Small Forwards
Starter: Tobias Harris
What Tobias Harris does is extremely understated. Perhaps one of the most underrated players in the league, Harris scored 19.3 points per game last season and shot well over 41% from three-point range. His offensive game is superb, and he’s incredibly efficient.
He’s also fantastic at driving to the rim and getting buckets inside. He made 64.5% of his finishes at the rim last season. Harris hauls in rebounds at a satisfactory rate, roughly five per game, and is a solid passing big. At just 25, he has loads of untapped potential.
Harris is undoubtedly the team’s best starter, and follows closely behind Sweet Lou for the title of team’s best player. If the Clippers are unable to get Leonard, fans should feel comfortable with Harris being a franchise cornerstone. Locking him up during his prime should be a priority.
Backup No. 1: Wesley Johnson
Wesley Johnson is the face of the LA Clippers. Now the team’s longest-tenured member, Johnson finds himself near the front of the bench once again, because the Clippers simply can’t land a decent wing.
Johnson isn’t necessarily a bad player to have on your bench. He’s a positive guy, is great for team morale, and can provide some solid two-way play on occasion. His numbers won’t wow you, but he does a little bit of everything. In fact, he had the second-most blocks for the Clippers this past season, and the second-most steals. To put it simply, he’s a good utility guy.
The thing is, he just shouldn’t be playing with the second unit. There are plenty more options available that would be an upgrade over him. But for whatever reason, he stays where he is, and admittedly gives his best effort at all times.
There’s a good chance the Clippers trade for a wing at some point this season, which would move Johnson down a notch in the rotation. Until that happens though, prepare for more WeJo.
Backup No. 2: Sam Dekker
If Johnson doesn’t deserve to play with the second unit, than neither does Sam Dekker. He has his athleticism going for him, but unfortunately, the rest of his game has yet to follow suit with the LA Clippers.
In his first year with the team, Dekker managed to connect on 10 of his 60 three-point attempts, good for about 17%. He also wasn’t extremely efficient in any other facet of the game — although he did record 2.5 assists in just 12 minutes per game.
Admittedly, Dekker looked lost on the court more often than not. The Clippers were always rolling out new rotations, and it seemed like he just couldn’t keep up.
Until he can adjust and become a more efficient shooter, Dekker is best suited at the end of the rotation.