Los Angeles Clippers: The next great Western Conference dynasty

NBA Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
NBA Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Clippers, who have two max slots this summer, are shaping up to be the next great Western Conference dynasty

The Los Angeles Clippers did two things when they traded Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

First, they made a move that sets them up perfectly to ensure that they don’t lose their 2019 first round draft pick to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics get the pick if it lands outside of the lottery but the Clippers are only a game up on the Kings for the 8th spot and after this trade it would appear that either the Kings or Lakers should realistically take that playoff spot from the Clippers.

If they do, then the Clippers will have a lottery pick to add to their team or attach the pick in a deal for a superstar caliber player.

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Secondly, the Clippers have now set themselves up to be a major player in the 2019 offseason as they could end up with two superstars to pair with a team that has some solid role players already.

The Clippers have been linked to Kawhi Leonard for quite some time and with the news that Anthony Davis had the Clippers on his list of preferred trade destinations it now appears that its very possible that we see the Clippers become one of the favorites in the West deepening what happens with the Warriors and their free agents.

The 2019 offseason will be full of rumors until papers are officially signed but with a owner who wants to spend money and now two spots designated for superstars the Clippers are officially a threat. With a free agent class that consists of Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler and Kemba Walker there is no reason to expect that the Clippers can’t at least get meetings with some of these names and given their cap space they should have the money to make any of those players happy.

For the fans of the Clippers, this season might not offer much now that they’ve made this trade but the offseason could bring a wealth of talent that takes them from late lottery to possibly being a favorite to make the Western Conference Finals or maybe the NBA Finals.

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Either way the 2019 offseason now has another major player to go along with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings and several others who could possibly be involved.