It's finally that time of year again when front offices are making final preparations for their 15-man roster and the Los Angeles Clippers are no different. Usually, teams are forced to waive players at the bottom of the depth chart, but the Clippers are hoping to avoid waiving their back-end players.
According to Keith Smith of RealGM, the Clippers are instead looking to trade their back-end players.
Sources: The Los Angeles Clippers are actively looking for trades for their back-end roster players vs waiving them. LA had hoped they might solve the roster logjam through a trade for Jimmy Butler where they sent out more players than they took back, but that seems unlikely now.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 10, 2018
First, the tentacles on the Jimmy Butler story are far-reaching. A trade for Butler would have solved some personnel problems for the Clippers, but that proved to be wishful thinking. Talks between the Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves could heat up again, and a deal could work for both sides, but it seems unlikely at the moment.
Now, the Clippers hope they can get something back for their extra players. Perhaps a second-round pick for a pair of back-end guys would be a possibility, but finding a trade seems unlikely at this point. Most teams are looking to pare down their roster, not add to it.
Additionally, teams are aware that the Clippers need to make cuts to their roster and they may take their chances on the waiver wire, rather than sending valuable assets away. It's always smart to test the waters and see if anyone bites, but the Clippers may need to bite the bullet and waive a few players when it is all said and done.
Follow Us
Subscribe