Los Angeles Clippers

After blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Los Angeles Clippers have begun making some big changes, but they are not done yet.

The Clippers' playoff demise highlighted significant issues with the team: a lack of chemistry, that they were a big man short and that they needed a true point guard.

L.A. has since changed coaches from Doc Rivers to Tyronn Lue with the hope he can create a better and more cohesive environment. The team has addressed its size issue by letting Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell (6'8") walk in free agency and signing Serge Ibaka (7'0") from Toronto.

But the Clippers still need a point guard. And not just any point guard: They need a player who can be the primary ball-handler, get them into their offensive sets and set others up.

The Clippers need a table-setter—someone who can take some of the burden off Kawhi Leonard's shoulders.

The Clippers were 28th in passes made, 22nd in assists and 20th in points off assists this past season. Leonard improved as a playmaker, averaging a career-high 4.9 assists, and was second on the Clippers in that category behind Williams. But ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported that he would like the front office to bring in a point guard who can run the team.

There have been whispers the Clippers are not done making moves, and Marc Stein of the New York Times reported that "many rival teams also expect the Clippers to trade Lou Williams." Williams is in the last year of his deal at $8 million for 2020-21 and has value as an off-the-bench scorer, and the team can also move Patrick Beverley, who's coming off an All-Defensive second-team season and has two years and $27.7 million left on his contract. 

Shipping him out could fetch a nice player back while allowing the Clippers to keep a scoring punch off the bench. Even better, the Clippers can combine Beverley's $13.3 million and Williams' $8 million to go big-game hunting.

There are some interesting possible trades they can explore to fill their point guard hole.

        

Spencer Dinwiddie

Los Angeles Clippers Get: Spencer Dinwiddie

Brooklyn Nets Get: Patrick Beverley

Spencer Dinwiddie's name has become a mainstay in the NBA rumor mill as the Nets get ready to make a run at the title. He had a strong season for the Nets—who were without Kevin Durant and lost Kyrie Irving for most of the year—averaging 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game.

With Durant and Irving coming back from injury, the expectation is there is not much room for Dinwiddie. For starters, he is not a great floor-spacer, having shot only 30.8 percent from three last season and 31.8 percent for his career. The Nets would be smart to move him before possibly losing him for nothing next offseason, when he has a $12.3 million player option.

The Clippers and Nets could work out a deal centered around Beverley for Dinwiddie. For the Nets, Beverley would help shore up their defense on the perimeter while giving them a better floor-spacer on offense. Beverley was a 38.8 percent three-point shooter this past year and is at 38.1 percent for his career. Plus, having him with one more year left on his deal gives the Nets a little time to evaluate his fit.

Dinwiddie's 6.8 assists per game would have led the Clippers this past season, and he is capable of taking on the role of playmaker for L.A. The Clippers lose a bit of shooting and defense in the trade, but freeing Leonard up from the responsibility of being a primary playmaker could open more doors.

There is a catch to bringing Dinwiddie in, though: He requires the ball in his hands to be a truly effective playmaker. This past season, he had a career-high usage rate of 28.7 percent. That becomes a challenge when playing with Leonard, who has a 32.7 usage rate, and Paul George, who has a 29.2 usage. Adding in Williams' usage rate of 27.1 off the bench will mean it will take time for everyone to adjust to a new role, and time will be in short supply in a shortened season.

Victor Oladipo

Los Angeles Clippers Get: Victor Oladipo

Indiana Pacers Get: Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley

The Clippers could take a big swing by packaging Beverley and Williams for Pacers guard Victor Oladipo. There have been rumors that Oladipo has been unhappy with the Pacers, and he struggled coming back from a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee. He played only 19 games last season and didn't find synergy on the court with new teammate Malcolm Brogdon.

In the games he played, he averaged 14.5 points and 2.9 assists and shot 31.7 percent from three. Those numbers do not represent the type of player Oladipo is. In the season before he got hurt (2017-18), he averaged 23.1 points and 4.3 assists and shot 37.1 percent from deep.

It seems sooner or later the Pacers and Oladipo will be heading for a divorce, and a move like this would get Indiana something in return. With Oladipo gone, the Pacers would give the keys to Brogdon as the leading man, with Beverley as a defensive stalwart and Williams giving them scoring off the bench.

Oladipo's days as a leading man may be over, but with a team like the Clippers, he could be their missing piece. He can bring the ball up and get the team into its offensive sets, and he would make it easier for Lue to always have two of his three top scorers on the court without losing much playmaking.

