Doc Rivers says Clippers not in talks to trade Blake Griffin
SAN ANTONIO — Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said an ESPN report about Los Angeles having a discussion about trading Blake Griffin to the New York Knicks for Carmelo Anthony was “so stupid.”
Rivers clearly was upset about the report and about being asked about the so-called trade talks by reporters before the Clippers played the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
Rivers said the Clippers aren’t engaged in talks to trade Griffin for Anthony and aren’t going to trade their All-Star power forward.
“My whole issue with any of that ... is that that network to me reports a story that they created and then they do reports on it for the next two days, on a story that they created,” Rivers said. “But it’s stupid.”
The ESPN report, which was attributed to unidentified league sources, said the Knicks have discussed proposing an Anthony-for-Griffin trade with the Clippers, and that Clippers management has discussed such a deal internally. But the report said the teams haven’t spoken to each other about a possible trade.
With Chris Paul out three to five weeks because of a separated right shoulder he suffered Friday night at Dallas, Griffin becomes even more key for the Clippers.
Griffin leads the Clippers in scoring (22.1) and minutes played (36.6), and he is second in rebounding (10.6) and assists (3.1).
Griffin, 24, is in the first year of a five-year, $95-million contract that pays him $16.4 million this season.
Rivers said he didn’t talk to Griffin about the ESPN report.
“I didn’t say a word about it,” said Rivers, who is also the Clippers’ vice president of basketball operations and has the last word on trades. “I just thought it was such a non-story.”
Etc.
Rivers said the Clippers will look to sign a free agent, or sign a player to a 10-day contract when teams are allowed to on Monday, or sign a player from the NBA Development League after they get more results on Paul.
Paul, who got the X-ray on Friday in Dallas, will get an MRI on Sunday and see a specialist Monday to determine what should be done next.
“We’re not going to do much right now,” Rivers said. “We’re just going to wait and see what the report is on Chris and how Maalik [Wayns] is coming along.”
Rivers said backup point guard Wayns would be active but still wasn’t healthy enough to play because of the left knee surgery.
The Clippers also would have to waive a player before they can add another one because they have the league maximum of 15 players.
Twitter: @BA_Turner
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