LA Clippers: Time to reignite the Derrick Rose trade interest

The LA Clippers will have a busy offseason ahead, and pursuing Detroit Pistons guard Derrick  Rose through trade should be a top priority.

Following their embarrassing defeat to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, the LA Clippers are currently the laughing stock of the league. Heading into an offseason of uncertainty, the team should follow up on the availability of Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose once the season officially concludes.

The keyboard warriors will get a kick out of this one, joking that Rose would fit right in with LA’s “load management” philosophy that they implemented to manage Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s health all season long. Sure, Rose has had his share of daunting injuries, but after spending the last few seasons rejuvenating his once doomed career, the 2011 NBA MVP finds himself as one of the most highly-coveted players potentially on the trade market this offseason.

Rose, who had his best season statistically since 2011-12, spent most of the year surrounded by trade speculation. Averaging 18.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game on a lackluster Detroit team, championship contenders heavily pursued the guard all season long. Of teams that inquired about the 3-time All-Star, Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers stood atop the list. Simultaneously, the LA Clippers had more of an “exploratory talk” on the guard’s availability.

Detroit ended up hanging onto Rose, which one Western Conference executive believed was a mistake, given the haul they could have gotten in return. Transcribed by Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report:

"“The ask was too great,” the Western Conference executive said. “They totally mishandled that. It was the perfect time to move him. He was the ultimate rental at the trade deadline. You could keep him fresh for the playoffs and still have him next year on a very cap=friendly deal. He (Derrick Rose) would’ve made a first-round playoff team into a second-round team, and he would’ve put the Lakers or Clippers over the top.”"

The Clippers sure could have used a player of Rose’s caliber in their series against the Denver Nuggets to put them over the top.

All season long, the immense depth of the LA Clippers appeared to be their most significant advantage over any other team. They totaled the highest bench scoring mark in the league, coming in at an astounding 50.3 points per game. This success was mainly in part Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, who averaged 18.6 points and 18.2 points respectively, both finishing in the Sixth Man of the Year running.

The LA Clippers were exposed in the NBA playoffs

In the postseason, however, their reserves turned into a shell of their regular-season selves. The bench scoring reduced to 36.5 points per game, with Lou Williams only contributing 12.8 points and Montrezl Harrell with 10.5 points fresh off earning his first Sixth Man of the Year award. The team’s backup point guard, Reggie Jackson, also had little impact during the team’s postseason run, averaging just 4.9 points in 14.2 minutes per game.

In short order, LA’s bench was nothing short of terrible in their disappointing postseason run, just one of the team’s many issues. With seven players able to hit the free-agent market this offseason, six of them being reserves, the Clippers could potentially need to find some replacements.

Gearing up for a potential “championship or bust” title run, targetting a top-tier backup point guard to elevate the bench is a no-brainer. Slated to make just north of $7.5 million next season, Derrick Rose is on an absolute bargain of a contract. He can bolster the stock for any championship contender, given his lethal playmaking and scoring ability. For the Clippers, this move could be a necessity given what is at stake.

After the team put their future into landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George last summer, the duo can become free agents after next season if they choose to opt-out of their current deals. If they fall short of a championship again next season, could the star tandem look to take their talents elsewhere? After giving up a historic haul of draft compensation and players to bring them aboard, that would be disastrous for the LA Clippers. Adding Rose does not guarantee a championship next season, but it unquestionably helps.

Following up on that lack of draft compensation, it also makes trading for Rose, or anyone else reasonably tricky, but not impossible. Still, all of this only falls into motion is Derrick Rose becomes available for trade. Detroit’s newly appointed general manager Troy Weaver was outright when he said he sees the veteran in the “plans going forward,” following his hiring. That certainly puts a dent team’s hopes of acquiring the guard, but perhaps the right offer could help change Weaver’s mind. Among teams interested, the LA Clippers should keep tabs on the 2011 NBA MVP.