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Clippers grades for 2023 NBA trade deadline

It's hard to look at the Clippers being anything other than winners following a busy 2023 NBA trade deadline.

Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee, Bones Hyland, Clippers, nba trade deadline, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George

The Los Angeles Clippers' front office has never been shy of wheeling and dealing. Their courage in making moves is exactly what landed them the superstar duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the first place. In year four of the superstar duo's partnership, however, they are still hunting for an elusive championship, necessitating even more moves as the Clippers try to bolster the supporting cast around their two cornerstones.

Thus, as much as the Clippers fanbase loved Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard (and loathed John Wall), they needed to give way for the arrival of Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee, and Bones Hyland – three additions that should help the Clippers gear up for the stretch run in various ways.

Now, it's time to take a closer look on how the Clippers fare following their busy 2023 NBA trade deadline and hand out grades to assess the overall impact of the deals they pulled off.

Clippers Trade Deadline Grades

Clippers trade John Wall, Luke Kennard, rights to swap 2023 first-round picks (with the Bucks) in a three-team deal involving the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies for Eric Gordon and three second-round picks

It may have took him a while, but Eric Gordon is finally no longer a member of the Houston Rockets. A remnant of a contending era gone by, a lot of people have already forgotten what Gordon, the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, is capable of contributing to a team looking to go deep into the playoffs.

The Clippers are banking on Gordon turning it on for a team right in the middle of the congested Western Conference playoff picture. And a productive version of the 34-year old guard should be more playoff-viable than Luke Kennard ever was.

Kennard is a better pure shooter than Gordon at the moment, although it's difficult to ignore Gordon's long track record of solid volume marksmanship from deep. However, Kennard becomes a bit unplayable (not the British version) against truly elite opposition. He becomes the number one target on switches, and he has never been an impactful player on that end of the court.

Meanwhile, a switched-on Eric Gordon should provide more defensive value than Kennard. When Gordon goes down into his defensive stance, he is able to keep up with most matchups on the perimeter. Plus, his strength makes him far from a pushover on the post.

Gordon also has a history of playing alongside two ball-dominant stars who love to take on opponents in isolation, so he wouldn't have to make too much of an adjustment in that regard.

Giving the Rockets a pick swap that amounts to about ten draft spots isn't too big a price to pay to give the Clippers another piece they could throw into the fire come postseason time. Getting three second-rounders and ridding themselves of John Wall is just the icing on top of what is a very positive move for the Clippers.

Final Grade: A-

Clippers trade Reggie Jackson and a 2028 second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Mason Plumlee

The Clippers, in retrospect, made a huge mistake when they chose to sign John Wall instead of retaining Isaiah Hartenstein during the offseason. This created a huge void in their frontcourt behind starting center Ivica Zubac; they had hoped that the small-ball duo of Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and two-way center Moses Brown would be more than enough to compensate.

Nevertheless, it became evident that the Clippers needed to beef up their interior. Whenever Zubac would head to the bench, the Clippers would have a tendency to hemorrhage points in the paint. Plus, against the toughest centers in the NBA, having an insurance policy if Zubac were to get into foul trouble became an absolute necessity.

Therefore, adding one of the best available centers on the trade market in Mason Plumlee for a discount price is arguably their shrewdest move prior to the NBA trade deadline. Plumlee provides playmaking from the high post similar to Hartenstein, and he gives the Clippers another rim-runner to help put pressure on the opposing paint.

Letting go of Reggie Jackson, the Clippers fanbase's beloved Big Government, will be a tough pill to swallow for some. No Clipper fan would forget the time he stepped up as the Clips' second option behind Paul George during the 2021 postseason following Kawhi Leonard's injury.

But there should not be any room for too much sentimentality amid the team's quest for a championship. As much as Jackson's departure would hurt, it's hard to see this trade being anything other than a huge win.

Final Grade: A

Clippers trade two second-round picks to the Denver Nuggets for Bones Hyland

Part of what makes the Clippers' trade for Eric Gordon so good was how they were able to nab three second-round picks in the process. Thus, after trading one for Mason Plumlee and two for Bones Hyland, it's as if the Clippers didn't lose any second rounders in their trading extravaganza.

It's difficult to see Hyland making as much of an immediate impact as Gordon and Plumlee, however. Hyland has found himself out of the Nuggets rotation in recent games, and the same could very well happen in the Clippers' crowded rotation. But Hyland's energy and fearlessness in taking shots from beyond the arc could be of great use to a team loaded with veterans.

In addition, Hyland's rookie deal runs for two more seasons, so he will have time on his side as he tries to carve out a role in this contending Clippers team.

Final Grade: B+

Clippers overall trade deadline grade: A-

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About the Author

Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.