With the drama that is going on with the Los Angeles Clippers regarding the team's dreadful start to the season, to recent news regarding Chris Paul being sent home in his final season, the basketball world is wondering what the franchise does now. As the rumors around the Clippers will continue throughout the season, there is a theory floated by a league executive about what the team should do and how the Oklahoma City Thunder factor into it.
In Shams Charania's latest column for ESPN, he spoke about the trade buzz around specific teams, with one section speaking about Los Angeles. He would mention how “it's now versus the future” for the Clippers in figuring out which direction they want to take in reviving the current situation or focusing beyond that.
He would say there are “respected officials” in the NBA who think Los Angeles should be “open-minded” about obtaining assets for players on the roster, even though the team owes the Thunder a first-round pick next summer. A “high-ranking executive” even said that instead of preventing Oklahoma City from getting a top-five pick, the team should “better position themselves for the next five years.”
“Many in the league are waiting to see whether L.A. is open to shifting to the bigger picture,” Charania wrote. “Stars James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are performing at a high level and are signed to tradeable contracts that would allow the Clippers to retool for the future. They could also hold firm and reshape the team around Harden and Leonard, as they will have cap space in the summer.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen what happens to such players as Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, plus which direction the Clippers want to go, as they are 6-18.
