How This Trade Impacts Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers have been looking to upgrade the point guard position. They retained Reggie Jackson in free agency, signing him to a two-year, $22 million deal. Eric Bledsoe was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies, but it makes sense to flip him once again.

In this deal, the Clippers are getting a higher-upside player in Markelle Fultz. At this point, they know what they are going to get from Bledsoe, who has seen his effectiveness and production drop off for four consecutive seasons.

Swapping him out for Bledsoe would raise the Clippers’ ceiling. Fultz has struggled during his NBA career with mental stress from injuries he has suffered. The shoulder injury he had earlier in his career caused his form to be changed and led to a lot of scrutiny from people. He landed in Orlando and has looked better.

Fultz is a solid defender and an improving playmaker. He has averaged 12.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game in two seasons with the Magic. Unfortunately, he has appeared in only 80 games the last two seasons combined.

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They need more players capable of running the offense to take pressure off of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as playmakers and Fultz could provide it. If healthy, Fultz would be a solid pickup for the Clippers. He is still only 23-years old and could be a foundational piece for Los Angeles in the future.

He would cost a little more in the long-term than Bledsoe, but it would be a risk worth taking for Los Angeles. He is eight years younger than Bledsoe and the Clippers will be looking for players to step up with Leonard possibly sidelined for the entire season.

The Clippers would be for this trade, but how do the Magic feel? Let’s take a look at it from their perspective.