LOS ANGELES — Paul George, James Harden, and the Los Angeles Clippers are preparing for what's expected to be a quiet NBA trade deadline on their front, with the potential exception being PJ Tucker.
With the 3 p.m. ET Thursday deadline looming, any number of trades could happen around the league as teams look to bolster their rosters for the NBA Playoffs or prepare for the offseason. The Clippers made their big trade, acquiring James Harden in late October 2023.
Since trading for Harden, the Clippers have not been linked to any trade scenarios that reached the final stages. The one player who has requested a trade, however, is PJ Tucker.
Tucker told ClutchPoints that while it has been great being on this Clippers team with the run that they’ve been able to make, the 38-year-old’s stance hasn’t changed from a few months ago: he would like a trade to a potential NBA championship contender where he can also play significant minutes.
PJ Tucker says it’s been great being on this Clippers team with the run that they’ve been able to make, but the 38-year old’s stance hasn’t changed from when we spoke a few months ago:
He wants a trade and an opportunity to play on a contending team.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 8, 2024
The 2021 NBA champion spoke with ClutchPoints after falling out of the team's rotation in December and said he was hoping to be traded.
“I feel like I still got a lot to contribute to a team to be able to win, whether that's here or somewhere else,” PJ Tucker told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “I know myself, my worth. I know what I bring. I know what I've brought. I know what I can continue to bring. And with that, I want to be able to go to a good team that I can be able to help that.”
Will Clippers trade PJ Tucker?
Ahead of this year's trade deadline, Paul George says there are no distractions with the trade deadline almost here.
“I mean, I think just the group is focused,” George said following Wednesday night's loss against the New Orleans Pelicans. “We're just focused on moving forward. That's different, more so than the other years. We're honestly not looking to make any moves. I don't think that we are looking in this locker room thinking where can we get better? We know we have enough to win right now and, so, yeah, I don't think anyone's nervous or worried about their positioning spot here. I think we're in a good place with a great locker room.”
PJ Tucker, who has been a teammate of James Harden's for years now, is someone Harden is hoping remains past the deadline to help win a championship.
“PJ brings leadership depending on what happens after tomorrow,” James Harden added after the Pelicans loss. “Tomorrow, if he's here, get locked in and be a part of this as far as, I mean, being in the rotation because he’s a game changer.”
It remains to be seen what the Clippers have in store for their trade deadline, but there's a decent chance Tucker, who has an $11.5 million player option for the 2024-25 season, remains with the team.
“[Being a good vet] is valuable to any team,” Tucker explained to ClutchPoints in December. “Not just to be able to talk it but to be able to show it and to know how and to be able to line up with guys and show them how it's done, how to do it. But at the same time, without a doubt, I mean, I was a 30-minute game starter for the last I don't know how many years. To go from that to in the same season, not playing at all… It's everything.”
Tucker, a 13-year NBA veteran, has averaged 1.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game this season. He only made 12 appearances before being relegated to a permanent bench role.
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