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Charlotte Hornets: Trade for Blake Griffin

By John Woodcock

Oct 14, 2015, Shanghai, China; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Charlotte Hornets center Frank Kaminsky (44) in action as the Los Angeles Clippers take on the Charlotte Hornets at Mercedes-Benz Arena. Hornets beat the Clippers by a score of 113-71. Mandatory Credit: Danny La-USA Today Sports
Oct 14, 2015, Shanghai, China; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Charlotte Hornets center Frank Kaminsky (44) in action as the Los Angeles Clippers take on the Charlotte Hornets at Mercedes-Benz Arena. Hornets beat the Clippers by a score of 113-71. Mandatory Credit: Danny La-USA Today Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets should take advantage of recent events and make the Clippers an offer on forward Blake Griffin.

Tonight the Charlotte Hornets take on the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are unique in the NBA this year because they and the Hornets made a trade in the off season that brought in Nicolas Batum and sent away Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh. The Hornets are trying to turn the corner and get over .500.

The Banter’s Joshua Dows pointed out that perhaps the Hornets are in need of a big roster move to take the next step. This is something that we looked since the beginning of the season by positing a trade for Carmelo Anthony. That piece was written before it was discovered that Nicolas Batum was going to be such a big part of what the Hornets do. It is fair to say that at this point Batum is untradeable unless he makes serious noises about leaving in the off-season.

So how do the Hornets upgrade the roster while the team is battered with injuries? This is where the Hornets’ pay structure for this year kicks in. The Hornets have several players on expiring deals. So the trick is finding the right package for the right player.

One team that is in a bind right now is the Los Angeles Clippers. They are in a decidedly win now mode but they just lost Blake Griffin for two months. Yet the Clippers’ biggest concern right now is not the absence of Griffin, but a lack of perimeter defenders that can match up with the likes of Oklahoma City or Golden State. Just was the reason for trading Spencer Hawes for Lance Stephenson, only Doc Rivers does not seem to want to use Lance Stephenson in games.

There is also the question of what to do with Griffin as a PR problem. The guy just broke his hand hitting one of the team’s equipment staffer. Prognosis on the hand is four to six weeks, with reports from Zach Lowe of ESPN saying two months.

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My solution is simple, trade Griffin to the Hornets. The Hornets could send back Al Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. To make the trade work, the Clippers would have to package bench guard C.J. Wilcox. There might also be picks involved or something. Jefferson will provide the Clippers another big while Kidd-Gilchrist could become the extra perimeter guy that they need. Neither is healthy this instant, but neither is Griffin. Both should make it back before Griffin does.

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There is not much risk for the Clippers in the short term since all parties are injured, and the Clippers could merely let Jefferson walk as a free agent if he doesn’t work out. They would still have Kidd-Gilchrist on his new extension. They would need him too, with Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry planning to play for years to come.

For the Hornets, the short term would be a little murkier. While Griffin is out, the Hornets would have to keep manufacturing offense with the open concept. At best, Griffin would be back in March. Once he is back, the situation becomes easier. He would take over Jefferson’s role on the offense and have more space to maneuver in the post since his post partner (Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, etc) would be playing more to the perimeter.

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Griffin has become a more complete player from his time with the Clippers. He offers a better passer than Jefferson and so would pair well with Batum. As far as what the Hornets would lose, well it is not as if Jefferson and Kidd-Gilchrist are playing right now anyway. Griffin is a superstar if somewhat tarnished right now. Perhaps moving away from Hollywood might help.

Anyway the Hornets need to get back to winning after their miserable night at the Salt Lake. So hello Portland.

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