Clippers Turned Down a Potential CJ Wilcox for Tony Snell Trade

As the trade deadline came to a close, there were reportedly several offers that would have moved the Clippers' Sophomore CJ Wilcox.  Most notable of these deals (at least to our current knowledge) was for the Chicago Bulls' Tony Snell.  The third year wing out of the University of Mexico was actually one of my favorite potential prospects in the 2013 draft.  His smooth demeanor (almost smooth to a fault), pretty jump shot, and sneaky athleticism seemed like a great fit on the Clippers, but alas, he was drafted at the 20th spot, 5 spots ahead of the Clippers' draft position.  Nevertheless, the Clippers apparently had a chance to trade for Tony Snell according to Dan Woike

The Chicago Bulls and the Clippers talked about a Wilcox-Tony Snell deal that would’ve also cost the Clippers a second-round pick. The Clippers declined.

So what could Snell have brought to the Clippers?  While he has shown some promise on the Bulls, he never got close to fulfilling his potential.  While it seems like he has the tools and mechanics to be a quality rotation player, as well as being given the opportunity to be one, confidence seems to be a major issue for him.

But enough about Snell, seeing as at the end of the day, he wasn't traded to the Clippers. What does this mean and why does it even matter?  Though it's not a huge deal, nor is there much to take out of this non-trade, it does point to the idea that Doc still believes that CJ Wilcox is a capable player.  In fact, Doc told OC Register:

"I think he can shoot. I think he can play. He has a lot of guys in front of him," Rivers said, "… but, I still think he can really play. He’s a great kid, a high-character kid. He works hard at it. "And I think that’s a kid that you hang on to."

(source)

It is nice to see that Wilcox is not completely forgotten, and while it would be nice to see him get some minutes, it's also completely understandable and reasonable as to why he is stuck on the bench.  No matter how well he plays in the D-League, both Jamal Crawford and JJ Redick are established NBA players who almost certainly won't lose minutes to the 25 year old shooting guard.  Unlike the Clippers' rookie before him, Reggie Bullock, CJ Wilcox does not have the luxury of playing a position of need.

Speaking of Bullock, this deal does remind me of a trade Reggie Bullock was almost involved in for Tyler Zeller.  At the time, similar to this Wilcox deal, the Bullock-Zeller seemed like a lateral move, but at this point, we know that it really wasn't, as Zeller is a relatively productive player for the Celtics.  We obviously can't see into the future, so we don't know if this non-deal is going to cause us regret in the future, but it does show that Doc has some hope for Wilcox, and that's definitely encouraging.  Hopefully we see some more of Wilcox with all of the injuries, and if we do, good luck CJ!