Should the Los Angeles Clippers pursue Anthony Davis?
The Los Angeles Clippers are looking to maximize Kawhi Leonard's time with the organization, which means putting the right pieces around him for as long as he remains with the team.
The team has tried to surround Leonard with talent over the years, trading for Paul George in signing Leonard, and then bringing in the likes of Russell Westbrook, Harden, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul in hopes of competing for a championship.
The Clippers underwent big changes last season, trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline in exchange for Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin. The moves helped the Clippers get younger and more athletic, but left a gap in their front court the loss of Zubac.
Could Anthony Davis Fill That Gap?
Bleacher Report published a new article looking at five potential destinations for Anthony Davis, who is currently on the Washington Wizards.
The Clippers are ranked third on the list, with the following mock trade drawn up:
Wizards Receive: Terance Mann, Bogdan Bogdanović, Brook Lopez, Nicolas Batum, 2027 first-round pick (via NYK), 2030 first-round pick (via LAC; top-14 protected), 2029 second-round pick (DAL via BKN)
Clippers Receive: Anthony Davis
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Derrick Jones Jr., Bradley Beal
This deal adds an extra $10 million to the Clippers' salary cap, and that's before they have to re-sign Mathurin, who is a restricted free agent, or the fifth overall pick.
Should They Do It?
Adding Anthony Davis to this team makes sense on paper, but there are real financial and roster constraints that can't be ignored.
The Clippers would be paying a combined $150.8 million to Davis, Leonard, and Garland. That's a lot of money for a trio that would've never played a game together and doesn't have the cleanest bill of health injury-wise.
The rest of the roster would have to be filled out with minimum players. There is a selling point of Los Angeles and an opportunity alongside Davis, Leonard, and Garland that could be appealing, but the Clippers have gone down this path in recent seasons and it hasn't exactly worked out.
Leonard can be an unrestricted free agent after this season, while Davis has a player option and Garland is under contract until 2028, which means the Clippers could be on the hook for at least Davis and Garland for one more year if the team doesn't work this upcoming season.
Even giving up a 2030 first-round pick, which is at least lottery-protected, might be a tough selling point after the team gave up its future for Paul George, but managed to slightly salvage things by lucking into the fifth overall pick from the Indiana Pacers.
The move is too short-sighted for a team that needs to look more long-term in its current state.
