Immediately following Paul George's departure from the LA Clippers, the organization got to work quickly to replace the production that would obviously be lost when George is no longer suiting up with the team next season. What they ended up with was a much more well-rounded, deeper roster that should go a long way toward keeping the Clippers in the playoff race next season.
Of course, everyone is aware of the team's controversial decision to sign former Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. to a two-year deal following his year away from the NBA due to domestic assault charges. Porter will undoubtedly give the Clippers' backcourt a lift, but many had questions about what kind of consideration the team had given before making a signing like this.
Recently, Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was given his first chance to publicly address the situation in a press conference with media. He explained that he and the organization were very aware of the serious nature of Porter's charges.
Lawrence Frank discussed how the Clippers will handle Porter's situation
"First of all, we're obviously very aware of his history," Frank said. "We've studied the case. We don't in any way want to downplay or minimize or condone domestic violence, okay? The allegations are serious and they're disturbing."
After this, Frank went on to explain how the organization took very careful consideration in making the decision to add Porter to their team. "What we did is we hired an outside expert," he said. "We spent a couple days with Kevin, the expert did a very thorough evaluation and based on the expert's recommendations, we decided that it was worth an opportunity for Kevin."
Beyond their preliminary research, Frank also emphasized the importance of a system of accountability for Porter after he officially became a Clipper. "There's a personal development plan that he committed to back in October," explained Frank. "And then we have our own personal development plan that he's committed to and will be held accountable to, and we think based on those facts that positive change is possible and the standards will be high for Kevin."
While some initially thought that the Clippers did not put enough consideration into this move when it was officially announced, it is clear that they made a bold play but have a clear strategy for how they plan to make it work. It will certainly be interesting to see how KPJ's situation plays out as the Clippers begin ramping up for next season.