This trade is not without its issues. The biggest risk is sending out two rotation players for a guy who has played in just 55 games over the last two seasons. They already have to work in load management for Leonard, and Oladipo may never return to his star form even if he's healthy.

Derrick Rose

Los Angeles Clippers Get: Derrick Rose

Detroit Pistons Get: Lou Williams, Terance Mann

Over the past few seasons, no one has rejuvenated his career quite like Derrick Rose. Two seasons ago with the Timberwolves, he was their punch off the bench, averaging 18.0 points and 4.3 assists. As he moved to Detroit this past season, he put up 18.1 and 5.6.

The Pistons and Clippers could swap sixth men. Rose and Williams are both scoring guards, but Williams has the ability to make tough shots and shoot from distance, while Rose is an attack-the-basket threat.

With Rose, Lue could give him Williams' role off the bench. With him, the Clippers add more explosiveness, but there is one drawback: He is a 30.4 percent career three-point shooter, hampering any ability to play off the ball. Similar to Dinwiddie, Rose would need the ball in his hands, which might not happen much if he's on the court with Leonard and George.

The other challenge—with so much of the Clippers' draft equity spent to bring in George last offseason—is there is no real motivation for the Pistons to agree to this deal straight up. It may end up costing the Clippers a young player like Terance Mann. With so little draft equity, sending out another young player might be too steep a price, especially for a guy with a similar skill set to one they already have.

George Hill

Los Angeles Clippers Get: George Hill

Oklahoma City Thunder Get: Lou Williams, 2022 second-round pick, 2023 second-round pick

The Thunder are in asset-collection mode after their playoff run, and they recently acquired George Hill in a four-team trade that landed the Bucks Jrue Holiday.

In baseball terms, Hill is the perfect middle reliever as someone who can eat up innings and get a club from its starter to its closer. He might also be the perfect fit for the Clippers.

Hill has already played a similar role on a smaller scale with the Bucks, where he was one of many secondary ball-handlers to Giannis Antetokounmpo. He shot 46 percent from three, and according to Synergy Sports, he was in the 99th percentile for spot-up shooting.

Hill is also a capable ball-handler, as he had a points-per-possession average of 1.02 in pick-and-rolls including passes this past season. He averaged 3.1 assists in 21.5 minutes per game and found ways to be effective despite a low usage of 15.2 percent. Defensively, his length (6'9" wingspan) and basketball IQ are assets, as the Bucks had a defensive rating 102.1 when he was on the court this past season.

The challenge for the Clippers is dealing with the Thunder, who control most of their future first-round picks. A deal for Hill will eat into their second-round equity, but Oklahoma City might be willing to deal him for Williams and two second-round picks. The Clippers could send out a 2022 second-round pick coming from Atlanta and a 2023 second-rounder from Portland.

Hill would be a great fit for the Clippers because his shooting allows him to play with Leonard and George. He can also organize the offense and help in the second unit without giving up too much defensively.

Dream Scenario

Los Angeles Clippers Get: George Hill, Spencer Dinwiddie

Brooklyn Nets Get: Patrick Beverley

Oklahoma City Thunder Get: Lou Williams, 2021 second-round pick (BKN), 2022 second-round pick (LAC), 2023 second-round pick (LAC) 

File this in the "unlikely" category, but by combining the Beverley for Dinwiddie trade and the Williams for Hill trade with an extra second-round pick going to the Thunder from Brooklyn, it would give the Clippers a low-maintenance table-setter (Hill) and a scoring guard off the bench (Dinwiddie).

A starting five of Hill, Leonard, George, Marcus Morris and Ibaka with Dinwiddie, Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac off the bench would make for a deep and versatile eight-man rotation.

Change was needed after the Clippers bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion. They made a bold decision in firing Rivers and then made a big play in free agency by not only signing Ibaka but also letting Harrell walk down the hall. Now, with trade assets such as Williams and Beverley, they can make one more big move to push them over the top.

          

Trade scenarios courtesy of TradeNBA.com. Advanced stats via NBA.com.

Mo Dakhil spent six years with the Los Angeles Clippers and two years with the San Antonio Spurs as a video coordinator, as well as three years with the Australian men's national team. Follow him on Twitter, @MoDakhil_NBA.

The Los Angeles Clippers will reportedly add depth to the roster in the form of Nicolas Batum, who is expected to sign with the team after clearing waivers, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic. 

