The Los Angeles Clippers are the laughing stock of the NBA. They have wasted talented era after talented era, all without so much as sniffing a Finals appearance. To make it even worse, they are now at the center of the biggest financial scandal the NBA has seen in 20 years, when the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Joe Smith to an under-the-table deal.
Now, after a history of being dreadful and the embarrassment of cheating to do it, the Clippers are entering an era in which they will be begging and pleading with teams for draft picks. They went from having nine owned first round picks to zero tradeable first rounders and multiple owed pick swaps nearly overnight.
And you know what? The Pacers should make a trade with the Clippers.
They should not, however, offer any of their three movable first rounders. Instead, they should simply take advantage of a team that has nothing to work with, no leverage to decline offers, and the most deserved purgatory in the NBA.
When discussing any trades with the Clippers, it's worth considering their owner. Even if Steve Ballmer has been deservedly suspended for a full calendar year and forced to pay a 30 million dollar fine, his checkbook has been unlimited for LA.
As such, there's no real need for them to, for example, make space under the cap. They simply need to be sufficiently under the second apron so as not to have their nonexistent picks moved to the end of the first round and incur other punishments.
Still, the Clippers need to take on contracts in return for assets, even if they are minor.
Here's how the Clippers can take advantage of that.
The TJ McConnell replacement arrives
If there is one player in the NBA who is functionally a TJ McConnell clone, it is Kris Dunn. The draft bust that the Minnesota Timberwolves took in the top five has become an excellent defender at the point guard spot and does everything on offense except make threes.
Dunn is, admittedly, only two years younger than the 34-year-old McConnell and would not offer much of an upgrade in on-court ability, while hurting the Pacers' veteran leadership categories that TJ excels at.
However, by moving Jarace Walker's deal with McConnell, the Pacers can bring in Dunn, forward Derrick Jones Jr., and any of the Clippers' late roster fliers. Doing so would fill out the Pacers' final roster spot and round out the roster with two valuable veterans in roles that the Pacers badly need.
DJJ provides another fastbreak ace who can play either forward spot off the bench and can hit a three if needed. Getting out of the Jarace Walker business also allows the Pacers to prevent any future restricted free agency issues.
With Dunn and Jones providing the Pacers bench with ever so slightly more depth, the Pacers would fix their biggest problem while punishing the obnoxious Clippers once again.
Does this border on disrespectful? Sure. Do the Clippers deserve it? Is there even a question?
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