The LA Clippers entered the season with title expectations. That came in large part due to the return of their two stars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The other major reason the Clippers were handed lofty expectations was their depth, with two and three quality options at every spot in the rotation.
Leonard and George have missed plenty of time this year, contributing to their mediocre 14-13 record, but that’s not highlighting a weakness in the rotation. If those two aren’t healthy in the playoffs, the Clippers aren’t going anywhere anyway. Instead, the team has to evaluate the rest of the roster and determine whether they need to improve how the team will look alongside those two stars.
The wings behind George and Leonard haven’t been perfect but have played well, especially Norman Powell’s scoring, Luke Kennard’s shooting, and Terance Mann’s energy. Ivica Zubac has been a monster defensively and on the glass at center, and there is a solid collection of small-ball options behind him. The point guard position? That’s another story.
These targets could help with the LA Clippers’ inconsistency at point guard
Reggie Jackson has started all 27 games for the Clippers this season and is averaging just 12.7 points per game and shooting a middling 35.7 percent from 3-point range and an ice-cold 40.9 percent from the field overall. John Wall has come off the bench in 21 games, pulling down his dynamic playmaking with a frigid 29 percent from deep. Neither has screamed playoff closer, making point guard an obvious position to look for an upgrade on the trade market.
Let’s look at three candidates who could be available on the trade market that could help the Clippers one way or the other at the position.