Charania previously reported the Charlotte Hornets plans to waive the veteran forward.

Batum picked up his $27.1 million player option for 2020-21, but the Hornets planned to waive him using the stretch provision and spread the remaining salary over the next three seasons, per Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

Despite some struggles in recent years, Batum could provide some value to the Clippers next season with his effort on both ends of the court.

    

UPDATED DEPTH CHART

PG: Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Reggie Jackson

SG: Paul George, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann

SF: Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum

PF: Marcus Morris, Serge Ibaka, Mfiondu Kabengele

C: Ivica Zubac, Daniel Oturu, Patrick Patterson

      

Batum joins the team following a miserable run with the Hornets after initially signing a five-year, $120 million deal in 2016. He averaged 12.1 points per game during his five years in Charlotte, but the Frenchman averaged just 3.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2019-20.

He appeared in just 22 games last year, with only three being starts, while averaging 23.0 minutes per game and shooting only 34.6 percent from the field.

Despite the recent struggles, the 31-year-old has showed he can be valuable contributor who fills up the stat sheet in a lot of ways.

The 6'9", 230-pound wing has averages of 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game during his 12-year NBA career, shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range. He has also helped with his perimeter defense, especially during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Leaving Charlotte could give Batum a chance to reestablish himself as a reliable two-way player and a part of the Clippers' rotation.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are obviously elite on both ends of the court, but depth is important especially with both missing significant time last year with injuries.

Batum can help keep the stars fresh for the stretch run and help Los Angeles get over the top after a disappointing second-round playoff loss last season.

The Los Angeles Clippers continue to fill out their bench, with Ky Bowman reportedly agreeing to a deal with the team. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the agreement, adding that Bowman will compete for a roster spot during training camp. 

Bowman, 23, spent last season with the Golden State Warriors. He signed with the team in June 2019 after going undrafted out of Boston College.

The Warriors had Bowman start the 2019-20 season coming off their bench. Injuries to the team opened the door for him to appear in 45 games and make 12 starts. He averaged 7.4 points, 2.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. 

In addition to his time in the NBA, Bowman had multiple short stints in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Golden State signed him to a multiyear deal in February, but it wasn't guaranteed after the 2019-20 season. 

The Clippers already have Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams as their top two point guards. Bowman can compete to be the No. 3 player at the position for head coach Tyronn Lue. 

As the Los Angeles Clippers continue to rebuild following their blown series lead in the second round of the NBA playoffs, one player who may be on the way out is veteran Lou Williams.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, "many rival teams" expect the Clippers to trade the 34-year-old, who has played the past three seasons for the franchise.

This isn't the first report of the Clippers looking to shop Williams.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Nov. 16 that a deal involving Williams was "a popular choice around the league" in the lead-up to the draft.

Williams has played for six teams throughout his career, but he has blossomed since joining the Clippers. He was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year in 2018 and 2019, when he posted the two most productive seasons of his career, with 22.6 and 20.0 points off the bench.

Through 219 appearances for the Clippers, he has averaged 20.4 points on 42.7 percent shooting, 5.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game.

The Clippers parted ways with JaMychal Green (Denver Nuggets) and Montrezl Harrell (Los Angeles Lakers) so far this offseason but made a move that will benefit them when they agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with Serge Ibaka on Saturday.

As the Los Angeles Clippers look to improve their chances of winning the franchise's first NBA title, they may need to part ways with another member of the 2019-20 squad—and one player has more trade value than the others, according to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

A rival executive told Greif that compared to starting guard Patrick Beverley and guard Lou Williams, starting center Ivica Zubac "has the most value because he's a true big man and he's still young."

The 7'0", 23-year-old Zubac had a breakout season in his first full campaign with the Clippers after he and Michael Beasley were traded by the Los Angeles Lakers for Mike Muscala in February 2019. This year, Zubac started 70 of his 72 games and averaged 18.4 minutes, 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds with 61.3 percent shooting from the field.

In the postseason, he averaged 9.1 points and 7.2 rebounds while limiting opponents to 56 percent shooting inside six feet, per Greif.

Another executive told Greif a deal for Zubac "probably would return a solid player on a similar contract but likely not much draft capital beyond a second-round pick."

Zubac is due $7 million in 2020-21 and $7.5 million in 2021-22. The Clippers have a $7.5 million team option for 2022-23.

