Many consider the Los Angeles Clippers as the deepest team on paper this season. Their performance thus far, however, has not exactly given credence to that. In fact, they currently carry a 25-24 win-loss record. That's not even the best in their own division. It's actually good enough to put them in sixth place in the entire Western Conference. This surely means there are things to fix or address. That said, here we will look at the nightmare scenario that the Clippers don't want to happen as we close in on the 2023 NBA trade deadline.

Looking ahead to the trade deadline, coach Tyron Lue and his Clippers can try packaging an asset or two in exchange for potential upgrades in certain spots. They can also make some moves to address their luxury tax situation.

The Clippers' acquisition of Robert Covington and Norman Powell in February of 2022 demonstrates their ability to improve their roster despite financial constraints and limited draft assets. Right now, they have a $9.7 million trade exception and nine players with contracts ranging from $3.4 million to $16.8 million. The team also has a first-round pick in either 2028 or 2029 and six second-round picks.

However, using the trade exception would increase their luxury tax penalty from $144.7 to $199.9 million. The front office must determine if they want to roll with this current roster or not. When healthy, they can certainly contend for a championship. That said, this team also needs upgrades at both the backup center and point guard positions. They can perhaps look at guys like Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, or even Fred VanVleet. In exchange, maybe the Clippers can put a first-round pick and up to six second-round picks on the table.

Now let's look at the Clippers' nightmare scenario for the 2023 NBA trade deadline.

Clippers fail to move Robert Covington and Luke Kennard

The Clippers do have a history and expectation of making moves at the trade deadline. Team Governor Steve Ballmer's his front office, in particular, is known for taking action, rather than being passive. Additionally, the Clippers face a high level of pressure to succeed this year. Keep in mind that this is now year four of the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combo in Los Angeles. Honestly, that pairing has yet to fully live up to expectations.

Despite the team's strong performance when both stars are playing, their limited time on the court together and the team's underperforming depth players make it hard to maintain a positive outlook. As we've already mentioned, the team is currently hovering around .500. They also have a bottom-five offense that has not significantly improved much this season.

It's interesting to think back to months ago when many thought the Clippers hardly had any weaknesses. Now, however, it's clear they have at least a couple of areas that need improvement. One possible move is to upgrade their point guard position by replacing Reggie Jackson and/or John Wall with a more experienced and stable option. Additionally, they need to strengthen their frontcourt by finding a backup center to play behind Ivica Zubac. They could also benefit from adding another wing player who is more impactful than Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, and Amir Coffey.

The team could make a significant move by trading their first-round pick in 2028 or 2029. This raises the question of whether the team is good enough to give up such a valuable asset. However, the more pressing concern is that the Clippers need to act. A title run is what they are built for, and it is too late to change course now.

Since Robert Covington has already left the rotation, he serves as their main trade asset. And if he could be exchanged for someone a bit bigger, the Clippers should take it into consideration. The only center on the squad with more than 200 minutes this year is Zubac. While the team does play more positionless basketball while he is out and wins those minutes, having more depth for a playoff battle against someone like Denver's Nikola Jokic or Phoenix's Deandre Ayton wouldn't hurt.

Additionally, they could be able to get a crucial veteran guard through Luke Kennard or possibly even Coffey. A healthy Luke Kennard is valuable to the team, but they could use someone who can provide a similar level of three-point shooting while being stronger defensively.

Retaining Covington, Kennard, and Coffey will not improve the Clippers' playoff chances. This also means the team will miss out on the chance to upgrade the team's depth and experience. Furthermore, the Clippers would continue to face a significant luxury tax penalty.