Since last season’s trade deadline, the LA Clippers’ front office has shown a trend of giving players what they want in the event of a request to leave. Examples include James Harden being sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kawhi Leonard’s move to the Toronto Raptors (still pending), both of which the stars wanted. It may have taken some negotiating, and they may have had to secure a sufficient return, but the Clippers got it done anyway.
Well, the same could happen with Derrick Jones Jr. On the “Third Apron,” Tomer Azarly, a credible beat writer for the Clippers, joined Yossi Gozlan and mentioned that if Jones Jr.’s camp asks out, the front office will “try to get them where they want to go.”
And, in the event Jones Jr. feels like another situation may be better for him, he won’t be blamed. The Clippers are in an extremely awkward spot, and the 29-year-old is in the midst of the best years of his career.
Derrick Jones Jr. earned the level of respect he’s receiving from the LA Clippers
For most players who have come through the LA Clippers’ organization, if trade talks happen, the front office sends them to the team offering the best return package. This is the right decision, as the league is a business at the end of the day, and the team has to look out for what benefits them.
With Derrick Jones Jr., though, it’s easy to see why that’s not necessarily the case. Sure, Jones Jr. is a role player, but he has done a lot for the Clippers since making his arrival two summers ago.
He is among the rare breed of players who never complain, are willing to go above and beyond for the team, and show up ready to play, whether that’s in his typical role or something significantly more.
Jones Jr. is simply the perfect guy to have on your team, and it’s genuinely a luxury that he’s with the Clippers on one of the best contracts in the league ($10 million annually).
That said, when taking everything into account, Jones Jr. deserves to get sent wherever he would like, if he decides somewhere else is the best fit for him and his future.
This isn't to say the Clippers will only prioritize his wants, but they will do their part to try and make ends meet.
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