Reacting To The Eric Bledose-Clippers Trade
Ok, this trade came out of left field. The Clippers and Grizzlies made a trade involving Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Beverley, among others. Nothing had been happening in the NBA for the past few days but this move is one of the weirder ones of this offseason. Here are my thoughts and reactions to this trade.
Clippers Receive: Eric Bledsoe
Grizzlies Receive: Rajon Rondo, Patrick Beverley, Daniel Oturu
Clippers: On the Clippers side of things, I don’t really get this. Kawhi is going to be out for most if not all of 2022 and this move makes them worse. Sure, Beverley and Rondo are aging and expiring contracts, but the goal is still to win, right? Unless the Clippers know that they’re not going to be a great team this year and they’re preparing for 2023? But then why would they trade for Eric Bledsoe? This trade doesn’t make much sense to me.
Patrick Beverley is 33 and is one the last year of his deal. He is set to be paid $14.3 million dollars this season. Is he worth that? Not really, a little bit of an overpay, but he would have certainly re-signed next offseason to continue to contend with the Clippers. It’s not like he’s bad, his defense was so valuable for them and he locked down Devin Booker in the WCF this past season. I get he’s old and expiring, but I don’t really like the idea of losing him.
Same thing with Rajon Rondo. Sure, Rondo is 35 years old and not the player he used to be. He was set to be paid $7.5 million this season, but he’s not exactly terrible. While he didn’t play all that much in the playoffs, without Kawhi, he could have had a much bigger role in 2022. He was expiring, but having him would have helped the Clippers try and somewhat stay afloat this season.
To make things worse, look at the guy you’re getting. It’s not like Bledsoe is younger, cheaper, or better really than any of the guys you’re giving up. Bledsoe is a shell of his former self and his contract is really bad for 2022. He’s getting paid $18.1 million this season and then his contract isn’t guaranteed in 2023. But $18 million for Eric Bledsoe? This is your safety valve for Kawhi Leonard being out?
Bledsoe hasn’t impressed me these past few years and there is a reason the Bucks shipped him off and won a title with Jrue Holiday. He’s 31 years old and I don’t think the Clippers got better with this move. They lost a great defender in Beverley and a veteran presence in Rajon Rondo. Sure, both of those guys were older and expiring contracts, but I don’t get the angle here.
Is this a move to get better for 2023? Maybe, because Bledsoe is under contract for the 2022-23 season, when we know Kawhi can play again. But Eric Bledsoe isn’t exactly going to make the Clippers title contenders, that’s a given. I guess the Clippers were trying to get something for Beverley and Rondo, but I’m pretty sure at least one, if not both of them, would have stayed in LA if it meant they were on a contending team again.
I don’t get this move and I don’t really like at all.
Grade: D
Grizzlies: I also don’t really get this move for the Grizzlies. It’s nice that you’re getting rid of the contract of Bledose, but now you’re bringing in aging guards on expiring contracts. The Grizzlies roster is so full already, it’s time for them to maybe stop adding so many players. They have so many players on their roster that deserve minutes and this really doesn’t solve things for them, it might make things worse.
Losing Bledsoe’s $18.1 million dollar 2022 salary is great, but what are you getting in return? A 33-year old Patrick Beverley getting paid $14 million? A 35-year old Rajon Rondo getting paid $7.5 million? Both of these guys are older and I don’t think the Grizzlies should keep them.
They have some really good talent off the bench with their young guys, like Desmond Bane, De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones, and their 10th overall pick Ziaire Williams. Instead of adding more guys who can play next season, they should prioritize getting them developed for the future. This move doesn’t really support that. If they keep Rondo and Beverley, this jeopardizes some of the younger guys’ minutes.
Sure, the Grizzlies get some cap flexibility for the 2022 offseason because Rondo and Beverley are expiring contracts. Woj reported that maybe the Grizzlies flip Rondo and Beverley. But if they don’t? Their weird offseason continues to get weirder.
They shipped off Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams, a downgrade at the center positions. Valanciunas had been so good for the Grizzlies and one of their better scorers when the Grizzlies lacked offense. Steven Adams isn’t as good and I think that move hurts Memphis in the long run.
Memphis did use the 10th pick they got in Valanciunas trade to draft Ziaire Williams, which I did like. But they downgraded at center and lost Ja Morant one of this best teammates and scorers.
They sent Grayson Allen away for nothing, losing a key shooter and gritty defender off the bench, when he too was important for the Grizzlies last season.
And now this. Adding more players to a roster way too full. If they flip Rondo and Beverley, what do they expect to get? Not that much would be the correct answer. This trade is another weird move for Memphis, who I feel like tried to do way too much this offseason. Sometimes not messing with a good thing is the right move. But now the roster feels clunkier and has a lot more questions. Really interesting to see how Memphis performs in 2022.
Not a big fan of this move or this offseason in general for the Grizzlies.
Grade: F
What Are Your Thoughts From This Trade? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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