Greif wrote that because of his poor playoff history, subpar defense and age, Williams wouldn't be as attractive in a trade offer as the one year and $8 million remaining on his contract indicate. He averaged 18.2 points and 5.6 assists in 28.7 minutes per game last season.

Beverley, who played 26.3 minutes per game and averaged 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals, doesn't carry much weight in the market, per Greif, unless the Clippers want to part with draft picks, since he has an injury history and is owed $27.7 million contract over the next two seasons.

So far this offseason, the Clippers have traded Landry Shamet to the Brooklyn Nets and Rodney McGruder to the Detroit Pistons, while Montrezl Harrell headed to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.

It looked as if it was taking a while for the Los Angeles Clippers to get in on the action for the 2020 NBA free-agency period, but they are now starting to move full speed ahead.

According to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania, Serge Ibaka has agreed to sign a two-year deal with the Clippers. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal is worth $19 million.

The second year has a player option.

With the signing, L.A. beat out the competing Brooklyn Nets and the Toronto Raptors, who wanted to re-sign him.

This move will reunite Ibaka with former teammate Kawhi Leonard after the latter parted ways with the Raptors after helping them to win their first and only championship.

The seven-footer fills a glaring need for L.A., especially with the surprise departure of Montrezl Harrell.

On the first night of the free-agency period, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year signed a two-year, $19 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, which signaled that his relationship with Leonard may have been an issue.

Outside of the size, scoring, ability to stretch the floor and rim protection that Ibaka provides, he also has a great relationship with Leonard.

Last season, the normally reclusive three-time Finals MVP was a guest on Ibaka's "How Hungry Are You?" cooking show on YouTube. Not surprisingly, the episode is the most-watched in his collection at 4.9 million views.

Ibaka calls Leonard the "Fun Guy," and the moniker has stuck with him, despite the overwhelming perception to the contrary.

In his fourth year in Toronto, Ibaka continued to play as a reserve, starting in only 27 of the 55 games he played, but he still managed to have an impressive stat line, including a career-high 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.8 blocks per game.

"I give him a lot of credit because he's accepted it and played well," Raptors head coach Nick Nurse told Josh Lewenberg of The Sports Network last season about Ibaka coming off the bench. "He didn’t wanna go to the bench. He wants to start. It wasn’t easy after the trade immediately... But he’s been a true professional... He’s handling it great."

The Congolese center also shot 38.5 percent from the three-point line. That long-distance marksmanship will force the big men defending him to come out on the perimeter, creating space for Leonard and others that like to penetrate the lane like Lou Williams.

With Harrell gone, Ibaka should be able to pick up his minutes and have an equally impactful year on the block for the Clippers.

His veteran presence should also be a plus for the Fun Guy as he tries to step into more of a leadership role in his second year as the franchise player.

Will the Clippers Sign Another Big?

The Clippers are hoping familiarity continues to work in their favor in landing Marc Gasol.

According to the New York Times' Marc Stein, they are in the race to land the Spanish big man.

The 2013 Defensive Player of the Year played with Ibaka in Toronto, and it would be a seamless transition for him to join him in L.A.

The Clippers will have some competition, though, as the Raptors are trying to convince Gasol to re-sign after the departure of Ibaka.

He's also getting interest from the Golden State Warriors, per Wojnarowski.

In his 13th season, Gasol was the starter for Toronto, averaging 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

The smooth-passing center was also a threat from deep, connecting on 38.5 percent of his three-pointers.

Between his spacing, court vision and defense, Gasol could really be an asset for the Clippers as they try to shore up their front line to go up against the reigning NBA champion Lakers, who now have Harrell in addition to Anthony Davis.

The Clippers appeared to take a major blow when Montrezl Harrell switched sides in the rivalry and signed with the Lakers in free agency.

In the end, they wound up arguably upgrading instead, as Serge Ibaka agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal late Saturday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

While Harrell is coming off a Sixth Man of the Year regular season, Ibaka is an upgrade in essentially every aspect. He is a far superior defender, stretches the floor on offense and has a career's worth of playoff success under his belt.

Here is a look at how the Clippers rotation looks after his signing:

       

Projected Starting Lineup

C: Ivica Zubac
PF: Marcus Morris
SF: Kawhi Leonard
SG: Paul George
PG: Patrick Beverley

Bench: Serge Ibaka, Lou Williams, Patrick Patterson, Luke Kennard, Joakim Noah, Terance Mann, Mfiondu Kabengele

The Clippers still have an obvious need at point guard, having failed to convince Rajon Rondo to join the franchise. Rondo instead agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Hawks, per Wojnarowski. Luke Kennard may be able to fill the role as a distributor off the bench, but he's been oft-injured throughout his NBA career and is not a lead ball-handler.

