Season Prediction
Don’t be surprised if Luc Mbah a Moute doesn’t play the same role for the team as he did in his first tenure with the team. Back then, the team had Chris Paul and J.J. Redick in the backcourt and Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the frontcourt. The only spot open was the small forward, and he occasionally got minutes at the four if Griffin was hurt or on the bench.
Now, he will be competing with the likes of Montrezl Harrell, Tobias Harris, Mike Scott, and Danilo Gallinari for playing time. If Gallinari is as injury riddled as he was last season, I’d like to see Luc start in his place. Like stated before, a line-up featuring Beverley, Bradley and Mbah a Moute would be daunting for all 29 other teams.
Luc will be the Clippers best defensive frontcourt player. Jordan isn’t with the team anymore and our centers, Marcin Gortat, Angel Delgado, and Boban Marjanovic are all defensively challenged, meaning that Luc will need to be on his game defensively. Without a real rim protector, things might get hairy, but hopefully Luc can play some effective post defense.
At the end of the season, I’d like to see Mbah a Moute sign a longer contract to stay with the team for a few years on a team-friendly contract. It is important that the Clippers have enough money to sign a star (or two) this off season, like Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, or Kawhi Leonard, and if the front office feels we have a real chance to sign any stars, re-signing Luc may take a back seat.
No matter what happens, many Clippers fans will be happy to have The Prince back on the roster and in Los Angeles.