wow, big get for the Clippers

[moqui]

Lance Stephenson for Barnes and Hawes is borderline theft




If they re-sign DJ, they'll be loaded

 

[NineOneSeven]

Lance Stephenson for Barnes and Hawes is borderline theft




If they re-sign DJ, they'll be loaded

Big If

 

[MikeSU02]

Lance Stephenson for Barnes and Hawes is borderline theft




If they re-sign DJ, they'll be loaded

Clippers don't deepen their rotation and add someone that is so toxic that teams are happy to lose the trade on paper.

They need Lance to be the wing defender in the starting lineup that Barnes was, but they also need him to be the backup PG.

And they are dropping him in LA. Not Indy, not Charlotte.

Good luck Doc.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Clippers don't deepen their rotation and add someone that is so toxic that teams are happy to lose the trade on paper.

They need Lance to be the wing defender in the starting lineup that Barnes was, but they also need him to be the backup PG.

And they are dropping him in LA. Not Indy, not Charlotte.

Good luck Doc.

Eh, if Cavs fans can talk themselves into JR Smith, no reason why Clippers fans can't talk themselves in to Lance Stephenson.

 

[General20]

Lance Stephenson for Barnes and Hawes is borderline theft




If they re-sign DJ, they'll be loaded

They need some guys who can hit 3's or they're never going to get out of the West. Gotta free the paint up for Griffin to do his thing.

 

[MikeSU02]

Eh, if Cavs fans can talk themselves into JR Smith, no reason why Clippers fans can't talk themselves in to Lance Stephenson.

Lance is a potential nuclear bomb compared to JR.

JR will ruin himself.

Lance will ruin a team.

 

[MikeSU02]

They need some guys who can hit 3's or they're never going to get out of the West. Gotta free the paint up for Griffin to do his thing.

They need a second unit including a backup PG.

This is a huge roll of the dice. Not because of the money, this clearly makes sense on paper, but if Lance ruins the team, you just lost one more year of CP3 in his prime with his knee getting even more miles.

Lance in LA with CP3 and Blake...

This should be entertaining.

 

[Briancuse]

Lance is a potential nuclear bomb compared to JR.

JR will ruin himself.

Lance will ruin a team.

Agreed, If Doc Rivers can keep him in line its a big get, if not its a waste.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Lance Stephenson for Barnes and Hawes is borderline theft




If they re-sign DJ, they'll be loaded

Maybe for 2014 Lance. He shot 17% from three this year. He's sub 30% for his career. Hes a free agent after this year so its all reward, no risk, but I wouldn't clarifly this as a game changer. They still have no depth.

 

[moqui]

It's a massive upgrade ... Barnes is physically shot and Hawes' contract was an anchor on a hard capped team. Does it solve all their issues? Of course not, but it makes them better at their weakest position ... and they were already one of the best teams in the Association.

 

[RF2044]

It's a massive upgrade ... Barnes is physically shot and Hawes' contract was an anchor on a hard capped team. Does it solve all their issues? Of course not, but it makes them better at their weakest position ... and they were already one of the best teams in the Association.

Agreed--and Doc is one of the best in the business at handling big personalities and getting them properly motivated. If anyone can handle a player like Stephenson, it is Doc Rivers.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This trade tells you how much Charlotte wanted to get rid of Stephenson that they took on Hawes contract when it has three years left.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Lance is a potential nuclear bomb compared to JR.

JR will ruin himself.

Lance will ruin a team.

Well said. I don't remember any teammates publicly blasting JR. He seems well liked, he's just a knucklehead. Lance, on the other hand, has now been run out of Indiana and Charlotte in successive seasons and has made enemies along the way. He's a ticking A-bomb. Wonder which teammate will wanna go medieval on him first...my money's on Blake, followed by Deandre.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Isn't this the 2nd trade to take place this postseason? Seems unusual.

 

[MikeSU02]

It's a massive upgrade ... Barnes is physically shot and Hawes' contract was an anchor on a hard capped team. Does it solve all their issues? Of course not, but it makes them better at their weakest position ... and they were already one of the best teams in the Association.

Lance can single-handedly destroy a team with his toxicity.

The Clips biggest issue was their bench. What they need from Lance is to be the wing defender on the first team and help run point on the second team / breakdown defense.

That is a LOT to ask of a guy who played horrifically this year and has been run out of town in back to back years.

I'm happy to agree to disagree, but there is no way this is a massive upgrade with Lance's production falling off a cliff and how unstable he is (and that is putting it VERY kindly).

 

[MikeSU02]

This trade tells you how much Charlotte wanted to get rid of Stephenson that they took on Hawes contract when it has three years left.

Also shows how hard-strapped GM Doc has put the Clippers in w/r/t the cap.

As much as I hate this trade, it may, just may, be the only thing they can do. They have no wiggle room.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Also shows how hard-strapped GM Doc has put the Clippers in w/r/t the cap.

As much as I hate this trade, it may, just may, be the only thing they can do. They have no wiggle room.

The best part about this trade is you only are guaranteed Stephenson for this year, so they just cleared more cap for next year by swapping him for Hawes.

 

[MikeSU02]

The best part about this trade is you only are guaranteed Stephenson for this year, so they just cleared more cap for next year by swapping him for Hawes.

I get that and see the value, but you have limited time with CP3's knee. Losing one year because Lance takes down the team is a big deal. This is a huge gamble.

 

[moqui]

Lance can single-handedly destroy a team with his toxicity.

The Clips biggest issue was their bench. What they need from Lance is to be the wing defender on the first team and help run point on the second team / breakdown defense.

