Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA Suspends Patrick Beverley One Game

July 3rd, 2021 at 12:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended by the NBA for one game without pay, the league has announced in a statement (via Twitter).

Beverley shoved All-Star Suns guard Chris Paul in the back during a pause in play with 5:49 left, with the game already out of hand in a blowout 130-103 Game 6 Phoenix victory on Thursday, June 30. At the time, Beverley was given a technical foul and ejected from action.

The press release goes on to note that Beverley will be suspended for the first game of the upcoming 2021/22 season in which he would otherwise be able to take the floor (so if he’s injured, the suspension will apply once he’s healthy). The NBA called Beverley’s behavior an “unsportsmanlike act.”

As we mentioned earlier today, some level of suspension for Beverley had been anticipated.

Beverley, 32, has one year and $14.3MM left on his current deal with L.A. During an injury-plagued 2020/21 season, Beverley appeared in just 37 contests (starting 34) with the club, averaging 7.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.1 APG across 22.5 MPG. These were his lowest numbers in each of these categories since his 2012/13 rookie NBA season.

Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that Beverley will lose $98,765 as a result of this one-game suspension.

Clippers Notes: Beverley, Rondo, Kennard, Batum

July 3rd, 2021 at 10:48am CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley will face a suspension at the start of next season for shoving Chris Paul from behind in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports. The incident occurred during the fourth quarter of the Suns’ clinching victory. Beverley has since apologized on Twitter, stating, “@CP3 emotions got the best of me last night gang. My bad wasn’t meant for you. Congrats on making it to the Finals. Best of Luck.”

We have more on the Clippers:

With Kawhi Leonard dealing with an unknown knee injury and potentially opting out, and Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum headed to unrestricted free agency, the team faces an uncertain future after reaching the conference finals for the first time, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes. The expiring contracts of Beverley and Rajon Rondo could be used as trade chips, and the Clips could also explore trade options for Luke Kennard, whose didn’t play up to expectations after signing a four-year extension, Greif adds.
Batum isn’t sure what his future holds but he’s grateful to the organization for reviving his career after it went sour in Charlotte, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “Now look where I am right now, just incredible. It’s amazing to what happened to me this year,” he said. “I can’t thank enough the Clippers’ organization for giving me a chance to be a basketball player again. I wasn’t sure what I could do this year, and they give me a chance to be a player again.”
In case you missed it, Paul George believes the team would have made the Finals if Leonard was healthy. He’s also eager to recruit players for next season. Get the details here.

Lakers Notes: Third Star, Schröder, K. Walker, Sale

July 2nd, 2021 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Adding a third star this summer won’t be easy for the Lakers, even if there are a few on the market, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. L.A.’s season was derailed by injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, showing the need for another elite player, but the team may not have enough valuable assets to offer.

The Lakers own the 22nd pick in this year’s draft, but don’t have another tradable first-rounder until 2027. They’ve still got their selections in 2023 and 2025, but are limited by the league rule preventing future first-round picks from being traded in back-to-back years.

Goon cites the Trail Blazers‘ Damian Lillard and the Sixers‘ Ben Simmons as players who might be available, but he isn’t convinced that the Lakers can match salaries with a competitive offer, which would mean sending $31.4MM to Portland or $24.5MM to Philadelphia. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma will each make $13MM next season, but a package with them and the two draft picks may not be the best deal the Sixers can get. The Lakers could have another trade chip if Montrezl Harrell opts in at $9.7MM, but that still may not be enough for Philadelphia.

Getting the Blazers to trade Lillard for a similar package seems nearly impossible, and Goon sees L.A.’s best chance as a sign-and-trade involving Dennis Schröder. However, Schröder has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Lakers and there’s no guarantee that Portland would want him in return for Lillard.

There’s more from L.A.:

Schröder is expecting to get offers in the range of $100MM to $120MM in free agency, VP of the German Basketball Federation Armin Andres said, according to TalkBasket. Andres confirms that Schröder isn’t playing for Germany this summer because the cost of insuring his future earnings is too high.
The Lakers and Clippers will be the most interested teams in acquiring Kemba Walker from the Thunder, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest podcast (hat tip to Justin Leger of Yahoo Sports). Walker, who was traded from the Celtics last month, was plagued by knee problems all season and still has two years and nearly $74MM left on his contract.
The NBA’s board of governors gave unanimous approval to the sale of 27% of the Lakers to Todd Boehly and Mark Walter, according to Scott Soshnick of Sportico. The deal is expected to be finalized next week.

Clippers Notes: Jackson, Cousins, What-Ifs, Offseason Recruiting

July 1st, 2021 at 1:56pm CST by Eli Cohen

This season wasn’t easy for Clippers guard Reggie Jackson, but it was ultimately rewarding, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. From inconsistent early-season minutes to averaging over 20 PPG in the Western Conference Finals as one of the few sources of consistent offense next to Paul George, Jackson was able to find his footing, first on the court, and second with the team.

