The LA Clippers made it known at the trade deadline that they have their eyes on the upcoming summer. With that said, let’s assess how the summer, and beyond, could look for Jerry West and Co.
What a trade deadline for the LA Clippers. In one of the most active deadlines for the team to date, the Clippers created even more cap space for the summer, added young assets from various teams and valuable draft picks for the future.
The moves began when the Clippers traded Tobias Harris to the Sixers, a move that made it known to other NBA franchises that the Clippers were basically dropping out of the “getting swept by the Warriors” sweepstakes and selling key players for future assets.
The most promising asset from that trade came in the form of Landry Shamet, a 21-year-old guard from Wichita State who rose from a late first round draft pick to a promising rotation player for Philadelphia this season. Shamet is averaging 8.3 PPG and shooting 40% from the perimeter in his rookie season which is impressive for being on such a good squad.
Shamet’s shooting ability at such a young age will make him a likely trade asset as the Clippers pursue superstars, and Shamet is not the only valuable addition to come out of that trade.
The Clippers acquired more future draft picks, including a 2021 unprotected first round pick, which happens to be Miami’s pick. That pick has been highly regarded among NBA GMs, so it could be useful in the possible pursuit of Anthony Davis or other superstars. It could also be used to trade up in this year’s draft, which features Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cameron Reddish, all players that would be amazing for the Clippers.
Following the blockbuster of moving on from Harris, who was a near all-star this season, the Clippers continued to blow up the roster and add assets.
Avery Bradley, who has had one of the roughest seasons of his career, was moved to Memphis for JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple, both expiring players, so they are basically rentals for the remainder of the season. This trade allows the Clippers to feed more minutes to Jerome Robinson and Sindarius Thornwell, two young players who could use the minutes.
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In a rare trade with the Lakers, only the second all-time between the Staples Center siblings, the Clippers shipped Mike Muscala, who they acquired from the Harris trade, for Michael Beasley, who was waived, and Ivica Zubac.
Zubac is a young big with promising potential and had played well as of late for the Lakers amidst the injury problems the Lakers were facing. Following this move, the Clippers moved on from Marcin Gortat, waiving the Polish Hammer. This will likely give Zubac quality minutes and allow the Clippers to groom Angel Delgado into the NBA as he was called up from the G-League shortly afterwards.
Milos Teodosic was also waived in the final move before the deadline finished, allowing the Clippers to move on from the European guard.
With all of these moves, the Clippers have made it known that they are eying the summer of 2019 and making it their top priority.
The Clippers created even more cap space with the hopes to give the likes of Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard max contracts and added quality draft assets that could be used in future trades to acquire a star who wants out of their current situation.
By blowing up the roster, the Clippers will likely fall out of their current playoff spot and into the lottery, where they will keep their pick instead of shipping it to Boston due to the lottery protection placed on said pick. That will allow the Clippers to bring in yet another young asset in April prior to free agency, adding to the youth and superstar movement constructed by Jerry West.
This deadline, unlike many deadlines of years past for LA, had a clear purpose, get rid of money and players you do not want to commit to and prepare for the Leonard, Durant, Thompson, Butler and Irving sweepstakes.
Yes, making the playoffs is still a possibility, but making the playoffs hurts the Clippers for this summer more than it would help them. Making the playoffs before the summer does numerous things. One, it gives the fans the nasty taste in their mouth of getting swept by Golden State. Two, you completely take yourself out of the draft this offseason with Boston having your pick. Finally, why pursue a playoff push that has no realistic outcome?
Jerry West is a man who plays chess, not checkers. These moves outline a clear path towards bringing two superstars to Los Angeles to rival LeBron James and the Lakers and bringing a consistent winning culture to the Clippers for years to come. This deadline not only sets up the Clippers for what looks to be an action-packed summer, but years to come.