NBA: Rivers denies Clippers are 'just trading everybody away'

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Los Angeles, January 31: The Los Angeles Clippers are not trading all their best players away to rebuild, according to head coach Doc Rivers following the shock departure of star Blake Griffin.

Griffin was sensationally traded to the Detroit Pistons on Monday (January 29) as the Clippers also dealt Willie Reed and Brice Johnson in return for Avery Bradley and forward Tobias Harris, as well as backup center Boban Marjanovic, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 second-rounder.

In the aftermath of Griffin's exit, speculation spread that center DeAndre Jordan and high-scoring Lou Williams might soon follow.

"We make this trade and then everyone thinks we're just trading everybody away," Rivers told reporters. "That's not true. But that's what's out there.

"Sometimes you can't control the narrative. You just can control your job, and that's what I have to do."

Speculation arose that the Clippers, who are 25-24, were hitting the reset button with the Griffin trade, and Jordan and Williams were next.

Yet Rivers denied the Clippers are doing a "complete rebuild."

"Sometimes there's complete rebuilds," Rivers said. "We're not doing that. Sometimes you're juggling and trying to create money, and you're still trying to stay relevant and win. I think that's more of us right now."

Source: OPTA