2 Clippers who earned untouchable status, 2 who could be cut loose
By Will Eudy
Could be cut loose: P.J. Tucker
Headed into the year, the Clippers were well-prepared to run it back with their core of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook. When the front office opted to take a swing for the fences and acquire James Harden in a trade with Philadelphia, it obviously changed everything. LA was forced to make adjustments on the fly and figure out where certain guys would fit best, including the two new players now on their roster.
The other new player the Clippers added alongside Harden was P.J. Tucker. When Clippers fans saw his name included in the trade, there was some deserved optimism. Many thought he would be a big help to this team, and those thoughts were warranted given his track record. Tucker has played on multiple high-level playoff teams, including the 2018-2020 Rockets, 2022 Heat, 2023 76ers, as well as the 2021 Bucks that won a championship.
His physicality and timely shot-making in the playoffs are big parts of what makes him so effective. But unfortunately, P.J. never really got to the level that he is used to with the Clippers this past season. He got on the court for a career-low 15.0 minutes per game, and shot just 35.6% from the floor as a whole. His age appeared to be taking a bit of a toll on him, and his status for the future is certainly up in the air.