After failing to advance beyond the NBA play-in tournament, the Los Angeles Clippers are already planning for next season. Kawhi Leonard missed the entire season recovering from surgery on a partially torn ACL and Paul George missed the majority of the year with an elbow injury. During the 2022-23 NBA campaign, the Clippers are expecting both players to be back at full strength and ready to lead them to the promised land.

Coming off an injury plagued season where Tyronn Lue had to work with several lineup changes all throughout, getting some consistency on that front will be vital for LA. Let's now discuss three trades the Clippers must make in order for The Klaw and PG13 to take the next step in 2023.

Clippers Trades To Help Kawhi Leonard, Paul George

Jerami Grant 

All season long he was the subject of trade rumors. During the 2022 NBA offseason it shouldn't come as any surprise to see this trend  continue. In Los Angeles, Jerami Grant would add a youthful and athletic two-way presence to their frontcourt rotation. His versatile scoring punch and strong perimeter defense would give the Clippers a major boost.

This would also give the Clippers an additional closer in late-game situations. Between Kawhi, PG, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Morris, the Clippers already possess plenty of clutch scoring. The addition of Grant would make them absolutely unstoppable and give them unmatched depth.

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Malcolm Brogdon 

Set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023, Malcolm Brogdon is a highly efficient scorer and lockdown defender who'd be a perfect fit in LA. Adding Brogdon in a contract year would be a smart move for the Clippers to pursue. Plus giving him the opportunity to compete for an NBA championship could entice him to sign with the team long-term. His dynamic playmaking and team-first mentality would elevate the play of Leonard and George all year long.

Brogdon would also be able to showcase his skills as an elite combo guard. If the Clippers were able to pry him away from the Indiana Pacers, then they'd vastly improve their title chances in 2023. As a member of the 50/40/90 club, Brogdon would also make the Clippers a much improved free throw shooting team.

Rudy Gobert 

With a cloud of uncertainty surrounding his future with the Utah Jazz, this is one trade that would be an absolute game changer for the Clippers.  Adding All-Star center Rudy Gobert to a frontcourt that already features Kawhi Leonard and Paul George would give them the most fearsome defensive trio in the NBA. It would also drastically improve their low post scoring and interior defense. Trading for Gobert would catapult the Clippers to the top of the Western Conference.

Their rim protection, rebounding, and perimeter defense would be absolutely smothering and give the Clippers a much-needed lob threat. Gobert's shot blocking and strong finishes at the rim would make LA scary good. He's also a mobile center who could run the floor with Kawhi and PG in transition. Gobert would not only solve their issues at center, but he'd also be their missing link to a title run next season.