Could Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan Be Gone From Clippers After Chris Paul Traded To Rockets?

After another early playoff exit for the Los Angeles Clippers, many felt it was time for the organization to blow up the current roster and rebuild the team. With L.A. sending Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets in a trade Wednesday, they might be set to do just that.

The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Los Angeles pulled the trigger on the move after Paul informed the Clippers that he intended to opt out of his contract and team up with James Harden in Houston. Having lost their best player for 50 cents on the dollar, it might be time for the Clippers to move on from Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, as well.

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L.A. reportedly will receive Patrick Beverley, Sam Decker, Lou Williams and a 2018 first-round pick. That won’t be nearly enough to make up for the loss of the future Hall of Famer, and it virtually ends any hopes the Clippers had of giving the Golden State Warriors any kind of challenge next season. With Blake Griffin entering free agency and Los Angeles reportedly not willing to offer him a max contract, the power forward might not have much incentive to stay on the west coast.

Despite his injury history, Griffin will be highly sought after in free agency. The Boston Celtics are reportedly interested in signing him, and the Miami Heat, who Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins pegged as the favorite to sign Griffin, are both possible destinations for the former No.1 overall draft pick.

According to ESPN.com’s Royce Young, the Oklahoma City Thunder believe the Clippers’ trade with the Rockets gives them a better chance of landing Griffin in free agency. Griffin is from Oklahoma City, and playing with MVP Russell Westbrook is likely an attractive option for the five-time All-Star.

Jordan isn’t a free agent this summer, and he signed a new four-year contract with the Clippers in 2015 worth $87.6 million. Los Angeles, however, explored dealing their starting center even before Paul informed them that he’d be heading to Houston. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com, the Clippers spoke to the Phoenix Suns about a trade that would have landed them Tyson Chandler and the No.4 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Phoenix backed away from the trade talks, but L.A. reportedly engaged with other teams in discussions. Jordan won’t be nearly as effective without playing alongside a future Hall of Fame point guard, and he’s become much more expendable with Paul’s departure.

It’s possible that the Clippers will do their best to put a winner on the court in 2017-2018, despite the Paul trade. They have firmly replaced the Lakers as the best team in Los Angeles with five straight years of more than 50 wins, and they’d still have a good chance to be a playoff team with a core of Griffin, Jordan and Beverley.

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Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reported that some league executives believe Griffin is more likely to return to L.A. now that Paul is gone. The Clippers can still offer him more guaranteed money than any other team, even if they don’t give him the max.

But there’s no doubt that the Clippers will look different next season, and a few more moves could make the roster unrecognizable.