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Los Angeles Clippers: The Pros And Cons Of Adding Austin Rivers

By Gerald Bourguet

December 6, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Austin Rivers (25) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
December 6, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Austin Rivers (25) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Austin Rivers
Dec 14, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Austin Rivers (25) against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Con: Rivers Is Not The Answer

Time to take the rose-colored glasses off. Even if Rivers is an upgrade over Farmar playing for his dad, this trade doesn’t fix the Clipprers’ biggest problems of frontcourt depth and wing defense, and it certainly doesn’t help move them any closer to contender status in the West.

Inconsistency has been a major problem for Doc Rivers’ squad all season, and adding an unproven 22-year-old isn’t going to help fix that problem. The Clippers really need help on the interior, so unless Austin is planning on averaging 10 rebounds per game, that’s still going to be a major issue.

This isn’t going to be some magical Coach Carter father-son pairing that has a happy ending. More than likely, Rivers will give his son too many minutes and that minor story will become a major sideshow for a team that has enough problems as it is.

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