The Los Angeles Clippers are set to be one of the most exciting teams in the NBA next season. The franchise had a solid year last season despite missing Kawhi Leonard for the entire year and Paul George for all but 31 games. Even while being without their two top stars, the Clippers still managed to secure a winning record. Their 42-40 punched their ticket to the play-in game but were unable to advance. A positive Covid test from Paul George sealed the team's fate and they were sent home by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Expectations will be greatly changed for the Clippers in the upcoming season. A full year with George and Leonard healthy is sure to launch them into the category of true contenders. They also made news by adding John Wall during free agency. The five-time All-Star has had a rocky stretch but is looking to turn his career around. Wall has played just 40 games across the last three seasons. In his prime, he was one of the best players in the NBA. While it is unlikely the 31-year-old will reach this type of production, he seems hungry to get on the court. Adding him to the current core makes him an exciting X-factor for the upcoming season.
John Wall already putting in work at the Clippers facility 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/SDH3YBHu3j
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 1, 2022
In addition to adding John Wall, the Clippers also brought back Nic Batum and Amir Coffee. Each player has proved to be a positive rotation player and will be welcomed back into the organization. The offseason is not over and the Clippers could still work to improve their lineup. Here are two moves the franchise would benefit from to complete the offseason.
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2 moves Clippers still must make after first weekend of 2022 NBA free agency
Sign Hassan Whiteside
The one notable loss for the Clippers this offseason has been Isaiah Hartenstein. The 24-year-old was a productive member of the Clippers bench last year and competed for minutes with Ivica Zubac. In 17.9 minutes per game, Hartenstein averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks. His strong play earned him a two-year $16 million deal with the New York Knicks.
While the backup center may typically be an overlooked position, Hartenstein brought a great deal of production in his limited minutes. The Clippers must find a high-quality backup and they should take a serious look at Hassan Whiteside. The two-time block champion has bounced around since his best days with the Miami Heat. Whiteside spent last season with the Utah Jazz where he served as Rudy Gobert's primary backup.
He may not be the starting-caliber big he once was, but Whiteside could still be an impactful backup. He is not be the passer Hartenstein has proven to be, but Whiteside is a high-level rebounder and elite shot-blocker. In the 17.9 minutes per game he averaged last season, Whiteside produced 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. His 15.3 rebounds per 36 minutes ranked 4th across the entire NBA. He would be a seamless plug-and-play backup big man and has some interesting additional assets that would be useful on the Clippers.
Extend Reggie Jackson
While Leonard and George have been on the sidelines, Reggie Jackson has served as the focal point of the Clippers' offense. The 32-year-old has gone through a career revival in Los Angeles and made the team better as a result. Jackson had a great season last year averaging 16.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds. He had a drop-off in his shooting production but made a positive impact on the team nonetheless.
Ty Lue and the Clippers helped revive the careers of Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum, because they put them in positions to succeed.
Surrounding John Wall with the shooting this team has… could do something similar.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) June 28, 2022
Jackson will head into the 2022-23 season in the final year of his contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent after cashing in on the final $11.2 million on his deal. The veteran guard has been a key part of the Clippers over the past three seasons and has spoken on his desire to remain in Los Angeles. While the addition of Wall may change the situation some, Jackson has proven his value to the team. His ball-handling and shot creation will still be useful even in a more minimized role. Rewarding Jackson with a long-term deal would be best for both sides and set the organization in the right direction moving forward.
There are still bound to be several notable trades around the NBA, but the Clippers should be content staying away. Their main improvement will occur from the roster getting healthy. A full season with Leonard and George drastically changes the outlook of the team. Allowing the rest of the roster to learn to play alongside them must now be the priority and adding new faces will not help with this. Expectations are sure to be raised this season and expect the Clippers to be ready to compete on the biggest stage.
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