NBA Rumors: DeMar DeRozan Could Form Clippers’ Big Three With Kawhi Leonard And Paul George

Since the 2020 offseason, rumors have been swirling around veteran shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and his future with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs don’t appear to have a clear path to title contention this season, and most people believe they are better off trading DeRozan before the 2021 deadline rather than losing him in free agency without getting anything in return. One of the ideal trade destinations for DeRozan this season is the Los Angeles Clippers.

In a recent article, Lee Tran of Fadeaway World came up with a blockbuster trade idea that would enable DeRozan to form the Clippers’ “Big Three” with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. In the proposed scenario, the Clippers would be sending a package that includes Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, and Ivica Zubac to the Spurs in exchange for DeRozan. If the deal pushes through, it would be beneficial for both the Spurs and the Clippers.

For San Antonio, the suggested trade would allow them to turn an expiring contract into a young and promising big man in Zubac and two solid veteran role players in Williams and Beverley.

“Lou Williams is a solid shot-creator when given the opportunity: he is a 3-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner and a solid mentor. Williams averaged 18.2 PPG in 2019-20, and perhaps he needs a change of scenery in order to get those numbers again. Gregg Popovich knows how to put bench scorers in a position to thrive, and he could very well get good things out of Williams. Patrick Beverley is a solid defender who can also space the floor. Beverley brings a tough defense and good leadership: those are the types of veterans you want around your young roster.”

Meanwhile, DeRozan would be a welcome addition to the Clippers. Though they currently own the best record in the Western Conference, it would still make sense for them to continue upgrading their roster. Acquiring a third star in DeRozan would ease the load on George and Leonard’s shoulders in terms of scoring and playmaking.

This season, he’s averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. DeRozan would need to make certain adjustments with his game to become an effective third fiddle, but once he meshes with George and Leonard, the Clippers would undoubtedly have a better chance of beating the Los Angeles Lakers and other powerhouse teams in a best-of-seven series.