They’ll Be Dealing Themselves Out

The NBA’s trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. PST. For plenty of reasons, the Clippers don’t figure to be players when it comes to wheeling and dealing.

First and foremost, the Clippers don’t have many sound players to trade. Forward Lamar Odom had been mentioned in trade rumors last month, but he’s expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks because of a sprained right wrist and a sprained right ankle.

But the Clippers also aren’t looking for a quick fix. After all, it’s not as if they’re one key player away from winning a title.

“The only reason we would make a trade--and this is just me talking--is if we would get a guy we would plug into the starting lineup right away,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “To get a guy who might or might not play, I don’t see why we would do that.

“We’ve got the future of our team right here. As coaches, we’ve just got to nurture it.”

Plus, Gentry believes a minor trade might send the wrong message in the locker room, upsetting a delicate balance among his youthful players. The Clippers are the NBA’s youngest team with an average age of 24.8.

“I think we’ve got good chemistry,” he said. “I think we’re playing well right now.... I don’t know why we would make a trade unless we could get some of the guys who played last Sunday [in the All-Star game].”

Gentry admitted he relies on his players to tell him the truth about the severity of their various nagging injuries. Everyone, that is, but swingman Corey Maggette, who lists a sore left knee among his numerous bumps and bruises.

“He tells me he’s all right even if a bone is hanging off his leg,” Gentry said of Maggette, who has sat out only three games this season.

Portland activated Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, who was on the injured list because of a sprained left ankle. The Trail Blazers put Zach Randolph on the injured list because of a sprained right ankle.

Elliott Teaford