Bill Simmons: Clippers discussed Blake Griffin trade with Denver

We're not "most lottery teams" as we have a top 3 player in the world just entering his prime.

Could we be contenders by 2017/18 when we'd have to try to sign Blake? Even if it didn't work you could still deal him for a boatload of other pieces to try "Rebuild 3.0"

I feel like Clipper would do this - EG and Ryno would give them a better team this year than injured Blake would, plus they're expirings, plus they'd get a high lottery pick from us. Hell, maybe we could make it a "future 1st" and keep our high lottery pick this year.

Is it too risky for us? I feel like AD and Griffin and Qpon and Holiday would give Gentry 60% of a top-3 starting lineup in the NBA.

Yeah. If a star player is involved the first question to ask is "How much would Boston offer" and then go from there. Boston does seem to have become very attached to the Brooklyn pick and Crowder, so they may not be willing to offer as much as once thought, but at the minimum you'd have to think Bradly, Sullinger + their 1st, the Dallas 1st, and the Minnesota 2nds. That's 2 picks in the late teens to 20s, 2 high 2nds, and 2 decent players on decent contracts (Sully is RFA which should limit how much he gets). And this is a top 10 player we're talking about so if there actually was competitive bidding, I bet Boston would give up either Crowder or the top 3 protected Nets pick.

I defer to you guys, but one question: wouldn't a destination city/team like the Clippers value cap space more than normal teams would?

A) They'd likely want to keep Anderson and he'd likely want to resign
B) They could sign anybody else they want/are able to

I feel like our offer of "superior players for 2016 playoffs) plus a potential high lottery pick this season" is maybe as attractive to them as the Boston package. WTF do they want 4 high draft picks - they need to win NOW while CP3 is still more or less in his prime.

Wouldnt we have a similar problem where our 2 best players play the same position, that we do now?

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wouldn't a destination city/team like the Clippers value cap space more than normal teams would?

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If they think they can get in the hunt for KD, yes. But Boston can still give them 2 1sts and an early 2nd to provide cheap depth even if they don't want Bradley and Sullinger to make a run at KD. You can probably flip those 2 for something else, hell maybe we trade somthing like Ryno and Dante for that. Clippers get 2 PFs for this year to help replace Blake, and still have the cap space they need to go after KD.

Not giving up a first for Blake griffin.