A year later, how did the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2015 free agency signings and offseason moves turn out?
A game away from the 2015 Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Clippers wasted no time trying to get better in free agency.
Los Angeles revamped their bench, whose unreliable play played a huge role in their 3-1 collapse to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The Clippers spent the entire free agency period seeking veteran players who could put them over the top.
At the beginning of the season, many called this the best Clippers team ever. Some called their practices All-Star games. However, it all resulted in a first round loss once the Clippers stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin suffered injuries in the playoffs.
With the dust settled on the 2015 season, the Clipperholics staff broke down each move from last year’s offseason (excluding someone like Chuck Hayes who never actually played a game). We took into consideration the season outcome and preseason expectations.
Take a look at the slideshow to see what moves failed and what moves made the grade, courtesy of writers Tim Hiley and Jose Salviati and our editors.
Next: The Truth
Paul Pierce
Grade: D
Tim Hiley: Oh what could have been…
Paul Pierce has always been an elite scorer in clutch moments and to quote Pierce from his last two playoff runs with the Wizards and Nets, ‘That’s why they brought me here’. The Clippers brought him here for that reason also, but it happened one year too late.
If Pierce was a Clipper for the 2014-15 season, they would not have succumbed to the Rockets in the manner they did. Pierce was outstanding against the Raptors and then against the Atlanta Hawks in 2015, hitting buzzer beaters and putting up stat lines that would be impressive for a man of 27, let alone 37, and that alone was why I was so excited to see him in a Clippers uniform.
All season long, I clung to the hope that he was in some kind of playoff hibernation and that he was just coasting to get to the playoffs. Then, shockingly, we barely played him through the first four games, and he received his first ever post season Did Not Play (Coaches Decision).
Then, to what to me was the clincher, in Game 5 of the playoffs, without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and with the odds stacked against us, we needed the Truth of old. Instead, we got the old truth; that time catches up to all players. His first shot of the game was an air-ball, and shortly after that he returned to the bench and I genuinely thought he was never going to appear on an NBA court again, and that he would retire right there and then
I expect Pierce may well retire now, but if he doesn’t I sincerely hope this year was a blip and he will return to some level of productivity. But despite rare glimpses of the Pierce we had become accustomed to, the 2015-16 season will sadly become the year when the Truth lied.
Perhaps a “D” is a tad generous.
Next: The Life of Pablo
Pablo Prigioni
Grade: B-
Jose Salviati: Pablo Prigioni’s signing seemed to be a bit of an afterthought for the Clippers. The team already had its photo shoot with their big name acquisitions (Branden Dawson, DeAndre Jordan returning, Austin Rivers, Josh Smith, Cole Aldrich, Wesley Johnson, and Pierce) a few weeks before they decided they needed a point guard. It stands to reason that the signing of the undrafted player who was 38 years old at the time did not send shockwaves throughout the Association.
Even some Clippers fans were unimpressed.
The Argentinian was coming off a year where he averaged three points, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 17 minutes of play. Nothing at all spectacular, but then again you don’t need your backup point guard to necessarily be spectacular, you need him to be dependable.
In Prigioni, who was the third string player behind Paul and Rivers, the Clippers got a point guard who was dependable. Very dependable.
Prigioni is the type of player that is a pest on defense and precise on offense. For the Clippers, he had a career-high eight steals in one game (within 15 minutes!) and 13 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in another game where he logged 41 minutes of playing time! Did I mention he was 38 -years-old at the time? I know a few 38-year-olds that can’t walk for 41 minutes.
The signing of Prigioni was a solid one that yielded more bang-for-buck than most of the other more heralded acquisitions, even though his production and shooting wore off as the season went on.
Next: The Legacy Rivers
Re-signing Austin Rivers
Grade: A
Tim Hiley: Why I loved this move: find me a better backup point guard in the league for the bargain price of £3,227,451 per year.
Is he the most consistent player? Not at all, but he epitomizes everything you want your franchise to be about. Don’t believe me, just look at Austin Rivers at the end of that heart-breaking loss in Game 6 as he throws up one last prayer at midcourt to try to extend the season. He had just put a fantastic line despite playing with only one eye open after taking a hard elbow from Al Farouq Aminu, and despite only playing with one eye, he committed zero turnovers. That is just astonishing to me.
He’s a fantastic defender and he has the heart of a lion. For teams in desperate need of a new point guard, he may even challenge for a starting position after the improvements he showed over the end of this season.
He gets a lot of stick from fans because of his dad trading for him, but it is so undeserved in my opinion. Should Austin leave this summer, he could be a starting point guard and a contender for Most Improved Player if he improves his passing and efficiency. He could also find a place on the All-Defense teams with consistent improvement.
I really hope for the Clippers sake, he decides to literally give the Clippers family discount and take up his player option for next year.
