The Los Angeles Clippers appear prepared to enter the fifth year of the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George pairing in what is likely one last hurrah at an NBA Championship. As it stands, the team doesn't have many options to improve their roster.
For the most part, the improvements to the Clippers' roster will come on the margins, whether it be veteran free agent additions on the minimum or trades with some of their moveable contracts like the ones below as well as a few upcoming picks they could look to deal as well:
• Marcus Morris: 1-year, $17.1 million
• Eric Gordon: 1-year, $20.9 million
• Robert Covington: 1-year, $11.6 million
• Norman Powell: 3-years, $57.7 million
• Eric Gordon: 1-year, 20.9 million (non-guaranteed, guarantee date is June 28th)
• $2.13 million trade exception from Reggie Jackson trade
• Two 2024 second round picks
• 2027 first round pick (swap)
• 2027 second round pick
• 2028 first round pick
Most of the players listed below could probably be available and would be relatively easy to create a trade for. That's not to say all of the guys are available, but they would be able help the Clippers improve on the margins without costing too much.
With free agency set to begin in a few days, it appears as if the Clippers are hoping to re-sign Russell Westbrook and run it back with the same team that ended last season — minus one or two pieces depending on who they inevitably trade. They already need to shore up the power forward spot, so the point guard position will be another to potentially improve if Russell Westbrook does not end up returning.
With that, here are five players the Clippers can pursue on the trade market:
*Note: these players are not listed or ranked in any specific way. These are not listed as best to worst or vice versa, simply options the Clippers can look at.
Kenyon Martin Jr. – SF/PF – 22 Years Old – Houston Rockets
2023-24: $1.9 million – Team Option
2024-25: Unrestricted Free Agent
Houston Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr., who also goes by KJ Martin and is the son of former Clippers big man Kenyon Martin, is entering the final year of his deal with the Houston Rockets.
Houston has a lot of redundancy on their roster at the forward position, with guys like Jabari Smith, Jae'Sean Tate, and Tari Eason already on last year's team and two 6-foot-7 forwards in Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore coming in from this year's NBA Draft. Of those players, Kenyon Martin Jr. is the only one set to become an expiring contract, and it would make a lot of sense for the Rockets to get something back for him as they continue their youth movement.
Yahoo Sports recently reported that the Rockets have engaged in trade talks for Kenyon Martin Jr., and the Clippers should pounce if he's available. Houston has the ability to eat up cap space this summer — not that they have any reason to — so sending Marcus Morris Sr. would be a good starting point for LA. The Clippers also have a number of picks they could use to send and thank Houston for giving them a usable player for Morris.
Martin played the small forward and power forward spots for the Rockets, but shot just 31.5 percent from three this season. He was a 37 percent three-point shooter in his rookie year and a 36 percent three-point shooter last year, so there is certainly some potential for him as a floor spacer. Additionally, Martin was among the league's best offensive rebounds for his position, and offers some upside as a guy who can attack closeouts.
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Obi Toppin – PF – 25 Years Old – New York Knicks
2023-24: $6.8 million
2024: Restricted Free Agent
Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks is an intriguing option for the Clippers at power forward. Like Kenyon Martin Jr., he doesn't necessarily shoot the three-ball all that well, but can attack closeouts and finish around the rim. One of the main things the Clippers need this offseason is athleticism as they've looked very old the last two years.
Toppin wants an opportunity to play, and doesn't really have that playing behind Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jericho Sims. Heck, the Knicks even played RJ Barrett and Josh Hart at power forward at times after acquiring him, and Hart has reportedly agreed to a contract extension with New York.
Obi Toppin averaged just 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.4 percent from three in 15.7 minutes per game this season. To end the season, he had a 32-point, 6-assist game and a 34-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist game in a three-game span.
With Barrett's rookie extension kicking in this upcoming offseason and a number of key guys ahead of him in the rotation already locked in, the Knicks could look to acquire some assets for Obi Toppin.
