Free agents the LA Clippers should target if they don’t sign Kawhi Leonard
The LA Clippers are rumored to still be firmly in the mix to land Kawhi Leonard, but if they don’t end up with him, here are some players they could add.
We’re now on the fifth day of free agency, and the LA Clippers’ top target, Kawhi Leonard, still remains without a new contract. Leonard is also the top target of the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors as well, and with stakes higher than ever before, all three fan bases are sitting on the edge of their seats while they wait for his decision.
Each team has reason to believe Leonard will choose them — the Raptors can offer a shot to repeat as champions, the Lakers can offer the chance to form arguably the greatest trio in league history (based on pure talent), and the Clippers can offer a team that’s been tailor-made for Leonard to jump in and get to work with.
If Leonard doesn’t go with the Raptors, they should still be in decent shape. With Kyle Lowry at the helm and a rising star in Pascal Siakam, they may not compete for a title in 2019-2020, but they’ll be in the running for home court advantage in the playoffs. You’ve also got to factor in the outstanding job Nick Nurse has done as head coach, which could potentially carry them to at least a second round appearance. The East is much improved, though, and teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers could all be competing for the top spot.
The Lakers will still compete without Leonard, too, given they have two of the best players in basketball on their roster in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The rest of the team needs some filling out, and considering reports that Amar’e Stoudemire and Monta Ellis are among players who could work out for the team, there’s definitely some cause for concern there. If nothing else, the Lakers are going to have an awfully difficult time trying to load manage.
The Clippers are a team that is almost finished being built — they just need a star. A certain two-way star, to be exact. But if they don’t get him, they’re still going to compete, much the way they did last season when they won 48 games in a stacked Western Conference.
Whether the Clippers will add Leonard remains to be seen, but if they don’t, they’ll still have $32 million to spend on the remaining free agents to help fill out the roster. It’s drying up fast, but there are still some valuable guys out there that could round-out the team.
No. 3: Marcus Morris
We’re just as shocked as you are that free agent forward Marcus Morris is still available, and even more so that he isn’t already in an LA Clippers uniform. Everything about him screams Clipper.
This past season with the Boston Celtics, Morris averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in just under 28 minutes per game and managed a 37.5 percent clip from three-point range on 5.2 attempts per contest. He can play either forward position, come off the bench or start, and his attitude meshes perfectly with the identity the Clippers have brought about in recent years.
He and Maurice Harkless could split starting duties, though Morris seems more suited to the power forward position than the wing.
No. 2: DeMarcus Cousins
As far as fit goes, Morris makes more sense for the LA Clippers than DeMarcus Cousins, but with virtually zero market, the idea of adding the former All-Star center on a minimum contract looks increasingly enticing.
Cousins appeared in 30 games last season for the Golden State Warriors, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in just under 26 minutes per game. He still doesn’t seem to be 100%, and the odds that he ever returns to his pre-injury form are very slim — but there’s still good value there, especially if it’s for the minimum.
The main issue with Boogie would come in the playoffs. He looked almost unplayable for Golden State during the postseason, forcing them to run with backup big Kevon Looney down low instead. He played well down the stretch and has since earned a deal to return to the Warriors, while Cousins remains without a team.
No. 1: JaMychal Green
A lot of people probably didn’t expect JaMychal Green to be available this late in the free agency process, but here we are now on the Fourth of July, and he’s still unsigned.
Green played a big role for the LA Clippers down the stretch of the 2018-2019 season, coming over from the Memphis Grizzlies via the Avery Bradley trade. He averaged 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in under 20 minutes per game for the Clippers, while keeping a 41.3 percent clip from outside.
He’s an ideal energy big to come off the bench, and with the ability to space the floor, it’s a wonder he’s still without a team. The Clippers would be the most likely team to sign him, too, as there haven’t been any rumors connecting him to other teams around the league.
Next. Why the LA Clippers could be at an advantage in Kawhi race. dark
There isn’t much left out there at this point, but any of the free agents above would bring something to the LA Clippers that they currently need more of. Big man depth is the team’s biggest weakness right now, and if Leonard doesn’t come, LA will need to prioritize the paint.