4 Under-the-radar potential trade targets for Clippers
By Will Eudy
3. Royce O'Neale
Beginning his professional career overseas in 2015, Royce O'Neale made his way to the NBA in 2017 when the Utah Jazz signed him in the offseason. He would remain in Salt Lake City for the first five seasons of his professional career until his trade to Brooklyn in June 2022, where he remains a solid role player.
After starting for most of the last four seasons, O'Neale has largely been coming off the bench this year for the Nets. Following his great 2022-23 season in which he averaged 8.8 points and even recorded a triple double, O'Neale has taken a slight step back.
Additionally, his team is not exactly in a position to contend. The Nets currently sit at ninth in the Eastern Conference. If Brooklyn decides to go the route of rebuilding and becomes a seller, Royce O'Neale would likely become a player on the move.
Should the Clippers opt to make a play for O'Neale, they would do it with the understanding that he would not be going back to his old starting role. Instead, he would add more depth to the bench and give Head Coach Tyronn Lue one more three-and-D player to work with once he breaks the rotation.