The Los Angeles Clippers are surging into the brand new yr. The Clippers enter the week using the NBA’s longest profitable streak at 4 video games after demolishing the Jap Convention-leading Detroit Pistons on Sunday evening behind a virtuoso efficiency from Kawhi Leonard. There’s just one drawback: LA was so dangerous earlier than this little profitable streak that it nonetheless stays close to the underside of the league, sitting with the fifth-worst report within the NBA regardless of owing their unprotected first-round draft decide to the reigning champion Thunder from the doomed Paul George commerce.
The Clippers had been speculated to be fairly good this yr if not precisely a championship contender. I had Los Angeles at No. 9 in my preseason energy rankings, betting that they improved their depth sufficient to offset the lack of Norm Powell whereas believing veteran superstars Leonard and James Harden nonetheless had sufficient gasoline within the tank to maintain All-Star degree play. What I didn’t envision was the Clippers’ protection utterly falling aside, dropping from No. 3 in staff defensive ranking final season to No. 26 to date this yr. Leonard and Harden have each been excellent, nevertheless it hasn’t mattered when the protection is totally incapable of getting stops.
To say the Clippers are in a troublesome spot each now and sooner or later is placing it mildly. They don’t management their first spherical decide till 2030, with their 2026 decide going outright to OKC, 2027 owed to OKC in a swap, 2028 owed unprotected to the Philadelphia 76ers, and 2029 swap rights owed to the Sixers. Los Angeles’ plan gave the impression to be to compete in 2026 and 2027, then attempt to land a brand new franchise star in 2027 free company when everybody however Ivica Zubac comes off the books they usually have max cap area.
Clearly, this staff isn’t competing for something at 10-21 total proper now, and an ageing roster ought to solely be worse subsequent season. In some unspecified time in the future, the Clippers should come to grips with actuality and understand that even when they’ll sneak into the ultimate spot of the Western Convention play-in race forward of Portland and Dallas, the grand prize on the finish is getting crushed by the Thunder within the first-round. As an alternative, the Clippers needs to be sending the highlights of Leonard’s 55-point masterpiece in opposition to the Pistons to each different staff within the league to see if they’ll discover any commerce suitors.
The massive names on the NBA commerce block are effectively referred to as the calendar flips to 2026. The Mavericks would in all probability transfer Anthony Davis for the suitable value, and the identical goes for the Pelicans and Zion Williamson, the Hawks and Trae Younger, the Grizzlies and Ja Morant, and the Kings and anybody on the roster. It nonetheless isn’t onerous to examine a state of affairs the place Leonard is essentially the most interesting identify on the commerce block, particularly with Mavs possession reportedly now questioning whether or not they actually need to promote low on Davis.
Why would any staff need Leonard, an injury-prone 34-year-old who’s hardly ever accessible and is famously onerous to work with? I can assume of some causes:
- A staff buying and selling for Kawhi now would get two playoff runs with him earlier than his contract expires
- He has a $50.3 million expiring contract subsequent yr that may very well be used as a commerce piece or to reset the books
- He’s nonetheless the most effective “two-way” candidate on the potential commerce market with dominant mid-range scoring, knockdown taking pictures, and traces of his former Defensive Participant of the Yr self even when he can’t summon it each possession at this age.
Kawhi charges within the 97th percentile of offense and 63rd percentile of protection this yr, in keeping with EPM. He’s performed 21 out of 31 video games to date, making this one among his extra dependable seasons. You may make an All-NBA case for him even when the Clippers are so dangerous that it’ll by no means occur.
The one drawback is that it’s onerous to discover a deal that will enable the Clippers to take care of their 2027 max cap area whereas additionally matching Leonard’s wage and becoming into the apron guidelines. On the similar time, the chance to truly add draft picks needs to be attractive to LA even when it requires extra work to get its cap area again.
In fact I’ve a faux commerce for you, and it’s a diabolical one:
This commerce would carry Leonard again to the Raptors the place he received the 2019 NBA championship, and in addition give Toronto a viable backup massive man they desperately want in Brook Lopez. It prices an unprotected 2027 first-round decide and a swap in 2029, however the Raptors can speak themselves right into a Kawhi deal giving them a puncher’s probability in a weak East. Hey, it labored out nice the primary time.
As a lot as I’m tempted to observe this with a faux Kawhi commerce to the Spurs, I simply don’t see San Antonio doing that the way in which it’s rolling proper now. So right here’s one other concept:
The Lakers deciding to commerce Austin Reaves for Kawhi can be an extremely daring transfer simply due to the seven-year age distinction. On the similar time, the Lakers must ask themselves in the event that they actually need to give Reaves an enormous contract in free company this summer time when he’s at all times going to have defensive points subsequent to Luka Doncic. I actually wouldn’t do that one because the Lakers, nevertheless it’s enjoyable to consider.
The Pistons are main the East, they usually simply noticed how nice Kawhi nonetheless is with the double-nickel he simply dropped on them. Robinson’s wage is just assured for $2 million after subsequent season, and Harris is expiring after this yr, so this is able to preserve the Clippers’ 2027 cap area so as. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Leonard with out giving up Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, or Jaden Ivey seems like an important deal for Detroit.
There will likely be pushback from individuals who say Leonard received’t need to play for one more franchise outdoors of LA. Too dangerous: he’s paid some huge cash to play basketball, and he doesn’t have a say within the matter with a no-trade clause. Leonard didn’t need to play for Toronto both forward of the 2018-19 season, and his efficiency that yr would be the defining a part of his legacy.
A Kawhi commerce makes the Clippers extra probably to surrender a excessive decide to the Thunder this yr, however they shouldn’t be worrying about what’s already a sunk value. At this level, the Clippers want to comprehend the Kawhi period is already over by way of a aggressive window, and attempt to squeeze some future belongings out of him to assist construct their subsequent contender.
With the Aspiration scandal nonetheless hanging over them and an actual playoff run firmly out of attain, now’s the time for the Clippers to lastly get out of the Kawhi enterprise and prioritize their future. He can nonetheless assist one other staff attempt to win a championship, however that staff certain as hell isn’t the Clippers.
