3 Teams That Should Trade for P.J. Tucker
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are currently in dire need of a small forward. So far this season, they have started Austin Rivers (or Raymond Felton), Paul Pierce, Luc Mbah a Moute, and Wesley Johnson at small forward.
With no real consistency at the position for them, Tucker would solidify the starting unit (when Chris Paul returns from injury) and make them a viable threat in the Western Conference. Here is how Rivers, their current starter, matches up with Tucker.
| Statistical Category | Austin Rivers | P.J. Tucker |
|---|---|---|
| Points per Game | 12.1 | 7.0 |
| Steals per Game | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| Rebounds per Game | 2.0 | 5.8 |
| Defensive Rating | 112 | 111 |
| Defensive Box Plus/Minus | -1.7 | 1.5 |
As you can see, Rivers seems to have the advantage offensively, but Tucker has him beat in plenty of defensive categories.
Because of Rivers' scoring ability, if the Clippers acquired Tucker they would be able to bring Rivers off the bench to provide scoring alongside Jamal Crawford and Marreese Speights, giving their second unit three legitimate offensive options.
Tucker would be able to bring toughness and consistency on the defensive end to the small forward position for the Clippers.
