The Los Angeles Clippers know that time is running out on their Kawhi Leonard-Paul George core. Leonard and George have been injury-prone over the past few seasons and they're not getting any younger, making it of utmost importance for the Clippers front office to find the right championship formula sooner than later.
The Clippers' decisions during the night of the 2023 NBA Draft certainly point to the fact that they're aiming to get quality contributors for cheap as soon as possible. They ended up drafting two of the oldest players in the draft class, which means that they're prioritizing NBA-readiness over whatever potential a prospect may have possessed.
This could also mean that trades could be coming for the Clippers; Eric Gordon's contract for the 2023-24 season will be fully guaranteed on June 28, so perhaps there could be a deal in the making built off of what essentially can be a salary dump for another team. Marcus Morris Sr.'s presence on the trade block is no secret as well, as he was almost dealt to the Washington Wizards in a trade that would have brought Malcolm Brogdon in return.
The Clippers should be active on the trade front due to their preponderance of mid-sized contracts on their books. However, due to this, their cap sheet is clogged as well, which should very well prevent them from being major players in free agency.
Still, despite their limited means, here are three free agents the Clippers must target when NBA free agency kicks off in July.
Russell Westbrook
Ah yes, the conundrum that is Russell Westbrook. Sure, he's no longer the player he was back in his prime. In fact, it's not even close. But even amid all the criticism Westbrook has received, particularly over the past two seasons, he remains a quality contributor in the right setting — and there may not be a more ideal place for the 2017 NBA MVP to continue playing at a high level than with the Clippers.
Westbrook, after signing with the Clippers, became rejuvenated, playing more like his old self given how much more suited the personnel was around him to bringing out his best. The Clippers were able to surround Westbrook with plenty of shooters as well as a rim-running big in either Ivica Zubac or Mason Plumlee, enabling him to do what he does best: attack the rim and dish the rock to teammates who become open due to the pressure he puts on the rim.
Russell Westbrook is also a workload sponge — an invaluable kind of player more so for the Clippers organization due to how often Kawhi Leonard and Paul George miss games. As Westbrook proved in the 2023 NBA playoffs, he still has a lot left in the tank, even though his low points were still tough to watch.
Westbrook, at the very least, won over Clippers fans for his durability — for showing up when his two star teammates weren't able to. That alone is worth a lot to the Clippers organization. Alas, they will have difficulties keeping Westbrook. Since he was just a signing off the buyout market, the Clippers won't have his Bird rights, limiting the value of the contract they could offer him.
Nevertheless, with Westbrook being settled at home in LA, he may very well give the Clippers a discount in free agency. And both parties should be better off because of it.
Mason Plumlee
For much of the 2022-23 season, the Clippers had a glaring hole on their roster at backup center. This came as a result of their decision to pursue John Wall instead of keeping Isaiah Hartenstein. The Clippers ended up struggling on the glass every time Ivica Zubac needed a breather, so they even had to rely on Moses Brown — a fringe NBA center — to soak up those minutes just so they won't hemorrhage points in the paint.
It became imperative for the Clippers to patch up that hole in their roster. Enter Mason Plumlee. Plumlee proved valuable to the Clippers, giving them another solid presence in the paint, not to mention someone who can also dish the rock. Yes, there were times when Plumlee tried to do too much. He loved bringing the ball down the court, and it sometimes resulted in ugly turnovers. But Plumlee became valuable insurance for when Zubac found himself in foul trouble.
The good thing for the Clippers is that they own Mason Plumlee's Bird rights, as they acquired him via trade. Thus, keeping him in LA should only come down to the organization's willingness to spend — and under Steve Ballmer's watch, they have never skimped on costs.
Derrick Jones Jr.
Clippers fans are clamoring for their team to acquire quicker, younger, and overall more athletic players. Derrick Jones Jr. certainly fits that bill. Jones is a former NBA Slam Dunk champion after all.
Jones may not be what the Clippers organization is looking for in a combo forward. The Clippers love acquiring players who can stroke it from deep from that position, and Jones is a career 30.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc.
But Derrick Jones Jr. gives the Clippers another lob threat and an athletic presence who can fly around the perimeter on defense. At the very least, he should give the Clippers another dimension on either end of the floor instead of acquiring a player in the same mold as a Robert Covington or Nicolas Batum.
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