“This year was my best year, the most challenging year, the most fun year,” Jackson said. “Not sure I was going to play. Ups and downs. Guys were injured. Still found my way into this locker room. First thing I told these guys was, ‘Thank you for saving me.’”

What comes next for Jackson, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is still unclear, but he seems set up for a solid payday after his successful postseason run.

We have more on the Clippers:

According to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, DeMarcus Cousins regularly asks himself, “Do you still want to play in the NBA?” After battling injuries the last couple years, Cousins has had to fight for a spot on a team multiple teams. “That goes through my mind probably once every other day,” Cousins said. “This s–t is hard, bro. It’s hard knowing what you can do. It’s hard believing in yourself when nobody else believes in you.” After going from max contracts to veteran minimums, the journey hasn’t been easy, but Cousins believes he can still play in the NBA going forward.
It’s hard for Paul George to not think about what could have been if Kawhi Leonard didn’t get injured, writes ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, especially when the Clippers lost Games Two and Four by a combined five points. “We’d be going on,” George said. “This series would be a lot different.” George was also honest about the team not doing enough in Leonard’s absence, and confident about his partnership with Kawhi moving forward. “I think we’ve both grown, myself and Kawhi together,” George said. “I think we really enjoy being teammates, and we see what we can be and what we can do.”
George plans to be active recruiting players this summer, as well as trying to keep this year’s team together, writes Jim Alexander of The OC Register. “Hopefully this is where they want to continue to play and grow and be something and do something special in the long run,” he said. “Yeah, I’m definitely going to try my hardest to recruit.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks lays out the offseason blueprint for the Clippers. He looks at Leonard’s free agency, including the risks of signing the All-NBA forward to a long-term deal, as well as what the team can offer free agents Jackson and Nicolas Batum.

Mavericks, Heat Would Be Top Suitors For Kawhi Leonard In Free Agency

July 1st, 2021 at 10:16am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks and Heat plan to make a “hard push” to add Clippers star Kawhi Leonard this summer and other teams will be in the mix as well, sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Leonard holds a player option for next season and is expected to bypass a $36MM salary to become a free agent.

Some executives consider Dallas to be in the best position to land Leonard because of the chance to play alongside Luka Doncic and the ability of the front office to create cap room or work out a sign-and-trade arrangement. Leonard has spent several years with Nike and has a strong relationship with longtime executive Nico Harrison, who was recently hired as the Mavericks’ general manager.

O’Connor notes that Leonard tried to talk Jimmy Butler into joining him with the Clippers two years ago before the team traded for Paul George. Butler opted for Miami, and O’Connor suggests that Leonard might have an interest in forming a partnership there. The Heat don’t have a realistic path for creating enough cap space to add Leonard in free agency and would have to rely on a sign-and-trade.

The Knicks do have plenty of cap room and will be in the market for any available star, O’Connor adds, and virtually any team would try to work out the details if Leonard shows an interest in joining them.

Even so, O’Connor states that there are plenty of indications Leonard will re-sign with the Clippers. He’s originally from Los Angeles and purchased a $17.1MM home in the area in March.

O’Connor foresees a lot of roster changes this summer, whether Leonard returns or not. Serge Ibaka has a $9.7MM player option, and Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum are both headed for unrestricted free agency. Keeping Jackson has become a priority after his stellar postseason, but the demand for him will be high and he could move beyond the Clippers’ price range.

L.A. is already in luxury tax territory, O’Connor notes, and adding more salary would be expensive. The team’s only path for signing a player will be the $5.9MM taxpayer midlevel exception. The Clippers have the No. 25 pick to offer in trade talks, but don’t own another first-rounder until 2027. They may try to move Luke Kennard, who has a four-year, $64MM extension that starts next season.

Leonard, Zubac Won’t Play In Game 6

June 30th, 2021 at 6:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and center Ivica Zubac will sit out Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals tonight, Marc Stein tweets.

Leonard hasn’t played in the series against the Suns due to a right knee injury that he suffered June 14 against Utah. Zubac is also sidelined by a right knee injury, officially described as an MCL sprain. The 24-year-old center played regularly during the first four games of the series, averaging 12.8 PPG and 11.0 RPG.

Marcus Morris is also dealing with a knee injury but he’ll play, according to coach Tyronn Lue, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets.

With Zubac sidelined in Game 5, Lue went with a smaller lineup and his team staved off elimination with a 116-102 win. Guards Terance Mann and Patrick Beverley were inserted into the lineup with Morris and Paul George as the only natural forwards.