Next: Inking Johnson's potential
Wesley Johnson
Grade: C
Jose Salviati: Wes Johnson is a bit of an enigma. He looks like what you would imagine a basketball player should look like. He’s 6’7″, has long arms and (not that you could tell this by looking at him) he can seriously jump. He has good basketball pedigree after a year at Syracuse as well.
To be fair, Johnson’s career numbers aren’t horrible numbers. They only begin to pale when you reconcile them against Johnson’s potential. To look at him, you would expect – and maybe in Minnesota did expect – him to be much farther along by now. That promise is what keeps him gainfully employed in the NBA to date. Each team that picks him up hopes they are the ones that can finally tap into this player’s full potential.
The Clippers kept him in Los Angeles to start the 2015-16 season. Instead of handing him a starting position (he had started 77 percent of the games he had played up to that point) or promising him big minutes, Doc Rivers appeared to make it abundantly clear what his role was. On this team, he was a complimentary player. The Clippers needed him to score, defend and shine when given minutes as part of the second unit.
To look at his numbers, you wouldn’t think the Clippers one year gamble on Johnson paid off. Averages of 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.6 assists do not jump out at you. However, when you go all analytical on his 2015-16 season you see he had career highs in six categories:
- Three-pointers made
- Three-pointers attempted
- Field goal percentage
- Steals
- Three-point attempt rate
- Defensive rebound percentage
Additionally, he had close to career highs in three more categories:
- PER
- True shooting percentage
- Total rebound percentage
Sounds like the Johnson and the Clippers worked out after all.
Next: Stephenson's signed then traded
Lance Stephenson
Grade: B-
Tim Hiley: For me, Lance Stephenson’s stint at the Clippers was a bit of a roller coaster. When they traded Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes last year for Lance, I was completely torn as to how I felt.
Part of me was screaming at why the Clippers traded for Stephenson when he had shot an appalling percentage in Charlotte, received several DNPs because he was more detrimental to the team than beneficial, and there were whispers about his attitude. Ultimately, they didn’t lose much and they’ve got someone with massive potential and with the experience to help out the side.
There were mixed messages and mixed signals from coach Rivers, as one game Stephenson played 30 minutes, the next he played 2 minutes, the next he got a DNP (coach’s decision), the next he played 19 and then the following game played just five minutes. Talk about mixed messages!
More from Clipperholics
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- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
Then, oddly, he started playing really well for the Clippers, just before they traded him. In eight of the final ten games of his Clippers career (the other two were DNPs), he hit 28 of his final 38 shots. He virtually won a game on his own versus the Magic, where he hit all six of his shots.
During those last eight appearances, he was averaging a solid 8 points, 3 boards, 1 assist while shooting 73 percent from the field and 71 percent from deep in just 16 minutes per game. He was playing incredibly efficiently and was becoming comfortable with his role, providing energy off the bench and playing at a very useful level. So when they opted to acquire Green, I was sad to see Stephenson go, but I was pleased to get Jeff Green.
Ultimately, I think they made the right call, as Green was similar to Lance in many ways. He’s a good defender, can contribute in a number of ways and can score 24 in a game, then go scoreless one night later. Green is slightly more consistent and slightly less erratic. When Green is on his game, he can produce more than Stephenson.
Next: Thank you for Mbah a Moute, Kings
Luc Mbah a Moute
Grade: A
Tim Hiley: Luc Mbah a Moute is as unflashy of a player as you could want to find. I would struggle to name you one memorable play from Mbah a Moute, and that is what makes him such a great acquisition.
He has production that doesn’t get shown in any box score, as his impact is immeasurable. It was so serendipitous that we signed him up for our 15th roster spot on the day before the start of the season. Mbah a Moute enables Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and others to do their flashy plays because he does the work that they don’t want to do, with hard hustling for lose balls and reliable defense.
In years past, Matt Barnes was that guy, and had we not signed Mbah Moute, I don’t think the Clippers would have had as good a season as they did, and that is a large credit to Mbah Moute’s workmanship.
Next: The infamous change of mind
Bringing back DeAndre Jordan
Grade: A+
Tim Hiley: Ah, the 3rd July will stick in the minds of Clipper Nation for a long time. The day our chances for a title completely went up in smoke.
For weeks leading up to free agency, I heard plenty of talk about DeAndre’s unhappiness, his differences with Chris Paul and I just never took it seriously, as rarely have I seen a Point Guard and Center more in sync than those two.
DeAndre Jordan was taken for granted, his concerns largely dismissed, leading him to agree to sign with the Dallas Mavericks. It was a devastating blow for Clippers fans.
As the days went on, the Clippers’ options had dwindled, that they were looking at starting JaVale McGee or Kendrick Perkins. At least Shaqtin’ a Fool would have a lot of Clippers content.