There were reports that the Clippers and Knicks were engaged on a potential trade involving star Paul George, but those seemed to die down quickly. Maybe those could be a part of a bigger deal again or maybe it's just a minor move for both to get the Clippers depth and the Knicks flexibility.
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Spencer Dinwiddie – PG – 30 Years Old – Brooklyn Nets
2023-24: 18.9 million
2024-25: Unrestricted Free Agent
If Russell Westbrook elects not to re-sign with LA, the Clippers will surely feel his absence. To try and make up for it, they could pursue Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie is a guy who has been linked to the Clippers over the last few years, mostly because they've been searching for a point guard and because of his connection to Los Angeles.
Dinwiddie is also a player on an expiring deal. Over the last few weeks, the Nets have been linked to Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard as a potential trade destination. While everyone waits to see what Lillard wants, the Clippers could use a player like Spencer Dinwiddie in a deal that gets them off of one of their expiring forwards.
Again, the Clippers could attach any combination of picks and/or young players to make a potential deal work. Dinwiddie has been on four different teams in a span of three years, going from Brooklyn to Washington to Dallas and back to Brooklyn in the Kyrie Irving trade. Last season, Spencer Dinwiddie averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 36.9 percent from three.
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Monte Morris – PG – 28 Years Old – Washington Wizards
2023-24: $9.8 million
2024-25: Unrestricted Free Agent
Monte Morris is another very solid point guard that could find himself available in the trade market. The Washington Wizards are on full fire-sale mode, and having just acquired both Jordan Poole from the Golden State Warriors and Tyus Jones from the Memphis Grizzlies, there's a good chance Monte Morris will be on the move.
The Wizards also drafted 6-foot-6 forward Bilal Coulibaly, and with Deni Avdija already on the roster, Washington is expected to prioritize their new pieces and youth.
Monte Morris is not a flashy point guard by any stretch, probably won't average more than 10-13 points a game, but he'll give you solid three-point shooting and a high assist-to-turnover ratio. In fact, Morris has the second best assist-to-turnover ratio among active players in the NBA behind new teammate Tyus Jones, minimum 300 games played.
Best AST/TOV ratio by an active player (minimum 300 games):
5.27 — Tyus Jones
4.92 — Monte Morris
3.98 — Chris Paul
3.27 — Delon WrightThey all play for the same team. pic.twitter.com/ZmuMrrraUa
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 22, 2023
Morris averaged 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 48.4 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent from three with the Denver Nuggets during the 2021-22 season that saw Jamal Murray out due to ACL recovery. Morris was traded to the Wizards, where he averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 48 percent shooting from the field and 38.2 percent from three.
Morris easily feels like the best point guard trade option the Clippers could have if they strike out on re-signing Russell Westbrook.
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Terry Rozier – PG – 29 Years Old – Charlotte Hornets
2023-24: $23.2 million
2024-25: 24.9 million
2025-26: 26.6 million (partially guaranteed)
2026-27: Unrestricted free agent
Last but not least, we have a guy who has been linked to the Clippers ever since he arrived in Charlotte: Hornets guard Terry Rozier. Rozier is signed through the next three years with a partial guarantee in the third season. The also plays for a team that might be ready to fully embrace the youth movement with LaMelo Ball and No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller.
Terry Rozier has been a solid scorer for the Hornets since arriving there in 2019. He's at just under 20 points per game over his 268 game tenure with the Hornets, including a career-high 21.1 points and 5.1 assists with them this past season. Not only that, but Rozier is a career 37 percent three-point shooter, including 37.3 percent as a member of the Hornets.
The cherry on top: 29-year old Terry Rozier has played in 268 of a possible 301 regular season games with the Hornets. That's 89 percent of the games, including the two COVID-19 riddled NBA seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Terry Rozier would be a great fit on this Clippers team, probably doesn't *need* a significant role after being a bad team for so long, and the Hornets would probably love to unload his contract as they prepare to pay some of the other guys on their roster.
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