Although head coach Tyronn Lue changed his starting lineup several times last season, the LA Clippers performed better with Derrick Jones Jr. next to Kawhi Leonard. The alternative adjustment was a three-guard lineup with Kris Dunn, but Jones Jr. spaced the floor better and was an elite defender.
To upgrade from Jones Jr. in the starting lineup will be difficult, but it is a task that must result in an attempt, at the bare minimum, as the Clippers’ depth would increase with him in the second unit. He, Dunn, and Bogdan Bogdanović on the bench would be an elite bench trio.
Furthermore, the goal should be to have these three together and to refrain from trades. In this instance, executive Lawrence Frank must sign the right free agent.
Picking who is right can be tricky, but the key to narrowing down choices is to find the player with the best balance between shooting three-pointers and defending the perimeter. These types of players are always playable and never liabilities, as every game scenario could use their contributions.
That said, the Los Angeles Lakers have Dorian Finney-Smith, who could be a free agent in a few weeks. If he ends up dipping his feet in the water, the Clippers should aim to meet with him on the second free agency doors open up.
The best and most fitting addition the LA Clippers should strive to make is Dorian Finney-Smith from the Los Angeles Lakers
Back when he was a Dallas Maverick, LA Clipper fans knew, based on his playstyle, that Dorian Finney-Smith could transform Tyronn Lue’s game plan. He is an absurd shooter and offensive stopper, which is why the Clippers should want to pay him this offseason.
Last season, for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, shooting 44.8% from the field and 41.1% from three.
Moreover, if all the wide-open playoff attempts from a distance Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. received from the Denver Nuggets went to Finney-Smith, the Clippers would have won. In fact, Dunn and Jones Jr. went a combined 16-48.
Though it is a hypothetical right now, Finney-Smith factually has a better green light from three-point land than Dunn and Jones Jr. The Nuggets survived by leaving these two open, but with the 32-year-old wing, no space would have been permitted.
The Clippers also have the mid-level exception they can maximize by signing Finney-Smith to a fair, two-year deal, if his player-option is declined.