With three trades that were made, the LA Clippers’ depth chart has changed quite a bit. Both the backcourt and front court rotations gained and lost a few names, and when the Clippers are fully healthy, they will look like a new team than before.
Therefore, to succeed and turn a play-in spot into a playoff seeding, Tyronn Lue will have to find the exact count of minutes to distribute among the depth chart. Everything is fresh for him, yet with the Portland Trail Blazers, the tenth seed, just half a game back from the Clippers, there is very little room for error.
Projected Clippers’ depth chart (* - injured)
Point Guard: Darius Garland*, Kris Dunn, TyTy Washington Jr.
Shooting Guard: Bennedict Mathurin, Kobe Sanders, Cam Christie, Bogdan Bogdanovic
Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., Jordan Miller
Power Forward: John Collins, Nicolas Batum
Center: Brook Lopez, Isaiah Jackson, Yanic Konan Niederhauser
Injured Reserve: Bradley Beal
The Clippers switched up roster in a few key ways
The only move expected but not guaranteed due to interest around the league was Chris Paul. As the LA Clippers needed to clear roster space for Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders, Paul was the target the front office had to move, and they did just that.
However, Lawrence Frank saw two opportunities that were too good to pass up involving James Harden and Ivica Zubac, and rightfully so, he snagged them, knowing that circumstances may change in the offseason.
Therefore, Harden’s spot on the depth chart was taken by Darius Garland, who will look to meet the same standard, and Brook Lopez was bumped up as the starting five-man, given Zubac has switched residences to Indiana.
The bench, specifically the center position, is subject to change, with Yanic Konan Niederhauser possibly moving up in the lineup, but for now, the go-to option is Isaiah Jackson; the one who has played better this year, with more experience, is still relatively young.
Additionally, the Clippers grabbed a hold of one of the best rising stars at shooting guard in the league with Bennedict Mathurin. He will be of immediate help and lead the way for the two guards.
That said, there is a new-look Clippers team that will finish the year out. The front office made several of the right decisions at the deadline and is ultimately optimistic that each will help LA win out of the play-in tournament.