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A lot of things went wrong for the LA Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals. Doc Rivers' decisions throughout Game 7 were questionable while both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George struggled from the field. Yet, it was the latter who had to bear the majority of the brunt. Several NBA trade rumors have since emerged suggesting that LA Clippers could move on from the six-time All-Star. There have been murmurs of the Brooklyn Nets being interested in Paul George.
On the face of it, this looks like a workable trade for both Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers with the former on the lookout for a third star as per multiple NBA trade rumors. The Clippers too are seemingly unsatisfied with Paul George and could flip him over for good pieces. If you dig deeper though, you'll realize that a move could end up worsening both the teams.
NBA Trade Rumors: Move for Paul George too risky for Brooklyn Nets
The most obvious issue for the Brooklyn Nets could arrive in the form of chemistry, or lack thereof. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are good friends and that bond will glue them together when either of the two underperforms. The same cannot be said about Paul George who has shown the knack of losing the plot for extended stretches.
Will Kyrie and KD have PG13's back then? You'll never know. And if things don't work out, Paul George could opt out of his player option in the summer of 2021 and leave the Brooklyn Nets hanging high and dry.
The next bottleneck arrives in the form of what the Brooklyn Nets will have to offer the LA Clippers to get the deal done. Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen will have to form the part of the package because both these players would address the needs of the LA franchise.
To match salaries, Brooklyn Nets can either add Spencer Dinwiddie or Taurean Prince. Now Prince's 2-year $29 million contract is definitely a bad one, so if GM Sean Marks wants to include him in the deal, he'll have to attach at least one draft pick.
Irrespective of what shape the NBA trade package takes, the Brooklyn Nets will either be putting their depth or their future on the line.
NBA Trade Rumors: Why LA Clippers could lose big by moving Paul George
The main asset that LA Clippers will receive from the Brooklyn Nets is Caris LeVert. LeVert showed in the NBA bubble just how good he can be, but can he sustain that level?
For what it's worth, he's had big games mostly on days when he's the main option on the Brooklyn Nets and that won't be a common occurrence when he moves to the LA Clippers. If LeVert doesn't make that jump, he would essentially be a downgrade on Paul George. He's also not as great on the defensive end as PG13.
Jarrett Allen could replace Montrezl Harrell who's out of a contract this summer. However, Allen will be a restricted free agent next season and depending on the moves that LA Clippers make in the upcoming offseason, the franchise may not have the financial flexibility to offer him a suitable extension deal.
Spencer Dinwiddie could also be a one-year rental with his player option coming into play next offseason, Taurean Prince is a streaky wing, and Brooklyn Nets' draft pick will likely be a late 20s pick and not yield the best returns.
Overall, there are possible upsides of LA Clippers acting in accordance with NBA trade rumors and sending Paul George to the Brooklyn Nets. But there are just way too many contingencies that could seriously cripple either party.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors - Dream starting 5 for the LA Clippers going into the 2020-21 season
Guess the Lakers players!
