Los Angeles Clippers Possibly Trading For Ryan Anderson, Dumping Josh Smith
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers would love to add another big man and a shooter to his rotation, and Ryan Anderson just might be the guy for that, according Fansided.
With a 13-26 record, the New Orleans Pelicans don’t really view themselves as a team that will be in the NBA Playoffs this season, so it might be time to scrap things and gain assets.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson is one of the most coveted players on the team’s roster, as other teams would love to be able to stretch the floor with his superb shooting.
Though New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry and general manager Dell Demps have been hesitant to move Ryan Anderson, his departure makes a lot of sense for the future.
A team that could really use someone like Ryan Anderson is the Los Angeles Clippers, who desperately need front court depth with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan being injured.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Josh Smith was supposed to fill that role, but Doc Rivers has so much trouble trusting him that he only plays him when the situation is extremely dire.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Lance Stephenson has been quite the disappointment since he walked away from the Indiana Pacers and signed a free agent deal with the Charlotte Hornets.
By getting rid of Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith in one transaction, president of basketball operations Doc Rivers gets to kill two birds with one stone for the Los Angeles Clippers.
For now, Ryan Anderson would start at one of the forward positions for the Los Angeles Clippers, and he would be an excellent fit right next to DeAndre Jordan because of his shooting.
Once Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin returns to the starting line, Ryan Anderson can take a spot on the bench, a position where he has held many times in his NBA career.
Doc Rivers can alter his rotation to have Ryan Anderson as the first big man off the bench for DeAndre Jordan, and he can clear the lanes for Blake Griffin because he’s a good shooter.
Ryan Anderson would provide Doc Rivers with a lot of flexibility on his bench, as the Los Angeles Clippers also have another solid big man in the surprisingly efficient Cole Aldrich.
However, the bright side of a trade like this is that it gives both Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith another opportunity to prove that they can still be reliable contributors in the NBA.
Since the New Orleans Pelicans aren’t going to be challenging for the NBA Championship this season, whatever they bring to the table would simply be considered dessert for the team.
While losing a rotation player might not sound all that appealing to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Los Angeles Clippers can sweeten the deal by offering a first round draft pick as well.
The Los Angeles Clippers are 26-14 right now, so barring any major setbacks, their draft pick won’t be very high, so Doc Rivers might not mind giving that away for Ryan Anderson.
A Ryan Anderson trade makes sense for both the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans.
[Featured Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]
