The Los Angeles Clippers had a respectable showing last season. They were able to make it deep into the 2021 NBA playoffs. However, they still failed to reach the NBA Finals and fell short in attaining their title aspirations. Their top player in Kawhi Leonard, who sat out the latter end of their postseason campaign, is projected to miss more time after he had surgery on his partially torn ACL.

His expected absence will surely be a huge blow for the Clippers who are raring to bounce back next season. The situation now forces the team to load up on talent and add more firepower to their roster. These trades may be an exaggeration to some, but they are still worth considering for a team that is aiming to have a stronger playoff run in 2021-22.

Here are a couple of hyperbolic trades that the Clippers need to make before the start of the season:

Pascal Siakam to the Clippers; Terrance Mann, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Morris Sr. to the Raptors

Last season, Pascal Siakam saw his own struggles while the Raptors opted to rebuild as they missed the playoffs with a 27-45 record. He then found himself being involved in countless rumors afterward but remains to be with the team as of the moment. Despite the criticism, the Cameroonian remains a talented player who has a well-rounded skill set and can fill in the gap left by Leonard's absence in the meantime.

In 2020-21, Siakam averaged 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 56 games played. At 27 years old, he is already an accomplished player in the league, having earned the 2019 NBA Most Improved Player award.

Despite his accolades, Siakam isn't really a ball-dominant star and has already proven his capability to play well with other talented players. In fact, two of his former Toronto teammates in Leonard and Serge Ibaka are currently with the Clippers, which can make the transition easier for him.

In return, the Raptors will be getting Terrance Mann who has shown a lot of promise in last year's playoffs and can be a great piece to add to their ongoing youth movement. Head coach Nick Nurse can also get valuable contributions from tenured vets like Luke Kennard and Marcus Morris Sr.,who can lead the way for their young guys.

Ultimately, the trade can work for both sides as Pascal Siakam gets a much-needed change in scenery, while the Raptors will be able to rebuild and start another chapter with the new talent that they have on their roster.

Ben Simmons to the Clippers; Eric Bledsoe, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Patterson to the 76ers

In the 2020-21 playoffs, Ben Simmons drew a lot of flak after the Philadelphia 76ers fell short in their postseason run despite being the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference. Based on his performance last season, it is evident that the 25-year-old still has things to work on and is far from being a perfect player.

However, the public still can't disregard his level of talent and his potential to be a star in the league, once he gets to figure things out. Even during the worst statistical season of his career, Simmons was still impressive as he bagged an All-Star appearance and placed second in voting for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

Due to the criticism that he received over the offseason, his trade value has already dropped, which means that the Clippers won't have to give up that many assets just to acquire his services.

Like Siakam, Simmons isn't fond of holding onto the ball too much and prefers to facilitate for his teammates. His playing style could serve the Clippers well as they already have two prolific scorers in Leonard and Paul George. Simmons' defensive abilities will also come in handy for the team while they await their top defender in Leonard to recover from his torn ACL injury.

In exchange for the Australian's services, the 76ers will be getting experienced veterans who can contribute to the team's bid to contend for the title next season. Eric Bledsoe, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Patterson can all make an instant impact and provide more depth to Philadelphia's roster.

In terms of talent, a trio headlined by Ben Simmons, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George certainly has the potential to deal damage to the rest of the league once they get to develop chemistry among themselves. If the Aussie can successfully turn things around next season then it won't be a reach to say that he can definitely increase the Clippers' chances of vying for the title moving forward.