Should Los Angeles Clippers Revive The Arron Afflalo Trade?

On Monday, there was a full slate of games in the National Basketball Association. A post-Super Bowl extravaganza of basketball. However, there were two particular games that, together, might have the power the change the NBA landscape, and one that should have Doc Rivers asking: should the Clippers revive the Arron Afflalo trade talk?

The Los Angeles Clippers lost a heart-breaking, back-breaking, gut-wrenching game against the Brooklyn Nets. A game where the Clippers were up by nine points in the final 1:35, but still had to watch as Jarrett Jack drilled the game winning jumper with one second left.

How Does This Change Things?

It might not change anything, however, there were those pesky rumors of a Clippers-Nuggets trade back in early January. Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler were allegedly two players the Clippers were interested in, but the Nuggets, at the time, rebuffed all offers.

According to the Denver Post, Brian Shaw told his players that they were not going to be traded.

“I just have to try to do a good job of assuring them that I’m not, and we’re not, actively shopping them and putting them out there,” Shaw said. “Obviously calls come in, and we field calls. But we’re not saying, ‘Hey, we’re trying to get rid of Arron, we’re trying to get rid of Wilson.’ That’s not the case at all. That’s all we can really tell them.”

If the Nuggets players really are trying to lose, and not doing so at the behest of management, then there is a serious problem in Denver. Another one. Everyone remembers when the Dan Issel coached team in Denver boycotted practices and played three lackluster games in a row. That team, led by Nick Van Exel, revolted against what they perceived was an overly controlling coach.

Hopefully that is not the case in Denver, but whether the players are actively revolting against Brian Shaw or just playing uninspired basketball while planning their summer vacations, perhaps the Los Angeles Clippers could take advantage of another team’s misfortune.

Should The Clippers Target Chandler Or Afflalo?

Both Wilson Chandler and Arron Afflalo would be nice additions. Afflalo is a great three-point shooter, hitting more than 38 percent of his shots for his career, and 35 percent this season. He is also a guy who can create his own shot, something the Clippers generally lack from their bench.

Chandler, meanwhile, is not as good of a three-point shooter, but he is bigger, and is respectable enough from long range at around 34 percent for his career. He is a younger, more athletic version of Matt Barnes, and could serve well as either the starter or Barnes’ backup.

The Clippers bench is relatively thin at the shooting guard and small forward position. Dahntay Jones is nothing more than a deep reserve and locker room/chemistry guy. Jamal Crawford just does not seem to fit with this team, despite his scoring acumen.

Should The Clippers Worry About Players Who May Have Mutinied?

Of course the Clippers and Doc Rivers, specifically, would need to talk to either player and get a feel for how things went down in Denver prior to the embarrassing loss to the Hornets.

Rivers and the other Clippers’ brass would need to be assured that they are good chemistry guys, since the Clippers just unloaded some allegedly bad chemistry guys.

Nevertheless, this team has little in the way of assets, and an emergency panic trade from a team with a disgruntled, possibly revolting, band of players would be one of the few ways the Clippers could upgrade without getting rid of any of their core players.

Los Angeles could offer something like Jamal Crawford, C.J. Wilcox, and a 2019 second-round pick for Arron Afflalo or Wilson Chandler. Considering that Doc Rivers seems to hate young players and Wilcox has barely played this season, despite the putrid start from their wings, the Clippers would not miss him.

Jamal Crawford, meanwhile, is the last remaining alleged chemistry issue on the team, so he is another player that Rivers would be OK with shuttling out the door.

Both Chandler and Afflalo are good players on a bad team in Denver. One that is disintegrating before our very eyes. This is a team that was booed off its home court in a game against a Hornets team that is below .500 in the abysmal Eastern Conference.

So you have to ask, what are the Nuggets waiting for? A better deal? An all out revolt? My guess is that if the Clippers just push a little bit, and give Denver a chance to save face while jettisoning some disgruntled players, that they will be happy to make a deal.

Next: How will revamped bench affect the Clippers?

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Should The Clippers Revive The Arron Afflalo Trade?

By Brenton Lillie | Feb 5, 2015

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