Centers
Starter: Marcin Gortat
Perhaps the biggest area where the Clippers are in need of help is the center position. Marcin Gortat is a solid starter, and he’ll do as much as the average center would. But at 34, The Polish Hammer is going to need a reliever other than Boban Marjanovic. And the Clippers will need someone who can stretch the floor.
The problem that Gortat and Marjanovic present is their speed. They’re both on the bigger and slower side, and will have a hard time covering bigs that live outside the paint. And because their stamina isn’t fantastic (Gortat played a maximum 32 minutes per game in 2013, Marjanovic can’t play for more than 10 minutes at a time), they’ll slow down the rest of the squad more often than not.
Of course, Gortat does have the intangibles — he’s missed just eight games over the last five seasons. That’s the sort of thing you need from a starter, especially one who has little behind him. This is why someone like Kyle O’Quinn, a floor-spacing big, would be so vital to this team.
Backup No. 1: Boban Marjanovic
All hail The Great Bobi, destroyer of worlds. The 7-3, 290 pound center was an absolute force next season, and provided several highlight-reel dances before tip off. Just watch him get down to Drake’s “God’s Plan” earlier this season, courtesy of our own Farbod Esnaashari:
Marjanovic is excellent in certain situations, specifically against larger, slower bigs like himself. Otherwise, his use is trivial. There’s just no one else like Bobi, though.