NBA Trade Rumors: 6 teams one deadline move away from contender status

LA Clippers

On paper, the LA Clippers should be considered one of the favorites to win it all this season. The problem is, they’ve rarely played to the level of their on-paper status. The Clippers are likely going to finish the season outside of the top 4 in the Western Conference standings and will likely be an underdog all the way through the NBA Finals.

Despite the fact that they are considered to be a dangerous threat, this is still a team that feels like they’re a move away from truly being entrenched in contender status in the West. Would anyone be surprised if the Clippers made a deep playoff run? Probably not. However, I’m not sure that’s the expectation at this point.

The Clippers have largely been inconsistent to this point in the season. A mid-season acquisition feels like the right move for a team that many expected to be in the title picture. Making one move could make all the difference for this team.