The Los Angeles Clippers are looking to make a blockbuster trade and, if they get their way, another one right after.
ESPN reported the Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers have discussed a sign-and-trade deal that would send Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe to the Lakers for Dwight Howard.
Under the sign-and-trade option, the Lakers would have to sign Howard to a new contract before trading him to the Clippers. However, the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are reportedly interested in signing Howard, so the free agent big man can essentially choose where he plays next year.
Griffin has been a fan favorite for the Clippers, but his small size at power forward makes him less effective as a defender. On the other hand, Howard, a hulking center, is one of the NBA's best defenders when healthy.
The Clippers, concerned with becoming stronger on defense in the low post, have a separate trade in place that they're close to completing.
Also reported by ESPN, the Boston Celtics are interested in sending power forward Kevin Garnett (an effective defender), small forward Paul Pierce and coach Doc Rivers to the Clippers for an undisclosed package, but one that includes guard Eric Bledsoe.
Bledsoe is also reportedly holding up the negotiation with the Lakers for Howard. Adding to the conflict, the Clippers are inclined to keep Bledsoe in case their star point guard Chris Paul does not sign a long-term contract.
The Clippers have hold-ups on just about every negotiation. ESPN's sources said that since teams cannot trade coaches in regular transactions, the Clippers would technically be given the right to negotiate a new coaching contract with Rivers. Currently, the sources have said the two sides have yet to agree in principal on a new deal.
"It's a dance right now," one source told ESPN. "I think it'll eventually happen. They're just staring at each other."
The deal with the Celtics is seemingly more of a priority for the Clippers because it would mean they could keep Griffin. Both he and Bledsoe are prized young assets and fan favorites and parting with both of them in one deal is not what they want to do.
The negotiations may have hit a snag, but the deal still seems to be imminent.
Another source said the trade talks with the Celtics are "certainly not dead. I think they have an idea of the main parties who would be involved, but now they've got to figure out smaller details and negotiate a deal with Doc [Rivers]."
