One Piece Away... Maybe a Couple

Let’s face it Clipper Nation.

As Good as this team is, as good as this team can be, there is slim to no chance that the L.A. Clippers can even get to the Western Conference finals… that is unless one or more final and decisive roster moves can be made in regards to the gaping hole that is the combination of backup small forward/shooting guard behind Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups and the offensive struggle that is the cool down period for The Blake Show and D.J.

This is easily the most talented team in franchise history, not to mention the most highly decorated. Yet it is that 2/3 bench presence that is not only absent, but nearly invisible. Ryan Gomes, though effective against some SF and fewer SG is not an elite defender (His defense, in fact is probably the only reason he has not been cut yet. I close my eyes when he shoots a jumper).

Mo Williams is 6’1’’. Moving on…

Randy Foye would be fabulous to have around if Jamario Moon were on the team. At the time he left for free agency, I thought nothing of it. Then thinking about his athleticism and quickness on the offensive AND defensive ends of the floor, why we even kept Ryan Gomes seems a mystery. As it is, because Foye is usually on the floor with Gomes and Williams, Foye gets few opportunities to score due to Mo trying to score more points per game than he did last year with 15 more minutes a game and the "0 defender" that is Gomes. Because of Williams’ inefficiency and Gomes’ non threat, the unusually clutch 2010-11 Randy Foye has turned into this year’s chink in the armor. Not to mention Foye himself is 6’4’’ and although he plays big, often times against bigger 2-guards in the West like Jamal Crawford, Sam Young, and James Harden (we won’t include Black Mamba) it really doesn’t matter.

The Clippers can get by with the Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Reggie Evans frontcourt because most of the league (with the exception of the Lakers) don’t have depth at those positions (although someone needs to tell Brian Cook that when he shoots a basketball, the ball needs to be above the rim to result in a made basket). With that said, championship caliber teams without another decent big man that can score (at least more than Sweet Velvet) gives teams a much better shot than those that do not (think guys like Nick Collison, Taj Gibson, Tiago Splitter, etc.). Brian Cook does not cut it at all as the back-up to Bad Blake and this in turn makes that second unit with him, Evans, Williams, Foye, and Gomes defensively vulnerable and offensively uncompetitive. I don’t see Cookie making a three in the near future, or in the distant future for that matter, let alone more than one. Neither do I see Ryan Gomes making many strides into becoming essentially what he had always been before coming to the Clippers: an average mid-range jump shooter.

So what do the Clippers do?

Trey Thompkins looks like the real deal when he’s in the game. He is active, long, smooth, and a fabulous shooter (think Channing Frye and add a post game and shot blocking ability… yeah I like that too). Problem is, barely anyone has seen him play. VDN sits him while Cookie throws line drives at the basket like Furcal used to fire baseballs over to Loney from shortstop for the Dodgers. As we’ve continued to see this season however, Cook’s leash is getting much quicker as VDN finds other ways to get production out of that spot. In my opinion, Cook is the sitting duck and will be dealt before the trade deadline to open up minutes for young Trey at the 4 spot and possibly the 5 and the 3. Gomes, as well, is on thin ice. His minutes have gone down drastically the past few games and he has done virtually nothing positive on the floor when he is out there. Although Gomes contract isn’t large, I smell a salary dump. Ryan will probably be gone after the trade deadline as well.

Foye is much more valuable than either Gomes or Cook and is probably the Clippers’ best bench option behind Williams. That won’t last much longer however once Eric Bledsoe makes his return to this team from knee surgery (a month and a half away most likely). Bledsoe was the one piece the Clippers were not willing to give up during the trade talks for Mr. CP3 with the Hornets, who were high on E. Bled. Neil Olshey and Vinny must know something the rest of us don’t; or maybe the rest of us Clipper fans choose not to believe. If Chris Paul chooses to leave after next year, Eric Bledsoe is in at PG. The great thing about Eric Bledsoe is the rate at which he plays is the rate at which he learns: fast. Watch games from December 2010 (turnover plagued) and compare it to March/April of 2011 (highlights and big games) and you can see what I’m talking about. He’s uber athletic, is as quick as anybody in the league, and is aggressive, for better or worse. In many ways, Paul will play Miyagi to Bledsoe’s Daniel for the next year and a half and Bledsoe is essentially assigned to gather as much information as possible. His eventual insertion this year into the lineup will move the true scorer Williams to play more at the shooting guard position and as much as Foye is valuable, he just takes up too much space on the perimeter in a backcourt with a lot of guys that can make shots (Randy actually played excellent against the Lakers the other night despite his shooting performance). I think he is great and a good fit for this team, but ultimately he isn’t good enough for what this team wants to be. Foye will be out by the trade deadline.

