Paul George heading to the Philadelphia 76ers meant that the Los Angeles Clippers lost depth at the wings. While James Harden and Russell Westbrook are still there, both of these other stars cannot handle the more athletic players in that position. Surely, the new member of Joel Embiid's squad is valued as a better player than guys like Amir Coffey and Terance Mann. So, how will Tyronn Lue and the Kawhi Leonard-led squad plan to solve these issues?
The Paul George void
Kawhi Leonard is now left as the only star on the Clippers' wings after Paul George's move to the 76ers. While a lot of stars would be hitting the panic button, the star forward had no interest in doing any of that. Instead, he had full trust in Tyronn Lue and the rest of the front office to figure it out. When asked about the situation and the void of leadership that the big exit left, the Clippers superstar had a very simple answer, via Justin Russo.
“How much will be on me to lead the team? The same as it was last year. It doesn't change,” Kawhi Leonard said.
Paul George was very willing to stay with the Clippers. In fact, he outlined that a three-year deal worth $150 million would have made him stay under Tyronn Lue's system. One big thing that the Clippers could not give him, aside from the money, was the same no-trade clause that was attached to Leonard's contract.
As a consequence, the 76ers swooped in. They gave George a $212 million deal which spans for four years. So, the Clippers practically got nothing in return for signing him. They also did not get any leverage at all because he walked into NBA Free Agency. But, this does not mean that their wings won't have needed help.
Clippers' situation at the wings
While George may now be gone, there are some new additions to help Kawhi Leonard and his aging body when it comes to his position. Derrick Jones Jr. landed with the Clippers in free agency. He inked a deal which was valued at around $30 million which lasts for three years. This was one of the first moves that the Clippers did to fill the void of losing George. Moreover, Jones' NBA Finals experience is surely going to come in handy for a squad filled with people who want to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Another big addition is Nicolas Batum. The veteran is going to stay with the Clippers for two years. His contract valuation is estimated at around $9.6 million. His ability to space out the floor has been big for the 76ers. He now knocks down those types of shots at a 39% clip. This may allow James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and even Leonard to have less clogged driving lanes when the season arrives.
Look, obviously it's going to take more than one person to make up for the production that George once put out on a nightly basis. But, the Clippers have all the personnel to do so. All that fans can do is trust that they execute well.
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