Doc goes Green in LA

Yesterday, the Clippers traded "blow in my ear and I'll follow you anywhere" Lance Stephenson to Memphis for Jeff "can I make millions without any stress?" Green.

Doc brings in Paul Pierce and Jeff Green. Hmmm. A pattern of familiarity? It could just be that Blake Griffin is out with a broken hand because the equipment manager didn't get out of its way and Doc wanted depth at that position and Green can play 3 and 4. But why couldn't Stephenson fill that bill too? He's a versatile defender, probably better than Green too.


What do you think? Do you think it's just Doc going with whom he knows or was it a talent driven trade?



bob



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I am sure that Rivers hopes that Green will finally get over the hump and become the first rate player that his physical talent would allow him to be.

Getting rid of Stevenson was not a loss, so this trade is almost a win-win for Rivers and the Clippers. If it works, then great. If it doesn't work, nothing lost.

Green becomes a free agent in July so maybe he gets it right in the last third of this season to help his salary on his next contract.

I wish him the best of luck because although he never lived up to our expectations and needs he was apparently a good guy who did work hard when in Boston.

From the Clippers' point of view, small forward has been a position of need for quite some time. It's been a revolving door with Caron Butler, Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes, and now the disastrous Lance Stephenson/Paul Pierce/Luc Mbah a Moute experiment. Green's 12 points and 4.5 rebounds may have been a disappointment in Memphis, but it will be welcome relief in Clipperland, and that's not even to count the bonus that stability at that position will bring and replacing a head case in the locker room with an acknowledged good guy. This is definitely a positive move for the Clippers.

From Green's point of view, he never fit in well with the Grizzlies deliberate style (Memphis is 24th in scoring and built around the inside game of Gasol and Randolph), and he isn't a good enough three-point shooter to space the floor by himself (Memphis is 27th in both three-point attempts and makes). Gasol is out for the season, Memphis traded away Courtney Lee, one of their few three-point options, and the Grizzlies added draft picks instead of getting better for this season. Green gets out of a situation that wasn't working out and was getting worse, he gets to play in higher octane offense with quality three-point shooters in JJ Redick, Chris Paul, and Jamal Crawford, plus he gets to play for a coach who is familiar with him and can give him a good chance to be successful.

Green can also work well in the Clippers' small ball lineup when Jordan sits, with Griffin at the 5 and Green at the 4. That's a lineup they'll need in the playoffs.

Both Green and the Clippers are winners in this deal. I wish him well.