NBA Rumors: LA Clippers Could Trade Landry Shamet, Mfiondu Kabengele, And Draft Pick For Derrick Rose
In the past few months, rumors have been swirling around veteran point guard Derrick Rose and his future with the Detroit Pistons. Rose may have expressed his desire to remain in Detroit, but with the Pistons expected to take a different route, he’s clearly an odd fit on the roster. As of now, most people believe that the Pistons are better off trading the former MVP for assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process.
One potential trade partner for the Pistons in a deal involving Rose is the Los Angeles Clippers. According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, the Clippers may consider sending a package that includes Landry Shamet, Mfiondu Kabengele, and a 2022 second-round pick to the Pistons in exchange for Rose. If the deal becomes a reality, Buckley believes it would help both teams improve their rosters.
“L.A. needs to aggressively attack its deficiencies, and adding an actual floor general like Rose could be the key to unlock this offense’s full potential. Bring his 18.1 points and 5.6 assists to town, and defenses can no longer overload on Leonard and George. Rose may not be a top-shelf focal point anymore, but he’d be incredibly hard to handle as the Clippers’ third option. The Pistons’ decision to keep Rose at the deadline may have torpedoed their chances of bringing back a first-round pick, but this isn’t a bad haul. Shamet is a 23-year-old sharpshooter with some off-the-dribble wiggle, and 23-year-old Kabengele offers an intriguing blend of length, athleticism, shot-blocking and some outside shooting.”
Rose may no longer be in his prime, but he would still be an intriguing acquisition for the Clippers. Though it’s unlikely for him to return to his MVP form, he recently showed a glimpse of his old self and finally unlocked his floor-spacing ability. This season, the 31-year-old floor general averaged 18.1 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
If he stays away from any major injury, he could immediately address the Clippers’ need for a true point guard who will start alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the 2020-21 NBA season. His arrival in Los Angeles would help the Clippers improve their assist percentage and passes per game that ranked 24th and 28th, respectively, in the regular season, per NBA.com.
Though he has not shown any indication that he wants out of Detroit, being traded to the Clippers would also be beneficial for Rose. Aside from potentially receiving more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor, joining forces with Leonard and George in Los Angeles would give the former MVP a realistic chance of winning his first NBA championship title next year.
Meanwhile, if they decide to undergo a full-scale rebuild, the proposed scenario should be a no-brainer for the Pistons. Instead of losing Rose in the summer of 2021 as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return, they would get two promising players in Shamet and Kabengele, who could join their young core, as well as a future draft pick that they could use to add another talented prospect to the team.
