Does this trade make sense for the Los Angeles Clippers?

With Kawhi Leonard being out, the Los Angeles Clippers are going to have to do something to add more talent to their roster. Right now, they have a really strong-looking team, but they are going to need to add another “x-factor” to their roster in order to remain as one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. 

Trading for Myles Turner would be a terrific move for this organization not only because he is affordable, but because he would make an already top-tier defensive team even better. Los Angeles finished the 2020-21 season ranking 8th in defensive rating and they let up the fourth-fewest amount of points to their opponents during the regular season. 

However, they ranked 29th in blocked shots and the center position was the weakest part of the floor for them. Ivica Zubac was great for the Clippers as a double-double-like threat last season and getting Serge Ibaka back will make their frontcourt even better this season, but Turner can do so much more than Zubac can for this team right now. 

The Clippers are contending for a championship and as a result, they need as many high-level threats on either side of the floor as they can get. Keon Johnson and Luke Kennard definitely have potential moving forward, but the Clippers do not have time to sit around and wait. 

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Their championship window is small as it is right now and with Kawhi Leonard being out indefinitely until sometime in 2022, it is beginning to close. Adding Myles Turner gives them more time to prove that they can make the NBA Finals and this addition would make the Clippers the best defensive team in the NBA. 

The addition of Kelan Martin also would not be a problem for the Clippers, as he would provide them bench depth on the wing and his contract would be absorbed using the $2M TPE they have from trading Mfiondu Kabengele last season. Everything about this trade makes sense for the Clippers.