Fansided

Los Angeles Clippers trade Austin Rivers to Wizards for Marcin Gortat

By Isaac Gutierrez

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 07: Austin Rivers #25 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 7, 2018 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 Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 07: Austin Rivers #25 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 7, 2018 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 Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Clippers have traded Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat, what’s next for Los Angeles?

With the offseason now in full swing, the Los Angeles Clippers have delivered a shocking trade. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Clippers have traded combo guard Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Marcin Gortat.

This move comes as no surprise given the current makeup of the Clippers roster. The Clippers were a guard heavy team last season and elected to draft two more guards with their two first round picks in this month’s NBA draft.

It was clear that this would push out atleast one of the Clippers’ four guards who were under contract before the draft. Rivers being the one who caught the short end of the stick is no surprise given he is the highest paid of the bunch.

This contract was given out when current Clippers head coach and father of Rivers, Doc Rivers, still had general manager powers. With Rivers being relieved of that duty last year, there was no reason for the team to hold onto his son’s contract.

The addition of Gortat to the team may serve as a precursor to a DeAndre Jordan trade or an opt out. There have been recent rumors that Jordan planned to opt into his 2018-19 player option in his contract in order to facilitate a trade.

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This seems all the more likely now that the Clippers have apparently brought in his replacement. This is not a sure thing though, as Gortat only has one year remaining on his current contract. There is a chance that the team hopes to keep Deandre Jordan on their team and have acquired Gortat as a backup, as Jordan insurance or with the plans to move his expiring deal in another trade. There is also always the possibility that Gortat is bought out of his final year of his contract and made an unrestricted free agent.

Regardless of the team’s current plans for their big man situation, this move gives them more options then they previously had before.

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