The Los Angeles Clippers are determined to make a bid for impending free agent Kevin Durant, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Durant will be the hottest free agent this summer not named LeBron James, and you can be sure any team with sizable cap space is going to make a run at him.
However, if the opportunity comes to move Blake Griffin and replace him with Durant, the Clippers won’t hesitate, sources tell Wojnarowski. Griffin is a Oklahoma native and he played college ball for the Sooners from 2007-2009.
The Clippers are receiving trade calls about Griffin’s availability despite the off-court incident where he punched equipment manager Matias Testi during an altercation last month. But president and head coach Doc Rivers seems determined to play out the year with Griffin and see how far the team advances in the playoffs, according to Wojnarowski.
Still, could Los Angeles pass up acquiring a former MVP and seven-time All-Star in exchange for Griffin and the baggage he now carries with him? And how about that Big Three with Durant, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan on the floor?
But until the Thunder know for sure that he’s leaving after this season, Oklahoma City would resist a sign-and-trade deal involving Durant. We’ll see at the trade deadline what pans out.