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LA Clippers: Predicting who stays, who goes ahead of roster cuts

By Garrett Chorpenning

PLAYA VISTA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Sindarius Thornwell #0 of the Los Angeles Clippers poses for a photo during media day at the Los Angeles Clippers Training Center on September 24, 2018 in Playa Vista, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
PLAYA VISTA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Sindarius Thornwell #0 of the Los Angeles Clippers poses for a photo during media day at the Los Angeles Clippers Training Center on September 24, 2018 in Playa Vista, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 28: Wesley Johnson #33 of the LA Clippers warms up before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 28: Wesley Johnson #33 of the LA Clippers warms up before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Wesley Johnson

There’s no guarantees, but this may be the end of the road for the LA Clippers’ longest-tenured member of the team.

Wesley Johnson may suffer from the same issue that faces Desi Rodriguez this season. After the Clippers brought in Mbah a Moute and Scott, Johnson’s path to significant minutes is unclear. Chances are Mbah a Moute plays ahead of him, and Rivers has favored Scott over Johnson so far in the preseason.

That doesn’t mean Johnson is necessarily a surefire pick to be cut — Rivers could be evaluating how Scott works with the offense in game situations and comparing his performance to that of which he’s seen from Johnson over the years, for all we know. Besides, Johnson is set to make more than Scott this season, and surely the Clippers would prefer to eat as little money as possible at this point.

The Clippers may also prefer to trade the oft-injured Milos Teodosic in order to keep Johnson as insurance in case Danilo Gallinari goes down with another injury or two. The San Antonio Spurs are in need of a point guard now that Dejounte Murray is out for the season, and Gregg Popovich has a well-known affinity for international players. If LA could get some money or even a second-round pick in return, they’d come away victorious.

Unless that happens though, I’d bet that Johnson’s time in Los Angeles coming to an end.

Prediction: Cut

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