NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat likely to acquire Blake Griffin in sign-and-trade if LeBron James leaves for Los Angeles Clippers
By Josh Hill
One thing that NBA players have gotten good at is facilitating sign-and-trade deals that see them re-sign with a team only to be immediately traded to another team. LeBron James did this when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in 2010 and he may do it again this summer to head west to the Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN.com reporter Brian Windhorst stated on Wednesday that the most competitive team in the ‘LeBron James Decision Part II’ sweepstakes could end up being the Los Angeles Clippers. Windhorst also stated that James could force the Heat’s hand and facilitate a sign-and-trade, a scenario that Windhorst speculates could bring Blake Griffin to Miami.
"If the results of this season ended up with James looking at the Clippers and the Heat were eventually forced to cooperate, league executives believe Miami would ask for Blake Griffin. …Under any scenario, the Clippers would have to make another maneuver to make a sign-and-trade work, primarily to shed some salary to get under the luxury tax. But it is not that complicated. The bottom line is this: If the Clippers were interested and James got interested, there’s a deal that could be done whether it involves Griffin or another package of players."
The fact of the matter is this: it’s the middle of the season, the All-Star break isn’t even here yet and both the Clippers and Heat believe they can win titles in 2014. Neither of them are thinking about free agency right now, but Miami won’t play the part of a push over the way they the Cavaliers did in 2010. If LeBron James wants to leave for Los Angeles, there won’t be a package of picks coming back to Miami or a string of top end players.
If this wild scenario where LeBron decides to play for Los Angeles happens, you’d better believe the Heat are asking for Blake Griffin and the Clippers would happily hand him over in exchange.