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As the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline looms, the Los Angeles Clippers’ most glaring need remains the same as last year.
The team still badly needs a true starting point guard to steer that ship. Reggie Jackson, Patrick Beverley, and Lou Williams all have their strengths in that position, but they are NOT the playmaker the team needs to make things easier for superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The Clippers recently cleared an additional $2.6 million in cap room by sending benchwarmer Mfiondu Kabengele to the Kings. Looks like they really are gearing up for the expected whirlwind of trades and buy-out scenario that will sure rock the league before Thursday’s deadline.
While LA also needs some depth in their center position, it’s clear that acquiring that floor general they’ve been missing for some time now. Truth be told, the team hasn’t really had a pass-first point guard since letting go of Chris Paul back in 2017.
As good as the Clippers have been this season, no doubt there’s still some major room for improvement. Scoring has never been an issue for this star-studded team, as they rank eighth in that department with around 114 points per game. They also have the highest 3-point percentage in the league right now shooting at a 41.3 percent clip.
LA has been putting up huge numbers despite just ranking 19th in assists at 24.3 per game as a team. It’s actually George who leads the team in dimes with 5.4 per game.
The Clips are lighting up the scoreboard mainly due to the superiority of Leonard and George, who can get their open looks.
But as we’ve seen last season inside the bubble, the Clips had a much harder time scoring in the postseason, as defenses keyed in on their two superstars.
It gave birth to George’s unflattering nickname ‘Pandemic P' after the seven-time All-Star struggled with the team not have a dependable point guard to set plays for him.
For some reason, the Clippers still did not address these concerns in the offseason and are back to their dominant ways right now. Still, one can’t help but think they will likely face the same problems come playoff time if they won’t make adjustments in their backcourt.
Sure, the team already missed out on one of their prime targets, Derrick Rose, who was traded back to the Knicks back in February.
However, there are still plenty of point guards reportedly on the trade block that the Clips could make a deal for.
Top-tier targets: Kyle Lowry and Terry Rozier
Lowry to the Clips has been teased for quite some time now. After all, he’s already won a title with Leonard and would immediately be the answer to the Clips’ playmaker dilemma. But unless he’ll get bought out by the Raptors and the Clips can outbid other contenders for his services, then this probably won’t materialize anytime soon.
Several proposed Rozier deals were also suggested early on but now seems unlikely given the season-ending injury suffered by Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. Charlotte would probably hold onto Scary Terry for the rest of the season.
Realistic targets: Lonzo Ball or Ricky Rubio
Despite their limited assets, the Clips can still offer a package enticing enough to nab a young facilitator like Ball or a veteran passing savant-like Rubio. Apart from their court vision, these two are also great defensively and would fit perfectly with the Clips’ daunting defense.
However, the Pels or the Wolves have to agree with absorbing vets like Williams, Beverley, or Patterson just to make the salaries match. Those aren’t exactly prime returns that they hope for which could complicate things.
Cheap but reliable target: George Hill
A proven playmaker like Hill is actually not a bad last resort choice for the Clips. The Thunder are still stockpiling on picks and would probably agree to a deal featuring a future second-rounder.
Hill might not be as promising as the names above, but he’ll still a nice addition for a Clips team looking to spice up that backcourt.
