Coming off another early and disappointing postseason elimination, the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly open to breaking up their All-Star duo.
This summer marks four years since the Clippers landed two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard (signed in free agency) and All-Star forward Paul George (acquired via trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder).
The duo were supposed to help the Clippers to the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance by now, and a lot more. But injuries and a lack of scoring depth to accommodate George and Leonard have limited the Clippers to just three playoff series wins with this tandem.
According to a report from NBA insider Marc Stein (h/t Alder Almo of Heavy.com), rival clubs have been given “the impression” that the Clippers are getting a feel for George’s trade value. Not only that, but two Western Conference clubs appear to be front-runners for the eight-time All-Star:
“League sources tell The Stein Line that the LA Clippers have left various rival teams with the impression through their Draft Week conversations that they are, at a minimum, attempting to gauge Paul George’s trade value and, to hear some describe it, giving real consideration to the idea of disassembling the Kawhi Leonard/George tandem.
(Damian) Lillard’s Trail Blazers at No. 3 in the draft and the star-searching Houston Rockets at No. 4, sources say, have been identified as potential trade partners if the Clippers decide that they indeed want to shake their roster up dramatically for the final season before the team moves to owner Steve Ballmer’s sparkly new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., for the 2024-25 campaign.”
On paper, the Clippers would have a difficult time finding a replacement for one of the game’s elite two-way players. But they’ve had their chances to win a championship, and a roster shake-up may be necessary for the Clippers to achieve their ultimate goal.
Regarding Portland and Houston as potential landing spots? Pairing George with Lillard would make the Trail Blazers a force in the Western Conference. There is also belief that James Harden would like to return to the Rockets. So if they could land both the 2018 league MVP and George, the rebuild in Houston will officially be over.
