Target #1: Derrick Rose – Detroit Pistons
With a lot of money invested in both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers have gone “all-in” on pursuing a championship over the next few seasons, which is why Derrick Rose should be at the top of their list as a potential trade target.
If the Clippers were to go after Rose and bring in his $7.6 million contract, they would have to get rid of either Patrick Beverley or Lou Williams, but Beverley seems like he would be the odd-man-out given Williams’ natural scoring abilities off the bench.
The best package the Clippers could offer is Pat Bev and two or three second-round picks, but the question that would remain is if the Pistons would be willing to listen to that type of offer. With no first-round picks until 2027, the Clippers are in a very tough position as a franchise to make a trade.
Rose has been trying to get back to playing at the high-level over the years and has seemed to find success the last two years with Minnesota and Detroit. Over the last two seasons, Rose has played in 101 games and has averaged 18.1 points, 5.0 assists, and has shot 48.6% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point range.
While he is not the player he once was, Rose can still contribute at a high-level and could make a difference for the Clippers. Scoring from both guard positions has been hard to come by for the Clippers over the years and while Lou Williams provides a nice spark off the bench, Kawhi and George need a reliable and proven ball-handler who can also take on part of the scoring load.
With the addition of Rose, they would not only get another scoring threat who is often under-played by opponents, but someone who can be a great third option next to Leonard and George. While he may not be the MVP he was once, he still won the award several years ago and still wants to be a contributor for a championship level team.
If the Clippers could somehow pull off a trade to acquire Rose, they should hop on it immediately as he could be the missing piece to their championship puzzle.
