The New Guys
Let’s start with the new faces. Landry Shamet is the marquee of new players on the Clippers roster. One could almost look at this trade having brought in three first round picks because of what Shamet brings to the table. Shamet was the 26th overall pick in the 2018 draft, and has already proven to be a talented wing in his first year in the league. The 6’5″ shooting guard is posting 54% from inside the arc, 40% from deep, and 81% from the stripe in 20 minutes per game.
Wilson Chandler is a decent vet at the wing. In his eleventh year in the league he has become a serviceable rotation player shooting 50% from 2, 39% from 3, and pulling down 4.7 boards a game this season in 26 minutes of action a game. Chandler also has chemistry with Danilo Gallinari as both forwards played together in Denver. Chandler is on an expiring contract which works for the Clippers in two ways; he’ll be playing for another payday as well as coming off the books after this season adding to the team’s cap space this summer.
Mike Muscala seems more like salary filler than anything, but in the right lineups can contribute to the team. The 6’11” center-forward doesn’t have the most impressive rebounding or defensive numbers, but what he does add is some shooting in the front court. The big guy shoots 36% from beyond the arc in his five years in the league. That percentage from deep isn’t a show stopper, but it’s a clip that can draw out some defenses and open lanes for Montrezl Harrell do what he does best attack the rim. It’s worth noting that Muscala is another expiring contract and will become a free agent at the end of the season.