That is a LOT to ask of a guy who played horrifically this year and has been run out of town in back to back years.

I'm happy to agree to disagree, but there is no way this is a massive upgrade with Lance's production falling off a cliff and how unstable he is (and that is putting it VERY kindly).

that is ridiculously hyperbolic. in the two full seasons he played with Indy, they made the conference finals. the clips will gladly take that kind of "destruction." And Charlotte has been a troubled franchise from its inception, you can't put their failure on him; he was not a good fit but he wasn't "toxic."

as someone who watched a lot of Clippers games last year - not just a few playoff games - I'll tell you that their #1 weakness is the 3. Before Crawford got hurt, the bench was OK - Crawford was a 6th MotY candidate, and Big Baby was a solid backup big; if Austin Rivers' late year effort means he turned the corner, then the Clips have the beginnings of a solid bench. The biggest fail with their bench was actually Barnes & Hawes. Hawes was a disastrous signing, and Barnes should have been a bench player but they f'ed up and traded Dudley last summer.

Stephenson is not a magic bullet - they do still have to rebuild their bench, but clearing those two out and adding a very strong bounce-back candidate is an excellent move for a capped franchise.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I know Barnes is old, but all of his stats were better than Stephensons this year. I think this is as much about a cap move as it is trying to catch lightning in a bottle with a talented, but troubled player.

 

[MikeSU02]

that is ridiculously hyperbolic. in the two full seasons he played with Indy, they made the conference finals. the clips will gladly take that kind of "destruction." And Charlotte has been a troubled franchise from its inception, you can't put their failure on him; he was not a good fit but he wasn't "toxic."

as someone who watched a lot of Clippers games last year - not just a few playoff games - I'll tell you that their #1 weakness is the 3. Before Crawford got hurt, the bench was OK - Crawford was a 6th MotY candidate, and Big Baby was a solid backup big; if Austin Rivers' late year effort means he turned the corner, then the Clips have the beginnings of a solid bench. The biggest fail with their bench was actually Barnes & Hawes. Hawes was a disastrous signing, and Barnes should have been a bench player but they f'ed up and traded Dudley last summer.

Stephenson is not a magic bullet - they do still have to rebuild their bench, but clearing those two out and adding a very strong bounce-back candidate is an excellent move for a capped franchise.

I think your argument is rational, but I just don't agree with it at all. That is fine. In my opinion, if you are banking on Big Baby and Austin Rivers as big parts to your second team, you aren't competing for a title.

And we can agree to disagree on Lance. There has been so much smoke with him in terms of locker room issues, I'm going to take a gander there is fire. That is nothing to say of the terrible person he is outside of being a potentially toxic teammate.

 

[General20]

that is ridiculously hyperbolic. in the two full seasons he played with Indy, they made the conference finals. the clips will gladly take that kind of "destruction." And Charlotte has been a troubled franchise from its inception, you can't put their failure on him; he was not a good fit but he wasn't "toxic."

as someone who watched a lot of Clippers games last year - not just a few playoff games - I'll tell you that their #1 weakness is the 3. Before Crawford got hurt, the bench was OK - Crawford was a 6th MotY candidate, and Big Baby was a solid backup big; if Austin Rivers' late year effort means he turned the corner, then the Clips have the beginnings of a solid bench. The biggest fail with their bench was actually Barnes & Hawes. Hawes was a disastrous signing, and Barnes should have been a bench player but they f'ed up and traded Dudley last summer.

Stephenson is not a magic bullet - they do still have to rebuild their bench, but clearing those two out and adding a very strong bounce-back candidate is an excellent move for a capped franchise.

I agree, they need 3 point shooting. I believe Griffin has become a top 5 or 6 player in the league, but the Clippers roster is doing him no favors. Jordan keeps the lane clogged at all times, Paul has a good mid range shot but defenses usually leave him alone (and sag in on Griffin) when he's behind the 3 point line. Stephenson will onky make this problem worse.

They've got to get some shooters around Griffin to open thongs up for him. Ideally a big who can stretch Ds when Jordan needs to sit because he can't hit free throws and another 3 and D guy.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Here's a great article on the trade. How does someone shoot 51% on layups in the NBA?


http://grantland.com/the-triangle/lightning-round-the-clippers-land-lance-stephenson/

 

[moqui]

I agree, they need 3 point shooting. I believe Griffin has become a top 5 or 6 player in the league, but the Clippers roster is doing him no favors. Jordan keeps the lane clogged at all times, Paul has a good mid range shot but defenses usually leave him alone (and sag in on Griffin) when he's behind the 3 point line. Stephenson will onky make this problem worse.

They've got to get some shooters around Griffin to open thongs up for him. Ideally a big who can stretch Ds when Jordan needs to sit because he can't hit free throws and another 3 and D guy.

CP3 is a solid 3 pt shooter & hit nearly 40% from deep this year. Reddick is elite from the arc. They provide more than adequate spacing for their bigs.

Stephenson might not even play much with that group - they could let Jamal Crawford walk and use Lance to anchor their second unit, which might make more sense, if they are able to land another 3 for the starting unit (Paul Pierce?)

 

[MikeSU02]

CP3 is a solid 3 pt shooter & hit nearly 40% from deep this year. Reddick is elite from the arc. They provide more than adequate spacing for their bigs.

Stephenson might not even play much with that group - they could let Jamal Crawford walk and use Lance to anchor their second unit, which might make more sense, if they are able to land another 3 for the starting unit (Paul Pierce?)

They have minimal cap flexibility, right? Would PP have to sign for the MLE?

I don't follow the Clips cap space closely, but I do know Doc put them in a bind.