Clippers are keeping an eye out for potential trades

It’s called due diligence, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said about engaging in conversations with teams about possible trade scenarios.

Rivers has a duel role of being the coach of the Clippers and president of basketball operations so any deal his team makes will be his final decision.

Over the past few weeks, the Clippers have had their names attached to all small forwards — New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Denver’s Danilo Gallinari and Phoenix’s P.J. Tucker.

A possible deal for Anthony appears to be “dead for now,” said one NBA executive who was not authorized to speak publicly. Plus all of the reports out of New York indicate that Anthony doesn’t want to leave the Knicks.

Reports had the Clippers among several teams monitoring the Gallinari situation to see if the Nuggets will trade him.

Reports had the Clippers among several teams interested in Tucker.

“Sometimes making a team better means doing nothing,” Rivers said. “So it really depends on what’s out there.”

Rivers said he hired Lawrence Frank to be the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations to listen to offers being made.

“It’s his job to listen to every single thing and say very little,” Rivers said. “He has to take it in and then we’ll evaluate. That’s our job. But having said that, we like our team. And if somebody is willing to make us better, then great. If not, then we’re good.”

The trade rumors will stay heated until the trade deadline on Feb. 23, and in the process, there will be leaks.

“Some are true and some are not,” Rivers said. “I would say 98% is things that I be like, ‘Oh, that’s an interesting trade. I’ve never heard of it,’ because it’s not there. I’ve been in this long enough that you go piece by piece. And that’s how you do it.”

Chris Paul injury update

Rivers said he didn’t know what the “chances are” of Chris Paul (left thumb injury) returning to play after this weekend’s All-Star break at Golden State on Feb. 23 or at home against San Antonio on Feb. 24.

When Paul had surgery Jan. 18, his timetable to be out was six to eight weeks.

“I literally have not asked or talked about it,” Rivers said. “I know he’s been playing and he’s been playing great, running up and down the floor, but not with our guys. He’s been playing with the video guys.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner