commit to the remainder of that deal.

It was a solid preseason for LaVine, who could convince a team to deal for him, but the Clippers feel like a very improbable destination.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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