This NBA offseason featured a handful of trades being made. Bradley Beal was dealt to the Phoenix Suns and Chris Paul was dealt to the Golden State Warriors, but perhaps one of the most impactful trades made involved the Boston Celtics acquiring former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis. Sending Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Celtics were able to add Porzingis, but the original deal was supposed to involve the Los Angeles Clippers with Malcolm Brogdon instead of Smart and the Grizzlies.
With the Celtics looking to acquire Porzingis this offseason, they were engaged in discussions with the Washington Wizards and the Clippers on a potential three-team deal. As part of this trade, Brogdon would have gone to Los Angeles, but trade talks fell through due to the Clippers pondering the reigning Sixth Man of the Year's injury history. This is why Boston quickly pivoted to three-team talks with the Grizzlies and Wizards.
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been great in Los Angeles, when healthy, but the need for a floor general at the point guard position has been on this team's wish list for a long time now. This is why Brogdon was a target of theirs and according to Law Murray from The Athletic, the Clippers had a trade package put together to acquire him.
Marcus Morris Sr., Amir Coffey and the No. 30 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which was used by the Clippers to draft Kobe Brown, would have been traded to complete this deal. Ultimately, as mentioned above, injury concerns regarding Brogdon made Los Angeles hesitant to get a deal done, which is why the Celtics turned their attention to other possibilities.
It should not come as a shock to see this be the trade package the Clippers offered up, especially since Morris' time with the team appears to be coming to an end.
Morris saw his role with the team decline over the course of the 2022-23 season and his name has come up a lot as a potential salary-filler for Los Angeles in trade talks. There were some reports earlier this offseason as well suggesting that he has not been happy with his role. Entering the final year of his contract, Morris will continue to be a player on the trade block for the Clippers.
As for Coffey, his role with the team has been abysmal as well other than when starters were dealing with injuries. He was also arrested this offseason for gun possession and will now have to deal with the aftermath of that situation.
Whether they make a move for James Harden or someone else, it seems inevitable that the Clippers will make a trade during the 2023-24 season. Their roster still has some holes outside of their star players and this organization has made it clear that they want to compete at the highest level possible. Acquiring Brogdon would have surely made their backcourt stronger, but he is no longer available after the Celtics went in a different direction this summer.
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