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The Los Angeles Clippers emerge from the offseason as a clear title contender, but did it come at a hefty price?
The Clippers underperformed last season mainly because of injuries to key players. In fact, Kawhi Leonard's knee injury from the previous playoffs caused him to miss the whole season. Paul George also played only 31 games. Still, the Clippers found a way to finish with the eighth seed, eventually losing in the Play-In Tournament.
In contrast to a season filled with so much woe, this offseason was rife with promise for the Clippers. They checked almost all their offseason boxes and added a five-time All-Star.
Not a bad turnaround at all.
Consider that the Clippers had very little financial wiggle room. It was, therefore, imperative for them to re-up on Amir Coffey, Ivica Zubac, and Nicolas Batum. Those re-signings didn't move the needle for the team, but they gave the squad a lot of stability and assurance.
And then the kicker was adding John Wall. For a club that hasn't had a true point guard, taking a chance on Wall makes sense. He will relieve Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of some of the playmaking duties.
.@JohnWall is ready to push the pace with the @LAClippers 💪 pic.twitter.com/kZlxLg18ch
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 10, 2022
Wall is one of the premier downhill drivers and shot makers in the NBA. He gives the Clippers' backcourt more depth thanks to his aggression, passing, and finishing capabilities. The former No. 1 overall pick has played in 613 career games for the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards. He has averaged 19.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. The 31-year-old may be on the slide already in terms of his quickness and athleticism, but he should still form a great trio with Kawhi and PG.
Picking Wall up was certainly a great move for the Clippers, though it overshadows a pretty significant loss for them as well.
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Clippers' worst move of 2022 NBA offseason
Losing Isaiah Hartenstein
German-American Isaiah Hartenstein left the Los Angeles Clippers for the New York Knicks during NBA free agency after having a breakout year in the 2021-2022 season in Hollywood.
In 68 games last season, Hartenstein averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 62.6 percent from the field. He was a rock-solid interior presence for a team that was short on size outside of Zubac.
Isaiah Hartenstein made this look way too routine 😳 pic.twitter.com/K4Tp0NnnVS
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 15, 2022
It was unfortunate that they had to let him go to make up space and utilize their mid-level exception on John Wall. In the end, it was probably a net positive move in the short-term for the Clippers, but Hartenstein's absence deprives them of a valuable center in their rotation. It is also unclear how they'll replace him.
The Clippers seemed to be banking on giving him the veteran's minimum this offseason, but Hartenstein's play deserved more than that. The Knicks picked him up, and the Clippers couldn't do anything to counter.
Hartenstein has seen a tremendous turn of luck since he will now be paid considerably more and have a bigger role with the Knicks. On the other hand, the Clippers will be searching for a quality backup center. Still, the Clippers are expected to play a lot of small-ball, so they may decide to wait and see how the market develops.
To be specific, the Clippers will likely resort to using undersized bigs like Robert Covington and Marcus Morris to shore up their frontline. Hartenstein's departure is regrettable, but the reality is the Clippers made the necessary choice given the circumstances. Consequently, they will be among the favorites to win the championship this coming season.
