Report: Clippers shopping Farmar to make room for Rivers

Doc Rivers really wants to bring his baby boy to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers are aggressively pursuing Austin Rivers, who was acquired by the Boston Celtics from the New Orleans Pelicans in a three-team trade on Monday. Rivers isn't long for Boston, and the Clippers, run by his father, head coach Doc Rivers, are the primary suitor.

The Celtics may not be asking much beyond a future draft pick, but acquiring Austin remains complicated for L.A. Getting the third-year point guard, who is on the final year of his contract and earning $2.44 million, would require the Clippers to send out $2.04 million in salary. 

That means jettisoning multiple low-end roster players or one useful rotation piece. The latter appears to be the preferred method, as the Clippers are looking for a third team to involve in trade talks. That team would reportedly take on Jordan Farmar, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

Farmer earns $2.08 million this season, just enough for the Clippers to legally make the deal, though his $2.2-million player option for next season may give some teams pause. A deal would likely see Farmar land with a third team, Austin land with L.A., and a pick land with Boston, though it's unclear what team would be willing to step in to facilitate the deal, and if they'd seek compensation beyond Farmar.

The 28-year-old veteran was a capable rotation piece last season but has struggled with the Clippers, averaging 4.6 points and 1.9 assists in 14.7 minutes and shooting 38.6 percent from the floor. But Farmar is a 37.4-percent career 3-point shooter and has proven himself a capable backup distributor, and it's been odd to see him play so poorly for L.A.

Sending out Farmar to acquire Austin, himself anything but an efficient offensive player, is a clear signal the Clippers aren't comfortable with Farmar moving forward. Doc has said he believes his son would be a good fit, which you can read about in the story below.