Clippers' Reported Trade Interest in Trae Young Is a Big Mistake

The Los Angeles Clippers are among teams monitoring the Trae Young situation. Trading for him would be ill-advised.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have made it abundantly clear that they have little interest in bottoming out and rebuilding. They are going for it and will try to be as competitive as possible in the rest of the season. Winning seven of their last eight games and moving up to 11th in the Western Conference should give them confidence as they chase a postseason spot.

This means that they are more likely to be buyers at the trade deadline. Instead of moving on from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, changing the core around the two aging stars seems to be the desired approach of the Clippers' front office.

In fact, the latest report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype suggests that they aren't afraid to go after another star. In his reporting on Tuesday, the NBA insider said that the Clippers, along with the Wizards, Bucks, and the Timberwolves, are monitoring Trae Young's situation in Atlanta.

It was reported earlier in the week that the Hawks and Young were working together to find the All-Star guard a new home. Young has a player option for next season, and the Hawks didn't offer him a contract extension in the offseason. Atlanta has been playing better without Young in the lineup, making him expendable as they begin a new era built around emerging star Jalen Johnson.

Clippers Don't Need Trae Young

While the Clippers need to be aggressive at the trade deadline to improve the roster, going after Young is a big mistake. Young is a ball-dominant point guard who is one of the biggest defensive liabilities in the league. While he is an excellent passer and pick-and-roll master, the Clippers don't need what he brings to the table.

LA already gets good offense from James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Taking the ball out of their hands to give it to Young is not the best use of resources. Neither Young nor Harden is a good off-ball player, making their offensive fit not ideal. The backcourt pairing also creates massive defensive issues, making it almost impossible for the Clippers to have an above-average defense.

Plus, the Clippers don't need to be even more top-heavy. Their rotation behind Harden, Leonard, and Ivica Zubac is already questionable. Adding a fourth high-level starter in there and further diluting their depth is not a good idea. What the Clippers need instead is more capable wings and two-way players.

The Clippers could acquire Young by trading John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and one of Brook Lopez, Derrick Jones Jr., or Nicolas Batum for salary-matching purposes. They would likely need to include a first-round pick in that deal as well.

Giving up that many assets and further sacrificing your depth for a player who doesn't fill your needs or fit around your stars would be ill-advised. Let's hope that Lawrence Frank doesn't continue his series of questionable moves with another one at the deadline.