The Austin Rivers-Marcin Gortat trade could signal big changes for both the Clippers and Wizards

The Los Angeles Clippers traded combo guard Austin Rivers — son of head coach Doc Rivers — to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Marcin Gortat, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The trade came less than a week after Rivers opted into the final year of his contract that is scheduled to pay him $12 million next season.

The former Clippers guard averaged career-highs across the board with 15.1 points per game on 37.8 percent shooting from three, along with four assists per game. Gortat has been the long time starter at center for the Wizards and averaged 8.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his final season in Washington.

The trade seems confusing at first. The only other big man on the Wizards’ roster is Ian Mahinmi, and the Clippers already have DeAndre Jordan holding down the center slot.

Jordan has a $24.1 million player option for next season, and he can opt out his contract to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Clippers could have traded for Gortat as an insurance policy in case Jordan decided to leave, or in case they decide to move him before next season’s trade deadline.

The Wizards, on the other hand, have needed help when John Wall or Bradley Beal goes to the bench, and Rivers could do just that. But what about the center slot? Washington needs an athletic big man to run and jump with Wall, Beal and Otto Porter, and Dwight Howard and the Brooklyn Nets are working on a buyout that will vault him into this year’s free agency pool.

The Wizards don’t have cap space to sign free agents, but Howard will be paid handsomely by Brooklyn this season, likely in the $15-20 million ball park of his $23.8 million salary. The Wizards can exceed the salary cap to sign him to the taxpayers mid-level exception that starts at around $5.5 million per year.