Twenty-four hours after the start of free agency, the Clippers have all 15 players under contract for next season! Which means that unless they cut a player or make a trade, they have their roster closed, and they have maneuvered rather well. Sure, they lost Paul George, who left for the Sixers, but to replace him, or at least to fill the void left by his departure, they signed Derrick Jones Jr., Kevin Porter Jr. and Nicolas Batum for positions 2 and 3, or even 4. The first has proven himself as a starter for the Mavericks, and he will bring defense and athleticism to the roster. And he is 7 years younger than Paul George, while being much less fragile. With the exception of last season when he played 74 of the 82 games, Paul George had missed between 26 and 51 games per season!
As for Nicolas Batum, there's no need to introduce him, especially since he knows almost all of his teammates. He will still be valuable in the collective, whatever his role. Finally, there is the young Porter Jr. who has been getting back on his feet in Greece. Before being ejected from the Rockets, then cut by the Thunder, he had proven that he was a great forward. At minimum salary, the risk is… minimal for the Clippers.
Under the panels, Mason Plumlee's departure to the Suns is offset by the arrival of Mo Bamba, Nico Batum's teammate at the Sixers. It's not the same profile but the former Magic pivot will bring some blocking and size to a racket that suffered a lot last season.
Traffic jam at the back
And then there's Kris Dunn, a true defensive leader. A victim this season of the Jazz's assumed youthful momentum, he was relegated to the bench but it remains a good choice as a rotation at the back, behind James Harden, extended for $70 million, or even alongside since Dunn is a candidate for a starting position. He will be in competition with Terance Mann, Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook. We can also talk about a traffic jam at position 1, and it's Westbrook who should pack his bags. On the Nuggets' side, we would like to make him Reggie Jackson's replacement.
“We will miss Paul,” “Concedes Lawrence Frank, the president of the Clippers,” he said.. “At the same time, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, including greater flexibility under the new collective bargaining agreement. Kawhi remains an All-NBA Player and we believe Tyronn Lue is the best coach in the league. We will field a very competitive team this season and, going forward, we will use our structural advantages to attract top talent to the Intuit Dome.”
