3 Clippers Trade Deadline Predictions: Who Is the Most Likely Player to Get Traded?

Will the Los Angeles Clippers be aggressive on the trade market before the February 5 deadline?

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Teams around the league were wondering whether the Los Angeles Clippers would pivot and rebuild after they were off to a disappointing 6-21 start to the season. Fast forward one month, and the Clippers are the hottest team in the NBA and are firmly in the playoff race. This has erased all possibility of the Clippers as sellers at the trade deadline. Instead, many are wondering how aggressively the Clippers will pursue upgrades before February 5.

The Clippers don't have too many blue-chip trade assets, but have the expiring contracts of John Collins ($26.5 million) and Bogdan Bogdanovic ($16 million). There could be interest around the league in acquiring those two to open up future cap space. Plus, the Clippers can trade their 2030 and 2032 first-round picks to entice teams on the market. They can trade swap rights on their 2031 pick or give up additional second-round picks. How all-in the front office and the ownership will be for this team will be fascinating to watch.

Let's try to predict what Lawrence Frank & Co. will do around February 5.

1- Bogdan Bogdanovic Will Get Traded

Collins and Bogdanovic are the two most likely Clippers to be traded. Collins obviously has more trade value since he is healthy and can still contribute. A team may want to bring him in and re-sign over the summer. However, the Clippers presumably also have more interest in keeping Collins around since he is one of the only two true power forwards on the team, with Nicolas Batum. If the opportunity presents itself, the Clips will surely consider moving on from Collins, but a Bogdanovic trade is the more obvious route.

The Clippers are getting nothing from the Serbian shooting guard. The 33-year-old has a team option for $16 million next season. The acquiring team will certainly decline that option, making Bogi an expiring salary. Instead of wasting that salary slot until the end of the season, the Clippers will want to bring in a difference-maker who roughly makes the same.

Whether it is by attaching a few second-round picks or one of their first-rounders, the Clippers will surely try to turn Bogdanovic into a high-level rotation player.

2- Clippers Will Not Be Aggressive in Trading Future First-Round Picks

The temptation for the Clippers to go all-in is understandable. Harden and Leonard are playing All-NBA caliber basketball and may not have too many years left at this level. It would be wise to maximize your title odds in the narrow championship window you have with your two aging superstars.

At the same time, the Clippers have already mortgaged enough of their future for the present. They have very few draft picks and no young players with upside. Giving up more of your future assets in a win-now move would be ill-advised for a team that is still under .500. The Clippers are still one Leonard or Harden injury from a complete disaster, and Lawrence Frank and Steve Ballmer have to keep that in mind when approaching the trade deadline.

That is why the Clippers will likely not trade both of their future first-round picks. They could include one in a Bogdanovic trade to get a proper upgrade (ideally for a young player who could be a building block for a long time), but don't expect any blockbuster deals from LA.

3- Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders Will Both Receive Standard NBA Contracts

Once the Clippers inevitably move on from Bogdanovic and Chris Paul, they will almost certainly convert Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders to standard NBA deals. Both players have been on two-way contracts but have been key contributors to the Clippers. Their NBA eligibility expires after 50 regular-season games. If the Clippers want to keep them around for the final stretch of the season and the playoffs, they have to give them a roster spot by signing them to standard NBA deals.

This may not sound like the sexiest deadline move, but the Clippers need team-friendly deals for young contributors. Miller and Sanders are two of the few reasons Clippers fans can have some hope for the future of the franchise.