Clippers: What can we expect from Brice Johnson now?

Brice Johnson has clear potential and the ability to be a valuable energizer off the bench, but what will his role be for the Los Angeles Clippers after they signed Brandon Bass?

With the 25th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select Brice Johnson.

Once the draft was over, Doc Rivers said Johnson was who they wanted all along. They liked his combination of athleticism, hustle, length and fluidity at 6’11” to bolster their power forward depth. Perhaps, Johnson could be a rookie ready to make an actual impact instead of riding the bench all year. And that should still be the case — certainly more so than the now-waived Branden Dawson — but it won’t come quite so easily now.

After a host of re-signings began the Clippers’ free agency, highlighted by $35.7 million and $42 million deals to Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, respectively, some new names emerged.

Marreese Speights and some ‘mo buckets came first on a minimum deal, then Raymond Felton followed (also for the veteran’s minimum) as the team’s third point guard.

Both players add depth and are great value, with the Speights being absolutely vital after losing Cole Aldrich to Minnesota. The next new player was a little more puzzling, though.

Again, for a minimum deal, the Clippers brought in power forward Brandon Bass, a physical veteran with enough defense and mid-range shooting to once again be an impressive signing at the lowest price.

Yet, while the talent and depth is clear, the question of fit is worth noting. Even after waiving Branden Dawson to clear a roster spot (ideally for a wing) the recent developments of the frontcourt are reason enough to look at the thought process behind them.

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Bass and Speights are both good signings, but why focus on bigs in the draft by selecting power forward Brice Johnson and center Diamond Stone? With the wing being an obvious position of need, couldn’t that have been partially addressed on draft night rather than taking a center in Stone who will begin his career as a project?

Providing Paul Pierce does as he’s reportedly expected to and avoids retirement, the Clippers now have a frontcourt consisting of Blake Griffin, Pierce (thanks to age and a lack of speed he’s a four), Bass and Johnson at power forward with DeAndre Jordan, Speights and Stone at center.

While Luc Mbah a Moute and Wesley Johnson are left as the only real small forwards on the roster, it means that seven players in the team’s rotation belong in the frontcourt.

So, where does this leave Brice Johnson?

As you can see from the potential subtweet that appeared soon after the Bass signing, he may be confused about his position going forward.

https://twitter.com/bjohnson_23/status/754532367318917120

After the Bass deal, Johnson fits into this rotation as the third power forward option and the fifth big. As a rookie, he was received with greater expectations than Dawson after being selected in the first round but not to the extent that he’d receive a large role.

10-12 minutes per game seemed like a reasonable expectation for Johnson after proving that he can control his fouls and fit well into the offense as an energy guy. Now, with Bass commanding a solid role behind Griffin, Johnson finding minutes behind Bass and any small-ball lineups where Doc shifts Wes or Luc to the four in short bursts won’t be quite so easy.

Johnson can still make an impact, though. After the Clippers made him their top target in the draft, you’d think that they will have (or should have) some intentions to utilize him. Rookie limitations aside, the additional depth and size behind Bass gives the Clippers a far stronger frontcourt than last season.

Even though he’ll need to prove himself, far beyond the improvements he made in Summer League, Johnson is already a superior athlete than both Bass and Speights. Johnson’s mid-range game shows promise and he confidently attempts shots from 20 feet out, which will immediately help him stay on the court if he can consistently space the floor.

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Outside of areas we know he can already impact the game — help blocks, rebounding, floor running, and athletic rolls to the basket — it’s the key element of his potential that can turn him into a real contributor over time.

Thanks to Bass’ arrival, five minutes here and there seems more likely for Johnson now. Again, whether or not Pierce retires to create more minutes will impact Johnson’s possible role, too.

Johnson’s impact comes down to energy more than anything else at this stage. There’s still to the chance to showcase that with these new signings. To provide the kind of length, interior defense, explosiveness, rebounding, pick-and-roll finishes and easy dunks inside that the Clippers rarely had at power forward last season (sorry, Pierce), Johnson can contribute in short minutes. After all, that’s how energy guys make their impact to rest starters.

However, Johnson heads into next season with less minutes to prove himself more. Bass was signed due to the fact that unlike a rookie, he can be relied upon to provide the capable two-way play he has for years.

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As a depth option with clear potential, though, Johnson may be able to do enough in any short minutes he receives to eventually split playing time or surpass Bass in the future. In the meantime, Brice will need to wait.