The trade deadline is ultimately a test of confidence regarding the teams seriously competing, yet on ‘The Rich Eisen Show,’ Brian Windhorst of NBA on ESPN joined and mentioned the LA Clippers did not believe in their roster. If they did, James Harden and Ivica Zubac would still be Clippers, and the win-now motive with a superstar tandem at the helm would have never shifted.
It is evident that the front office connected the dots with the 6-21 start, the team’s age, and playing speed. They realized that all of these detriments combined would not have a chance at defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs, no matter how great a turnaround they presented.
Therefore, two high-value veterans were dealt, a haul of youngsters and picks arrived, and a new focus on youth has begun.
Minor, but crucial flaws existed in the turnaround, and LA noticed them before time expired
Though the win count is obviously what matters, in the playoffs, it is when all the little details matter most. Thus, given that James Harden and Ivica Zubac were traded, the LA Clippers still saw weaknesses in their mid-season rise, which were reflected in the metrics.
From the first win of their turnaround to the day of the deadline, the window where the Clippers put the league on notice by going 17-6, Tyronn Lue’s squad had the third-worst pace in the NBA.
Additionally, the Clippers’ defensive rating was about average at 112.9, and they had serious issues on the glass, ranking 29th in rebounds.
Thus, the Clippers were winning because of sheer star power. In the playoffs, these holes will not fly; they will actually make it easier for the top teams, which LA was likely going to play in the first round, to expose them.
Hence, seeing social media lose their minds on the team accomplishing the impossible was fun while it lasted, yet the front office captured the bigger picture and understood that an aging roster was going to do nothing but get dusted by the Western Conference’s upper half.
By the end of it, if no major changes had materialized, this season would have just been another fairytale story in the history books.
That said, actions always speak louder than words. While Tyronn Lue may have anticipated a quiet trade season, the Clippers spoke volumes with their moves for Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin, etc., allowing the truth to narrate itself.