By trading with the Utah Jazz in February, the LA Clippers' front office assumed they had benefited in more ways than one. Veteran forward P.J. Tucker was no longer in LA, a backup center had been discovered in Drew Eubanks, and the luxury tax had been evaded.
Furthermore, the Clippers' assumptions were primarily correct. The front office used the extra cap room to make other acquisitions, and the team was liberated from Tucker on and off the court.
Conversely, LA was heavily mistaken for Eubanks and his abilities to blossom behind star center Ivica Zubac. He is not the player the Clippers thought they landed, and head coach Tyronn Lue has to adjust his lineups to finish the season going into the playoffs.
Moreover, the Clippers thought they had traded for a quality veteran who could block shots and finish off superstar James Harden's creations, similar to Zubac. This is not a major standard for someone who has previously fulfilled these tasks with the Portland Trail Blazers.
After the first couple of games evaluating Eubanks' performances on the Clippers, he seemed vigorous enough to fill in for Zubac. He crashed the glass, hustled with energy, and was efficient down low.
However, Eubanks made a quick 180-degree turn and had gone from a serviceable center to unplayable in the second unit. This is a reignited problem that existed before the trade with Utah.
The LA Clippers' only solution around Drew Eubanks is to play small-ball
When Drew Eubanks substitutes Ivica Zubac on the court, the LA Clippers stumble from inside the paint on both ends. This adds to Zubac's significance and forces Tyronn Lue to play small ball rather than utilize Eubanks.
Through five games in March, Eubanks has averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds, shooting 43.8% from the floor in 10.0 minutes. These numbers are horrific, and to add insult to injury, the veteran big has posted a net rating of -14.6.
For context, Zubac's net rating in March thus far is 10.1 in 37.9 minutes per game.
The difference in minutes is massive, and it shows how much weaker the Clippers are with Eubanks running the center duties.
Lue's only alternatives at this point are to play small with Nicolas Batum or Ben Simmons backing up Zubac. This is not the best strategy heading into the postseason, but it is the best, considering the disappointment behind Eubanks' performances.