Report: Sixers, Clippers have ‘discussed' Blake Griffin trade

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The Sixers have seemed more willing since Jerry Colangelo arrived to make use of their many assets in ways other than stockpiling 20-year-olds.

And though they're still several years away from competing, some of those assets could theoretically be used to make a big splash.

Enter Blake Griffin.

According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, the Sixers have had discussions with the Clippers about Griffin, Los Angeles' 26-year-old injured superstar power forward.

The Nuggets have inquired as well, but Dan Woike of the OC Register reports those conversations didn't go far.

The Sixers, though, with players like Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and as many as four first-round picks in 2016, have much more to offer.

(Of course, you'd think Embiid and Saric would have to actually take an NBA court to have any real trade value.)

Griffin is out for the foreseeable future with a broken right hand suffered when he punched a Clippers equipment manager outside a restaurant on Jan. 23. He had been out before then with a torn quad.

Los Angeles has actually fared much better without Griffin, going 15-4 without him since Christmas Day. Granted, a lot of those games have come against inferior competition. But it's still surprising given Griffin's averages of 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season. He's explosive at the rim, a great passer for a big man, and plays solid defense. He does, however, lack the three-point shooting component of the modern NBA four-man. 

But there are other reasons L.A. could consider moving Griffin. He's a free agent after the 2016-17 season. The Clippers haven't advanced deep into the playoffs with their current core, and they are clearly behind the Warriors, Spurs and Thunder in the Western Conference. This team has a clear ceiling.

Trading Griffin would be a way for the Clippers to reload in an attempt to make one final run with Chris Paul, and Griffin has by far the most trade value of any member of their roster. Plus there's no guarantee Griffin stays in L.A. after his contract expires — the salary cap will be higher, more teams would be able to sell him on signing, and Paul, the big draw of playing in L.A., would be 32.

Scott O'Neil said earlier in the week on TCN's Breakfast on Broad that the Sixers are a year away from competing for a top free agent because players won't choose the Sixers until they think they can compete for the playoffs.

But a trade? That would be out of the star's hands.

The obvious question is: What would make a Griffin trade to the Sixers worth the Clippers' while? It might take something like Okafor, Saric and the Lakers' top-3 protected first-round pick.

Would that be enough? The Clippers won't trade Griffin unless they're blown away. If it's not a meaningful return, they'd just hold onto him, hope for the best and try to re-sign him.

It would be bold on the Sixers' part, given the fact that they wouldn't be competing with Griffin this year and would have him guaranteed under contract for just next season. (Griffin has a player option at $21.3 million in 2017-18.) And if they were to trade all of that for Griffin ... why would he want to re-sign with them after next season? The core in that hypothetical scenario would be something like Griffin, whoever they get in the 2016 draft, Noel, maybe Embiid, and maybe Ish Smith. The Sixers would have to hope free agents are enticed by the thought of playing with Griffin, and that Griffin is also enticed by those free agents.

But, hey, this is why you collect assets. To be in conversations like this.

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