The LA Clippers can sign these three free agents at a low risk to the team.
The LA Clippers have to make some moves this offseason. As they look to improve on their roster in order to dethrone the Los Angeles Lakers, they must do so without a lot of money. The team has their mid-level exception to use, can re-sign some of their players, and then must fill out the rest of the roster with veteran minimum contracts or by making trades.
With not a ton of options available to the team, let’s take a look at three free agents the team can sign with very low risk.
3. Reggie Jackson
2019-20 stats (Detroit and Los Angeles): 11.9 PPG, 41.1 FG%, 39.3 3P%, 4.1 AST, 2.6 REB
I’m sure Reggie Jackson starting the list off is a bit surprising but let’s look at the facts. The Clippers need a backup point guard still and the talent pool just isn’t that great at the guard position this offseason.
Reggie is a known commodity to this team, which makes him a low risk. When he’s on, Reggie is a productive bench guard capable of middling playmaking and solid scoring. At his worst, he is a bad defender and can get shot happy. We know all this.
What we don’t know is what will happen when he has a different coach from Doc Rivers to reign him in when he’s not playing well. If Reggie can be deployed effectively (with a focus on the word effective), he can still help this team. We saw spurts of how he can be helpful in the postseason when he was playing well.
Reggie might not be one that makes Clippers’ fans excited but given that there just isn’t as much to be had on the point guard market, it’s better to sign him over someone who the team might not be as familiar with. Given we can re-sign him using his non-Bird rights, they can bring him back into the fold while still keeping their mid-level exception available.