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
Then came the craziest day in the history of free agency. The day before free agents were eligible to be signed, came the news that DeAndre was having second thoughts. Over the twelve hours or so that followed just epitomized sport in the social media age. Emojis, banana boats, clipart and an epic kidnapping tale later, DeAndre Jordan was a Clipper again.
Instead of McGee and Perkins, the Clippers had their dominant defensive anchor back, and what a difference he made. Jordan finished a stellar season, which led to him being named in the NBA All-First Team and All-Defensive First Team.
Re-signing Jordan was the most important thing they had to do last season because it gives the Clippers an elite center. Should Los Angeles decide to go in another direction, they could acquire a more than suitable replacement.
This was not an option last summer, due to owning Jordan’s bird rights, the Clippers couldn’t afford to sign an alternative center out-right. Either way, I don’t see the Clippers getting a better center than the elite force that Jordan is. Hence, his resigning is the most important signing we’ve made in a long time.
Next: The signing we'd like to forget
Signing Josh Smith
Grade: D-
Pete Camarillo: Fresh off a playoff series where Smith killed the Clippers with his play as a Houston Rocket, it made sense that the Clippers made him an offer. Unfortunately, Smith never carved himself out a reliable role as backup small forward, center or power forward. The versatile forward could have made a major difference, but instead largely killed leads with his woeful shot selection and lack of impact as a small-ball center.
Once Blake Griffin went down with injury, it seemed like the Clippers had Smith to pick up his slack. Again, he never fit the role. He only started one game as a Clipper over the entire year.
Smith finished his Clippers tenure averaging 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds. The only thing keeping this from a complete failure is that the Clippers took themselves out of their own misery by trading him back to the Rockets after 32 games. Thanks for the foreign players, Houston!
Next: Don't forget Aldrich
Cole Aldrich
Grade: B+
Pete Camarillo: When the Clippers signed Aldrich it was almost an afterthought considering the other big names added. However, the 27-year-old center proved capable when on the floor. He started out the gate slow, but eventually found himself in the rotation. He even earned himself some run in the playoffs.
Over the season, Aldrich registered 5.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 16 minutes per game (14.8 and 13 per 36 minutes). Aldrich averaged 16.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in four starts. He provided genuine size off the bench which the Clippers otherwise lacked, he protected the rim, crashed the boards better than most, and always played hard.
You can’t really ask for more than that from your backup center. The only thing keeping this from a clear “A” is the fact that Aldrich can and probably will exercise his player option to become a free agent again this offseason, testing the Clippers’ minimal amount of cap space.
Next: The rookie
Branden Dawson
Grade: D
Tom West: Branden Dawson is here as extra. The Clippers’ free agent signings stole the show as fans got excited at the prospect of The Truth coming to L.A., meaning that someone the team only entered the draft with the 57th pick for got overlooked. And as the season went on, with Dawson floating around the D-League and racking up all of 29 total minutes playing time for the Clippers, it was obvious he was never going to crack the rotation.
To be honest, it was expected. It’s common knowledge that Doc Rivers doesn’t freely give up playing time to his rookies and young players, and 2015-16 was no different. C.J. Wilcox, now in his second year with the Clippers, has only totalled 268 minutes in 44 appearances.
With the 29-minute sample of Dawson in mind, it’s almost impossible to give him a grade when there really isn’t anything worth grading. We weren’t expecting him to play and with his total lack of range on offense, his rebounding, athleticism, versatile switching on defense, and high motor were never going to be enough to earn him many minutes.
Although, if you want to know his numbers (or lack thereof), he recorded five points, four rebounds and one block in his entire rookie year.
So, to give Dawson a “C” seems rather generous. He really hasn’t done anything, at least for the time being. He’s had the chance to improve in the D-League, though, and footage has emerged to reveal his jumper looking a little smoother than in the past. Ultimately, his “D” grade is a reflection of his absence this season (partly thanks to Doc, of course) and there being no certainty to receive many minutes again next season.
Next: What's next?
Conclusion
The Clippers’ 2015 offseason was a mixed bag like the entire Clippers season. Some could blame it on Rivers the coach or Rivers the general manager, with him facing frequent critique as both.
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
Either way, Rivers and the entire Clippers staff get another shot at it in 2016-17. Rivers maintains keeping his core together for another year. Hopefully, he can find veteran players to put around them, because the Big 3 need all the help they can get in order to overcome the best teams in the West once and for all.
They’ll also need all the help they can get in the 2016 NBA Draft, too. Typically, as we’ve seen after looking at Branden Dawson, rookies won’t make much of an impact. But with such limited cap space for free agency and areas of the roster that still need addressing, such as small forward and the shallow frontcourt, a couple of additions in the draft may go further in 2016-17 than they would have in the past.
Next: 2016 Mock Draft: Who goes No. 1 and who do Clippers need?
Stay tuned to see how the Clippers’ 2016 offseason ends up.