Fading fast: P.J. Tucker
P.J. Tucker is one of the most grizzled, playoff-tested veterans in the NBA. Every time he steps on the floor, he brings a certain toughness and intelligence that the Clippers will be in need of after their wing depth was depleted following the Harden trade.
In that way, P.J. Tucker could end up being an extremely valuable piece in LA, especially come playoff time. But for now, his stock is falling down into the negatives.
Some of P.J.’s poor performance to start the season can be attributed to age. After all, he is the second-oldest player in the league behind LeBron James, at 38 years old. But the degree to which he has been a non-factor so far is still concerning.
In his first three games with the Clippers, Tucker has shot just 1-for-6 from the floor without making a three-pointer. One of the most valuable skills he was supposed to bring to LA was catch-and-shoot ability from beyond the three-point arc. His lack of production there is not helping the Clippers’ offensive woes.
His minute distribution has been more or less on par with where it was in Philadelphia last season, so this should not be a matter of Head Coach Tyronn Lue playing him more or less. Tucker simply has to clutch up and start knocking down shots in rhythm to fully realize his three-and-D ability for the Clippers.