Jackson Feeling At Home With Clippers

June 28th, 2021 at 8:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Clippers starting point guard Reggie Jackson appears to have discovered a good NBA fit in L.A. after several prior stops, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Jackson emerged as the club’s clear starting point guard since being inserted into the starting lineup in Game 3 of the team’s first-round series against the Mavericks. He is averaging for 17.8 PPG, 3.2 APG and 3.0 RPG across 17 games in these playoffs.

Shelburne notes that Jackson has been red-hot since becoming a starter during the postseason, and he has made his impact felt in a big way with L.A. Shelburne notes that the Clippers are plus-104 with Jackson on the floor, and he joins just two other players in league history to connect on at least three 3-point shots across 14 playoff contests.

“I’ve gone through my career trying to make the right play and not necessarily just being myself and coming out and playing the game,” Jackson said of his career before the Clippers. “But the more I just continue to be myself, the more this team empowered me to be myself, I’ve been able to find success.”

Jackson admitted that he contemplated retirement from the NBA last summer, before the Clippers came calling for a return appearance after he joined the club late in the 2019/20 season. “I was ready to leave. I was ready to give up,” Jackson said. “I thought I was going to retire because I just couldn’t get healthy.” Jackson inked a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal during the 2020 offseason, and should be in line for a major raise this summer thanks to his playoff output.

“It’s just about being positive and showing him that he’s wanted,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “One thing about Reggie, he’s always going to come in, speak to everybody, shake everybody’s hand… Whoever’s in the gym, general managers, the president, the owner, the equipment guys.”

Ivica Zubac To Miss Game 5 With MCL Sprain

June 28th, 2021 at 6:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who had started for the club in its last three games, will miss tonight’s contest against the Suns with a sprained right MCL, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

According to Youngmisuk, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters that reserve big man DeMarcus Cousins will be a part of the team’s rotation for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Lue noted that Cousins’s offense will be valuable against Phoenix. The four-time All-Star has played a total of 17 minutes and 14 seconds across the first four games of the series.

Since being inserted into the Clippers’ starting lineup, Zubac had averaged 14.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, and 1.0 BPG while matched up against ascendant Suns center Deandre Ayton.

The absence of Zubac will especially be felt as the team strives to defend the pick-and-roll, writes Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register noted earlier this afternoon that Zubac’s status ahead of the game was in doubt after he suffered the MCL sprain during Game 4 of the series on Saturday.

Zubac joins All-NBA wing Kawhi Leonard on the sidelines for L.A. The Clippers announced Sunday that Leonard would sit for tonight’s contest in Phoenix. Game 5 represents a potential closeout for the series, as the Suns lead the Clippers 3-1.

Community Shootaround: Conference Finals Outcomes

June 27th, 2021 at 7:29pm CST by JD Shaw

With the start of the NBA Finals around the corner, it’s time to examine who might represent the East and West in the annual championship series this year.

The Bucks and Hawks are currently tied 1-1, with Milwaukee winning Game 2 on Friday night 125-91. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Hawks star Trae Young recorded just 15 points and nine turnovers.

In the West, the Suns lead the Clippers 3-1, with Game 5 set to commence on Monday night. Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard (knee) has already been ruled out for the contest. Game 4 featured some ugly shooting performances from both sides, but Phoenix prevailed to take a commanding lead in the series.

Both the Clippers and Hawks have overcome long odds numerous times during the postseason — the Clippers came back to beat the Mavericks in a seven-game first-round series, then won four straight to beat the Jazz after trailing 2-0 the next round. The Hawks, meanwhile, were not expected to make it here.

“What I like about this team is we always beat the odds,” Hawks center Clint Capela recently said, as relayed by Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “People just don’t expect us to do it. People keep doubting us, and we just keep shocking them. In Houston, it was really a championship mentality every year, so it was almost like a must-win game, every game.”

With that in mind, what do you think? Do the Clippers have enough left in the tank to pull off a third postseason miracle? Will the Hawks win another series despite being widely viewed as the underdogs?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions!

Kawhi Leonard Ruled Out For Game 5

June 27th, 2021 at 6:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

JUNE 27: Leonard has officially been ruled out for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. Leonard will remain in Los Angeles to continue his knee rehabilitation.

JUNE 26: Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played yet in the Western Conference finals and it doesn’t appear he’ll return for Game 5 on Monday. Sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that it’s “highly unlikely” Leonard will make the trip to Phoenix (video link).

Leonard is recovering from a right knee injury that he suffered June 14 against Utah. He didn’t accompany the Clippers for the opening two games of the series with the Suns, and there are concerns that air travel would be harmful to the knee, according to Haynes.

Speaking to reporters today, coach Tyronn Lue said that Leonard, who has been ruled out of tonight’s Game 4, continues to offer advice to his teammates and has been “a lot more vocal” since the injury, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

The news is better for Clippers teammate Marcus Morris, who has been cleared to play tonight, Youngmisuk adds (via Twitter). Morris, who is also dealing with a knee issue, was a game-time decision on Thursday.