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NBA Trade Rumors: Stars On The Trading Block

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) looks on during overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Clippers won in overtime 114-111. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) looks on during overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Clippers won in overtime 114-111. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Position: Power Forward

Age: 26

2015-16 Salary: $18,907,725

Contract Expires: ETO for 2017-18

Slash Line: .508/.353/.725

Season Averages: 34.9 MPG, 23.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.6 ORPG, 5.0 APG, 0.7 SPG

Since Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Two things have stood out during that stretch: Chris Paul is back to playing at an All-NBA level, and Blake Griffin hasn’t played a single game.

According to Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times, the Clippers are fielding offers for Griffin, but remain reluctant to trade him.

"Multiple teams have contacted the Clippers about acquiring Blake Griffin after he punched a team assistant equipment manager, said a person close to the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly, but the team has no active interest in trading its five-time All-Star power forward. The Clippers have fielded calls involving various trade proposals but remain reluctant to part with a cornerstone of their franchise and a player who, at age 26, was having possibly his best season before he was sidelined by a quadriceps injury the day after Christmas and subsequently a broken hand sustained in a scuffle with assistant equipment manager Matias Testi."

This isn’t the easiest time in Griffin’s life or career, but it would be a questionable move on Doc Rivers‘ behalf to part ways with his star player in the face of adversity.

Griffin went down with a partially torn left quad tendon, but re-entered the spotlight when he broke his hand by punching a member of the equipment staff. That caused the inevitable media response of, “Should this team trade their embattled star?”

Whether or not you believe it should, it’s hard to imagine Los Angeles trading a Top 10 player as he just now enters his prime.

Griffin is 26 years old and under contract through, at least, next season. Los Angeles still can’t escape the second round, but Griffin has improved year-after-year and was in the midst of what may have been his best season to date before suffering the quadricep injury.

Chances are, the Clippers won’t trade Griffin and we won’t even remember these rumors come the postseason. As Rivers’ previous power forward, Kevin Garnett, told us, anything is possible in the NBA.

Next: Three-Time All-Star