Despite still having a clear roster deficiency, it's easy to argue that Ibaka fills the need that ultimately knocked the Clippers out of the playoffs last season. Nikola Jokic dominated Zubac and Harrell in particular, essentially playing the latter off the floor.

Ibaka should be able to hold his own in the playoffs against most big men while also keeping the floor well-spaced. The Clippers' "best five" lineup will feature five players who shot above the NBA league average from three-point range last season while posing no obvious defensive weaknesses.

These Clippers have to prove they can withstand the postseason pressure, but they again look to be the best team in the NBA on paper heading into next season.

Veteran big man Serge Ibaka has agreed to join the Los Angeles Clippers, Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported Saturday night.

Free agent Serge Ibaka plans to sign a 2-year, $19M deal with the Clippers, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 22, 2020

Ibaka enjoyed a bit of a renaissance one season ago as the Toronto Raptors won an NBA championship. He averaged 15.0 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor.

Head coach Nick Nurse decreased his role a bit in the playoffs, when teams are often relying on smaller lineups. Ibaka remained effective, though. He averaged 16.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per 36 minutes, according to Basketball Reference, during the team's title run.

Many thought the Raptors would take a step backward in 2020-21 after losing Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Instead, they finished with the second-best record (53-19) in the Eastern Conference.

Ibaka's performance was one reason the reigning champs didn't suffer a hangover in their repeat bid. He averaged 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds. He also knocked down 38.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

Given how well he has performed in his brief time north of the border, the Raptors probably would've re-signed Ibaka in their perfect world. They may have gone into the offseason with a firm ceiling on how much they'd be willing to pay him, though.

President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has the opportunity to significantly reshape the roster in the years ahead.

Here's the list of players the Raptors have under contract for the 2021-22 season:

• Pascal Siakam
• Norman Powell (player option)
• Dewan Hernandez
• Matt Thomas

OG Anunoby and Terence Davis are also restricted free agents.

If Ujiri wants to pursue a marquee free agent in 2021—Giannis Antetokounmpo for instance—he'll have the salary-cap space to do so. Especially with the franchise having captured a championship to lessen the need to win now, maintaining a level of financial flexibility for the future might be Ujiri's top priority.

Toronto will have to do this all over again next offseason, when Kyle Lowry is an unrestricted free agent. As much as Lowry has meant to the franchise, Ujiri could leave sentiment at the door to surround Siakam with as strong a supporting cast as possible.

The Raptors' loss is the Clippers' gain.

Ibaka's skill set makes him the ideal center for today's NBA. He can space the floor and score inside on offense. On defense, he held opposing shooters to 51.5 percent inside six feet, per NBA.com.

Centers generally aren't valued now as much as they were in previous generations, but a 7-footer who can protect the rim and stretch the floor is a prized commodity nonetheless.

The Los Angeles Clippers are targeting forwards Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol in free agency, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. 

The Lakers also seek one more big man, league sources say, but they face much tougher financial constraints in the chase for Gasol after signing Montrezl Harrell away from the Clippers and re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 22, 2020

Ibaka remains one of the top unsigned big men remaining, though the Toronto Raptors remain the favorites to reach a new contract with him. The Brooklyn Nets have also been involved in discussions to sign Ibaka.

The Clippers have a large need in their frontcourt after reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell spurned the team for the rival Los Angeles Lakers and JaMychal Green took a similar offer from the Denver Nuggets. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk reported Harrell agreed to a modest two-year deal worth nearly $19 million with the Lakers using the full midlevel exception. Green reportedly received two years and $15 million in Denver.

The Clippers responded by immediately inking forward Marcus Morris Sr. to a four-year, $64 million deal, per Wojnarowski.

Even still, it's a massive drop-off from the production Harrell provided last season. 

The Louisville product averaged 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27.8 minutes per game. By comparison, Morris averaged 16.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in 31.2 minutes. 

While keeping Morris on the roster is a win for Los Angeles, it won't be enough to make up for Harrell's exit. That's where Ibaka and Gasol could factor in. 

At age 30, Ibaka poured in 15.4 points per game off the bench, while Gasol averaged 7.5 points alongside him on the Raptors. 

Either player would help the Clippers significantly improve their frontcourt depth.