Obviously this is all speculation and none of this may happen. But let’s imagine…

Gomes, Cook, and Foye would be on the trade market. The Clippers would be looking for a backup 2/3 and a frontcourt presence that can score (Reggie, Deandre, and Blake need a free throw coach). Usually with role players like these three, three team trades are the preferred method of movement. So who will be a taker that can give the Clips what they want? Consider the Toronto Raptors for a second. Though they virtually have no 2/3s available, they do have someone who could possibly help the big men in Amir Johnson, the former Westchester High star who has had limited success thus far in his career. If anyone has seen him play this year, you’ll know why he could be a potential great fit for this team. He’s averaging 8 and 8 this season and his efficiency has improved. A good rebounder who can get his own shot off the bench isn’t what they’d be getting but it could be. Johnson is in year six now and this could be his chance to define a roll he’s carving out for himself. The Raptors have a lot of front court guys and probably wouldn’t mind giving him up for someone like Gomes or Foye.

Then there’s the Orlando Magic. No, Superman and Hedo will not be in these trade talks, rather a much familiar face. Yes, it seems the one thing this team needs a bigger, stronger G/F than Foye and quicker, better offensive threat than Gomes. Who do the Magic have that would probably love to play for this team and fill the voids Gomes and Foye would leave? "Q". Simply, "Q" would do the job. It’s more than just wishful thinking. Quentin Richardson would be a great addition to this squad. Forget that he’s getting no run in Orlando for a moment. Does everyone agree Quentin is a better player than his career 10.6 PPG average would indicate (I was surprised he averaged just that over his career)? I think so. He is an underrated defender and obviously an above average shooter from beyond the arc. The way Gomes has shot this year, Richardson would look like instant offense. He doesn’t need to do much. Yet he could do a lot; spelling Butler and Billups for extended minutes, a second threat with Williams in the second unit is exactly what the doctor ordered.

The second unit right now is as followed: Mo Williams, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, Reggie Evans. My second unit would be (after Bledsoe’s return): Eric Bledsoe, Mo Williams, Quentin Richardson, Amir Johnson, and Reggie Evans. My second unit beats the current one in a five-on-five probably 7 out of 10 times. This unit still has the problem of defending the 2 but seeing how the rotations have been the past few games, we probably don’t have to worry about Mo seeing Kobe or Kevin Durant on the defensive side of the court very much. Evans is prone to fouling a lot and not scoring a lot and so the second unit could also look as follows: Bledsoe, Richardson, Thompkins, Johnson, and Solomon Jones.

Actually that’s more like the 3rd unit, which actually wouldn’t be a bad 3rd unit either.

Regardless if I am wrong (I am sure I am) or not, it is these caliber players they are looking for if they do decide to trade those three (or even Williams) at the deadline. It doesn’t look likely and probably won’t be Johnson and Richardson but it most likely is someone just as similar to them. The more immediate need is for a backup to Billups and Butler so guys like Francisco Garcia, Jared Dudley, Courtney Lee, and even Nick Young seem like nice pieces to add. In terms of some type of offensive threat in the frontcourt backing up the bigs, look for the Clippers to pick up a Sheldon Williams, Andray Blatche, and possibly the returns of a Drew Gooden or Chris Wilcox.

Again, these are purely what-if scenarios only based on the facts most of us have seen and the imagination of a concerned, but not alarmed Clipper fan. I will sound the horn when we are 5 games under .500 with 20 games to go. Until then, we will have to wait and see how good this team is before it can determine whether or how the front office can make it better. Judging by this past off-season, I have no doubt that that process hasn’t stopped since they got off the phone with New Orleans two months ago.