Los Angeles Clippers: Grading The Jeff Green Trade
The Los Angeles Clippers went into the trade deadline armed with a nice trade asset in Lance Stephenson‘s expiring contract. They used it to bring Memphis Grizzlies forward Jeff Green to Los Angeles.
It wasn’t much of a secret that Lance Stephenson and his $9 million virtually expiring contract would be moved at the deadline, the real question is what they would trade him for.
The answer to that question was dramatically revealed after the 3pm deadline, when ESPN’s Zach Lowe tweeted that the Clippers had acquired Grizzlies forward Jeff Green.
Clippers have acquired Jeff Green, sources say.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 18, 2016
It was almost a given that Stephenson would be the one heading to Memphis in exchange for Green. Lowe quickly followed up a Marc Stein report that the Clippers would be sending a protected first rounder to Memphis along with Stephenson and his $9 million contract that comes with a team-option for next season that will almost definitely be declined if Stephenson is not bought out upon arrival in Memphis.
Believe this is a heavily-protected 2019 first-rounder. Grizz have been trying to move Green for a while. https://t.co/sUkQLBnZbB
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 18, 2016
Jeff Green is an almost perfect match for what the Clippers need at the moment. The Clippers lack depth in the frontcourt with Blake Griffin out for a few more weeks with a broken hand and also still missing a real starting small forward.
By trading for Green, the Clippers may have solved both of those problems.
Green has spent much of his eight NBA seasons switching between each forward position and is capable of playing both. Green has been involved in trade rumors in the past few years due to being talented but “consistently inconsistent” as Jeff Clark of CelticsBlog.com eloquently stated last year.
Green can slide in at both forward positions and help stabilize an endlessly changing rotation of journeyman wings who have failed at opportunities to become a reliable small forward for the Clippers.
Green’s play in the absence of Blake Griffin will be very intriguing if the Clippers take a look at trading Blake Griffin in the offseason. Green is an unrestricted free agent after this season, but his time with the Clippers could be an audition to return to the Clippers next season on a bigger contract.
The Clippers would’ve ideally brought in a combo-forward that could shoot the ball a little better than Green (30.9 percent on three-point attempts this season, 34.0 percent for his career)
Doc Rivers will have to learn to live with Green’s bouts of inconsistency, but at the very minimum, he’s an upgrade over Lance Stephenson. The Clippers quickly aborted their mission with Josh Smith this season after he failed to be the multi-positional forward they had hoped he would be and Green could be the player they wished Smith would’ve been.
It’s a safe bet that the Clippers would’ve declined Stephenson’s option for next season as he had fallen in and out of the rotation at various points of this season and his $9 million price tag exceeds what he’s been worth.
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The Clippers made a solid move to deal Stephenson for a player who is a better player and better fit for what the Clippers need for the rest of this season and give themselves a chance to try Green out before he hits free agency in July.
Does this move make the Clippers good enough to knock off the Warriors or Spurs? Probably not, but it does get them closer to Oklahoma City in terms of status among contenders and raises this team’s ceiling.
The Clippers had hoped that Stephenson’s contract might be a valuable piece in bringing a bigger name to Los Angeles and although Jeff Green might not skyrocket the Clippers into title favorites, it’s a smart move that Doc Rivers couldn’t turn down.
The bad part about this trade is that when Griffin returns, the ever-so-important spacing that has led them to an 18-5 record without Griffin will become an even bigger weakness than before if Green plays with the typical starting unit.
Giving up a first round pick, albeit a very protected one, could look bad if Green doesn’t mesh well in Los Angeles and bolts in free agency in a couple months. The Clippers aren’t spring chickens and giving up first round picks could cost the Clippers a chance to draft a solid, young player down the road.
Related Story: 2016 NBA Trade Deadline Live Tracker
The Clippers aren’t conceding this season to the Warriors and Spurs just yet and there’s something admirable in going for it as they appear to be buyers as opposed to sellers at the deadline. Swapping a couple months of Stephenson and a heavily protected first rounder for even a couple months of Green is a low-risk, medium-reward move that the Clippers needed to make.