NBA Trade Rumors: LA Clippers amongst teams in talks to land former All-Rookie team member from the Dallas Mavericks
NBA and Western Conference powerhouse the LA Clippers are looking at reinforcements before the trade deadline and the latest rumors involve the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Matt Moore of The Action Network, the LA Clippers have turned their attention to Dallas in order to acquire Tim Hardaway Jr. The Indiana Pacers are also interested in making a deal for Hardaway Jr. Moore said:
"THJ is the player the Mavericks have most aggressively shopped, with the Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers both showing interest. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is a big fan of THJ’s from his time in Dallas."
Moore also mentioned that the Dallas Mavericks might be looking to move on from Hardaway Jr. before the trade deadline. Moore continued:
"Their best asset currently is Tim Hardaway Jr. who is out indefinitely after a stress fracture in his foot, and who just signed a new deal."
Report: Mavericks ‘aggressively’ shopping Tim Hardaway Jr., drawing interest from Clippers and Pacers ahnfiredigital.com/nba/dallas-mav…
Can Kawhi Leonard lead the LA Clippers to a championship next season?
Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the game right now and arguably the league's best two-way player other than Giannis Antetokounmpo. "The Claw" showed his loyalty by signing a new deal with the LA Clippers in the summer which gives him $176.3 million over four years.
The franchise, which began as the Buffalo Braves in the 1970-71 season, has never won a championship. In fact, last season's run to the conference finals was the deepest the Clippers have ever advanced. The franchise was a laughingstock in the 1980s and 1990s. The Clippers only had two winning seasons between 1979 and 2011.
Another day, another @LAClippers comeback. This time they overcame a 14-point deficit against the Magic.
The Clippers now have 5 double-digit comebacks this month, the most in the NBA.
They had 4 such comebacks from October-December combined. https://t.co/HiukYXt1qd
Leonard and Paul George give the Clippers two franchise players who are excellent on both ends of the floor. They have the experience and postseason know-how to lead the team to glory. However, the pieces surrounding them will be crucial, especially if the Clippers are willing to part ways with almost everyone on the roster.
The duo are in need of a point guard who can bring the ball up the floor and orchestrate the offense. If the team acquires a good one and gets Leonard and George back healthy, there's no reason they can't be championship contenders next season.
The LA Clippers have also made moves with the focus on next season and their championship aspirations in mind. They acquired Normal Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Keon Johnson, Justise Winslow and a 2025 second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons. This is an excellent move from the Clippers front office as they are finding ways to improve the team and surround Leonard and George with the best players possible upon their return.