One of the root causes of failure is a hasty demeanor, and the LA Clippers witnessed their rushed mentality turn into a stinging, lingering feeling of pain when Chris Paul was sent home. Lawrence Frank saw the timeline in history, the Hall-of-Fame career, and Paul's ventures to the NBA Finals, that he overlooked a night-and-day better option in De’Anthony Melton.
Paul was signed on July 21st, and Melton was signed on October 1st, both on contracts worth roughly the same annually: $2-3.5 million.
Do not worry, the Clippers were not the only team that fumbled. The Philadelphia 76ers signed 39-year-old Kyle Lowry on July 7th, but at least he is still available as a fan favorite and a crucial mentor for Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecomb.
The Clippers' error was levels worse, as Paul is at home, discarded by the team, with the Clippers antsy to fill his roster spot with Jordan Miller or Kobe Sanders. Had Lawrence Frank just waited for Melton to recover from a torn ACL, LA’s bench would have been led by a potential sixth man of the year finalist.
De’Anthony Melton has been starring for the Golden State Warriors as of late
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler should thank the Golden State Warriors for playing chess, not checkers. The LA Clippers got lost in the relieving feeling of making the headlines for good reason by signing Chris Paul, and they missed out on the best discount guard in free agency: De’Anthony Melton.
He has outplayed almost every guard of his stature. Paul was escorted away from the Clippers on a road trip, Malcolm Brogdon retired before even playing for the New York Knicks, Kyle Lowry is a vocal leader for the Philadelphia 76ers, and D’Angelo Russell has underperformed terribly for the Dallas Mavericks.
There is a major difference in impact, as Melton, in 18 games, has averaged 11.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 20.7 minutes. If he plays 47 more games, the Warriors’ fanbase will righteously push for the former second-round pick to win the 2026 Sixth Man of the Year.
Additionally, Melton in January has averaged 15.1 points, shooting 50.0% from the field and 43.5% from beyond the arc. He has been a major factor in the Warriors’ 6-2 record in the new year.
That said, the Clippers made a horrifying mistake. The front office prioritized a dream ending with Paul over a logically better fit in Melton, and the price is being paid with no viable guard aiding James Harden in the second unit.