At the trade deadline, every fan of every team hopes a star is acquired. The bigger names typically hold most of the market's attention, and in 2025, it was Luka Doncic, moving from Texas to California, followed by players like Brandon Ingram and Jimmy Butler, who each swapped conferences.
However, players on the other side of the spectrum, who do not receive as much love from the media, can sometimes be more impactful than a star, as some who are paid high-end money have aspects of their game or mindset that lead to disappointing results.
Furthermore, the Clippers made a smart, bargained trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Bogdan Bogdanović. He may have struggled in the playoffs, but Bogdanović was a great addition, as LA would have faced numerous losses if the Serbian star had not gone on an unprecedented hot streak.
At the 2026 deadline, the Clippers should aim to replicate what was done with Bogdanović, offering minimal assets and reserves for a player on a team-friendly contract who can produce.
There are not many players in this situation, but one who is often overlooked, despite the spotlight surrounding Al Horford and Jonathan Kuminga on the Golden State Warriors, is Moses Moody.
The perfect buy-low 2026 trade deadline target for the LA Clippers exists on one of their biggest rivals in the NBA
Jonathan Kuminga and his contract negotiations are what all fans of the NBA community see when the Golden State Warriors are mentioned on social media. This has also had an impact on the signing of Al Horford, a valuable center who is reportedly interested in signing with Golden State but remains jobless.
Though Moses Moody is currently being overlooked, the LA Clippers should be precise in their ways to trade for him at the deadline. He signed a rookie-contract extension in 2024, and at 23 years old, Moody would be an excellent, nearly always available piece that can effectively shoot from different distances.
In 2024-25, Moody averaged 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds, shooting 43.3% from the floor and 37.4% from a distance. Additionally, he achieved this in 22.3 minutes, and in the playoffs, he played less, at 16.1 minutes, yet still recorded 7.1 points per game.
Nonetheless, Moody is the perfect target to buy low on at the deadline, as the Warriors may accept a few second-round picks from the Clippers for his talents, which would undoubtedly help LA piece together a similar championship run to the one they had in 2022.