Fansided

Doc Rivers’ 5 biggest mistakes as Clippers president of operations

By John Buhler

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a call during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center at Staples Center on April 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a call during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center at Staples Center on April 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 24: Lance Stephenson
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 24: Lance Stephenson /

3. The Lance Stephenson trade with the Charlotte Hornets

Here’s another bad move. Though he wasn’t exactly good against Rivers’ Celtics or Clippers, there was a time that we all thought that shooting guard Lance Stephenson was going to become a perennial All-Star in this league. He was arguably the second-best player on the second-best team in the East with the Indiana Pacers.

Stephenson would sign a big contract with the Charlotte Hornets in summer 2014. Like with Smith in Detroit, this was a terrible move by the newly rechristened Hornets organization. He couldn’t shoot threes and Charlotte went in the toilet. But because he was good at one time, Rivers felt the need to trade for him to upgrade at small forward when he didn’t need to.

Small forward was the one position the Clippers couldn’t get right under Rivers’ front office watch. Chris Paul and J.J. Redick were terrific in the backcourt and now they’re gone. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are a formidable tandem in the frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

Rivers would trade for Stephenson with Charlotte by giving the Hornets forwards Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes. These are two more serviceable rotational players than Stephenson. One could argue that Barnes was the best three Rivers had in Los Angeles since signing Danilo Gallinari this summer. Stephenson hasn’t stuck around anywhere for very long since his heyday in Indiana.

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