Blake Griffin Lakers deal? Clippers want top billing in LA

Blake Griffin Lakers: There are reports that the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers could be trying to ship power forward Blake Griffin to the L.A. Lakers.

By Pat Murphy,?Staff / June 18, 2013

Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin scores against the Memphis Grizzlies during the NBA Western Conference Quarterfinals basketball playoff series in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Lucy Nicholson/REUTERS

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The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly in the mood to make some moves as the free agency period for the National Basketball Association (NBA) is set to begin July 1.

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The latest rumors from various news sources have the Clippers trying to deal NBA All-Star power forward and dunking machine Blake Griffin across the Staples Center to the Los Angeles Lakers for soon-to-be free agent center Dwight Howard. If this deal were to happen, Howard would be able to negotiate a new multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the Clippers and team up with All-Star guard Chris Paul.

Griffin would then become teammates with perennial All-Star Kobe Bryant and forward Pau Gasol, possibly forming an impressive inside-outside scoring offense for head coach Mike D'Antoni.

The other part of this puzzle is the reported ongoing negotiations between the Clippers and Boston Celtics over the future services of head coach Glenn 'Doc' Rivers and power forward Kevin 'KG' Garnett.

The Celtics, led by general manager Danny Ainge, are at a crossroads, with aging superstars, young talent, and various role players, who barely got the club to the NBA playoffs this season. Boston lost to the New York Knicks in the first round.

For their part, the Clippers feel like they are only a few pieces away from being a championship contending team. Some of those pieces would fall into place if they could add Rivers as coach, Howard as center, and Garnett at the power forward spot.

However, the Celtics are pushing hard to receive Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe and center DeAndre Jordan in exchange for Rivers and Garnett. There may be other players involved before it's all said and done. But it's an interesting subplot to the main league story of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat this week.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/p6_Kj1euf_M/Blake-Griffin-Lakers-deal-Clippers-want-top-billing-in-LA

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