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    Column: LA Clippers no doubt the winners at trade deadline

    In Marcus Morris, Clippers a piece they need to finally deliver a championship to the other L.A. team'
    Feb 7, 2020
    PHOTO: AP
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    CHICAGO - When all the frenzy of this year's NBA trading deadline passed, the Los Angeles Clippers emerged as the clear-cut winners, besting all other teams that took a stab at roster improvement.

    The Clippers didn't just add a body or shed salary, they actually acquired perhaps the last piece - Marcus Morris - they needed to finally deliver a championship to "the other L.A. team."

    And here's the sweetener: The Clips did so without messing with their core, prying the eight-year veteran from the decrepit New York Knicks for only Mo Harkless and future draft picks.

    Morris is robust 6-foot-8, 235 pound banger who adds size to the frontline. He brings 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds to the table per game and he is shooting 43.9 percent from long distance this season, a skill that will help space the floor for the freewheeling Clippers.

    Although the Lakers' immediate need is at point guard, they did try to snag the 30-year old Morris if only to keep him from landing on the other side of town. But when the Knicks reportedly demanded for a package that would include Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green, the purple-and-gold faded,

    The Lakers' desire to procure an upgrade on relic Rajon Rondo also turned out to be a futile pursuit as the team failed to acquire neither Derrick Rose from the Detroit Pistons nor Dennis Schroder of the OKC Thunder.

    Which brings us back to the Clippers.

    Besides adding a big who can play on both ends of the floor, the Clippers got coated with an extra layer of toughness as well.

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    When the playoffs roll along, it'd be fun to watch how teams can score against this mean defensive line-up that coach Doc Rivers can throw out there - Paul George and Patrick Beverley as guards, Kawhi Leonard and Morris as forwards, with Montrezl Harrell at center.

    When this group of five is on the floor, opposing teams might want to call the hazmat unit because it's gonna get dirty and messy in a hurry.

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    WIGGLING OUT ON WIGGINS' DEAL. After signing Andrew Wiggins to a five-year $146 million deal last October 2017, the Minnesota Timberwolves haven't exactly gotten a fair return of investment.

    A gifted player 6-foot-7 long and 194-pound strong, Wiggins has had his fair share of shooting woes and defensive issues.

    But even if the Wolves wanted to move on without him and focus on Karl Anthony-Towns as the franchise player to build around with, Minnesota simply couldn't because unloading the four years and $121 million left on Wiggins' contract is impossibly difficult.

    And then came the Golden State Warriors who traded Wiggins for D'Angelo Russell.

    But it's not crazy as you think. This deal actually benefits the Warriors.

    How so?

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    When Klay Thompson returns from an ACL tear, the presence of Wiggins would allow him to keep his place at the 2 spot where he would continue to enjoy a size advantage over smaller guards. Had Russell stayed and man the backcourt with Steph Curry, Thompson would have been forced to spend time as a small forward.

    The Wolves, meanwhile, will eat the remainder of Russell's four-year deal worth $117.3 million. But they will get a scoring point guard who can effectively play pick-and-roll with his good buddy, Towns.

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    AND ONE. Andre Drummond went to social media and cried about not getting any "heads up" about being shipped to Cleveland.

    I don't know why the Pistons didn't inform Drummond they were shopping him. I guess they just assumed that their center reads the news because his name kept appearing in trade rumors for weeks!!!

    Drummond bragged about having "given his heart and soul" to the Pistons. But he forget to mention he collected a total of $81.9 million in salaries during his six-and-a-half seasons in Detroit.

    Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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    PHOTO: AP
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