The Los Angeles Clippers, who fired head coach Vinny Del Negro this offseason, desperately want to talk with current Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, according to reports.
The Clippers and Celtics are in talks that would free Rivers from his current deal to coach L.A., that would also include a trade that sends Kevin Garnett to the Clippers for Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan. Other pieces involved are the contracts of Celtics guards Courtney Lee and Jason Terry.
One problem: the Clippers don't want to trade Bledsoe. Franchise point guard Chris Paul is perhaps the most coveted free agent on the market this year, along with Lakers center Dwight Howard, and the Clippers do not want to make any moves involving Bledsoe until Paul's return has been secured.
Bledsoe, a third-year guard, had the best season of his career in 2012-2013, averaging 8.5 points, 3.1 assists and three rebounds per game backing up Paul. He carved out 20 minutes per game despite sharing the backcourt with Paul, Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups.
According to basketball-reference.com, his numbers over 36 minutes per game would shoot up to 14.9 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals. Should Paul leave, Bledsoe appears more than capable of stepping into a starting role and possibly increasing the Clippers' high-flying attack.
Unlike Paul, Bledsoe is known as a physical monster, a point guard who is capable of barreling toward the rim and finishing as well as streaking up and down the court in a blur.
While the Clippers can offer more money than any other team, Paul is said by some to be interested in teaming up with Howard anywhere possible. Meanwhile, the Celtics are considering allowing Rivers to walk away, and trading Garnett because they feel like the window has closed on their championship hopes.
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