Clippers Dodged a Bullet With the Failed DeMar DeRozan Trade

The Los Angeles Clippers were reportedly close to trading for DeMar DeRozan. That would have been a big mistake.

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The trade buzz around the Los Angeles Clippers subsided in recent weeks after the team won 12 of its last 14 games to climb its way back to the postseason race. The Clippers may still be active on the trade deadline, almost certainly as buyers, but there isn't an expectation for drastic changes anymore. The recent winning streak has seemingly saved the Clippers from themselves, who were reportedly on the verge of making a big mistake on the trade market.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported over the weekend that the Clippers and the Sacramento Kings engaged in trade discussions that would have brought DeMar DeRozan to Los Angeles. The trade involving DeRozan and Keon Ellis in exchange for John Collins and salary filler didn't materialize after the Clippers started winning and turned their season around.

Clippers Almost Made a Big DeMar DeRozan Mistake

Trading for DeRozan has all the markings of a desperation move. It's hard to find a worse-fitting All-Star next to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard than the 36-year-old small forward. DeRozan is still a quality offensive player and an elite mid-range shot creator. Yet, that is the last thing a team with Harden and Leonard needs.

The Clippers, already one of the oldest teams ever, don't need another aging star on decline who can't defend. They need youth, athleticism, and the ability to play off the ball. DeRozan needs the ball in his hands to be effective, and taking the ball from Harden and Leonard's hands to give to an inferior offensive player makes very little sense. The Clippers have a serious lack of shooting, athleticism, and defensive intensity, none of which DeRozan can help with.

Collins' $26.5 million expiring salary is perhaps the most significant trade chip the Clippers have at the deadline. Attaching draft capital to Collins could land the Clippers' true difference-makers. Using your most tradeable contract and best asset on an ill-fitting, aging star would have set the franchise back.

The fact that the Clippers were even interested in DeRozan is concerning. It suggests that perhaps the front office doesn't understand what this team really needs. Instead of going for high-profile players whose primes are behind them, the Clippers have to find role players who can fit around Harden and Leonard.

It's not a coincidence that the Clippers started playing better when they integrated Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders into the lineup. The energy and dynamism those two bring have been key for the Clippers' turnaround, and the front office would be wise to find players who do similar things at a much higher level at the trade deadline.