- Jovan Buha of The Athletic examines a number of topics related to the Clippers in his latest mailbag, including the team’s upcoming free agency and various trade options. Los Angeles disappointed its fanbase by losing a seven-game series to the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs this year, failing to reach the conference finals despite having stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The Clippers are finalizing deals with Chauncey Billups and Larry Drew to have them join head coach Tyronn Lue‘s staff as assistants, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Both Billups and Drew have long been expected to join the Clippers, who fired longtime head coach Doc Rivers in September after seven seasons. Along with Billups and Drew, former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson and Heat assistant Dan Craig are also expected to join the team for next season.
Billups, a 17-year NBA veteran, worked for the Clippers as a broadcaster during the 2019/20 season and shares a close relationship with Lue. This will be his first coaching job since retiring back in 2014.
Drew, a well-respected assistant with the Cavaliers, spent the past six years in Cleveland. He was part of the 2016 Cavs’ championship team led by LeBron James, previously serving in assistant coaching roles with the Lakers, Pistons, Wizards, Nets and Hawks from 1992-2013. He also served as head coach of the Bucks during the 2013/14 season.
The Clippers finished with a 49-23 record last year and were eliminated by the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs after a seven-game duel.
The Lakers are expected to target veteran forward Serge Ibaka in free agency this year, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports, citing league executives.
Ibaka, 31, averaged 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 27 minutes per game for the Raptors last season, proving his worth as a frontcourt option off the bench or as a starter. He holds 11 seasons of NBA experience, making stops with Oklahoma City and Orlando before reaching Toronto via trade in 2017.
Deveney suggests that the Raptors are still probably the favorites to sign Ibaka this fall, but that the big man may be willing to leave for a chance to compete for a championship elsewhere. The Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers are among the other clubs expected to have interest, per Deveney, though the defending champions could probably give Ibaka the best chance to play for a title.
“From a personnel standpoint, he is exactly the kind of combo big guy that team (the Lakers) needs,” one general manager said. “They have had interest in him before and they will again. When he is healthy he is an excellent spot starter at the 5 (center) and the 4 (power forward). He is as good a bench big guy as there is in the league. He was a really credible 3-point threat last year. If he is willing to accept what the Lakers can afford to give him, I know they would want him.”
The Lakers own a mid-level exception worth $9.3MM, though it’s unclear whether the team prefers to spend it on one player or split it among multiple free agents. L.A. is coming off its first title since 2010 and has several players set to reach free agency, including Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris.
Anthony Davis ($28.75MM), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.49MM), Avery Bradley ($5MM), JaVale McGee ($4.2MM) and Rajon Rondo ($2.69MM) also have player options, with Davis expected to re-sign after opting out and Rondo and Caldwell-Pope both likely to decline their options.
The NBA plans to start free agency shortly after the Nov. 18 draft, though exact details remain unknown.
The Kings are bringing back Rex Kalamian as an assistant coach under Luke Walton, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Sacramento confirmed the hiring in a press release. As James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets, Kalamian was on Reggie Theus’ staff from 2007-09. Kalamian was on Doc Rivers’ staff with the Clippers the last two years and also had stints with the Raptors and Thunder.
We have more coaching news:
- Greg Foster is joining the Pacers‘ staff under new head coach Nate Bjorkgren, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Foster spent the last two seasons with the Hawks. He also served coaching stint with the 76ers and Bucks.
- The Pelicans are retaining Fred Vinson despite their head coaching change, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez tweets. Vinson has been in the organization since 2010. He began his coaching career with the Clippers.
- John Lucas decided to remain with the Rockets. Get the details here.
Toronto’s Serge Ibaka would be the ideal free agent addition for the Clippers, but that can only happen if he’s willing to accept a discount to remain with a contending team, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Ibaka is a better-than-average three-point shooter at 38.5% and a strong defender both at the rim and on the perimeter. Buha sees him as an improvement over Montrezl Harrell in spacing the floor, rebounding and on defense.
However, the Clippers are limited to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is expected to fall between $9MM and $10MM. He’s likely to see better offers, but Ibaka has played on winning teams for nearly his entire career and may value the chance to contend for a title in L.A.
If the Clippers can’t land Ibaka, Buha sees Miami’s Goran Dragic and Jae Crowder as alternatives. Dragic is masterful on the pick-and-roll and capable of scoring in a variety of ways. Crowder could be a replacement for Marcus Morris if the veteran wing doesn’t re-sign.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- With the Pelicans talking about trading Jrue Holiday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic examines whether he makes sense for the three Pacific teams expected to be in the title hunt. Holiday would give the Clippers a secondary playmaker next to Kawhi Leonard, a need that became obvious in the playoffs, and would be part of a dangerous defensive unit alongside Leonard and Paul George. However, the Clippers are low on assets after last summer’s trade to acquire George. The Lakers are in the same position in the wake of the Anthony Davis deal. They can offer Kyle Kuzma or Alex Caruso, but Slater notes that executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin passed on both players last year. The Warriors have the No. 2 pick in the draft, but matching salaries for Holiday would be difficult, assuming the Pelicans don’t want to take back Andrew Wiggins or Draymond Green.
- Although Richaun Holmes is coming off a breakthrough year, the Kings might consider drafting a center, especially if USC’s Onyeka Okongwu is still available at No. 12, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic. Okongwu can defend on the perimeter and runs the floor, which Jones says are qualities the Kings like in their big men.
- Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype examines how the Lakers can keep their best free agents and still add a significant piece with the MLE without going over the tax apron.
The Lakers and Clippers have interviewed power forward prospect Yoeli Childs, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets. The 6-8 BYU big man averaged 22.2 PPG and 9.0 RPG and made 48.9% of his 3-point attempts. Childs is ranked No. 91 on the latest ESPN big board but he could move into second-round consideration. The Clippers have the No. 57 pick while the Lakers would have to trade into the second round.
- Heat forward Jae Crowder is the most realistic free agent wing option for the Clippers, who could use another 3-and-D player, Jovan Buha of The Athletic opines. If the Clippers strike out on Crowder, there’s a dropoff among wings they could pursue with their mid-level exception. That second-tier group includes the likes of Wesley Matthews, Derrick Jones and Kent Bazemore, among others.
- Jovan Buha of The Athletic ranks several potential point guard targets for the Clippers, who could look to upgrade the position during the offseason. Buha rated players such as Rajon Rondo, D.J. Augustin and others based on their production and overall fit with the team.
Raptors guard Terence Davis has entered a not guilty plea after being charged in New York with two counts of assault, harassment, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal mischief, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets. As The Athletic’s Eric Koreen writes, Davis’ girlfriend visited him at a Manhattan hotel and they allegedly got into a verbal argument. Davis allegedly hit his girlfriend in the face, then grabbed the victim’s phone and broke it. His next court date is December 11.
The Raptors issued a statement which read in part that they “take these issues very seriously, and we will fully cooperate and support the League in its investigation of this matter as we work to determine the appropriate next steps for our team.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has made a pitch to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, lobbying to bring the Raptors to his city next season, Jonathan Concool of Basketball News relays. The Raptors may need to move their games out of Canada, much like baseball’s Blue Jays did this season, due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions. Kansas City has an arena fit for an NBA team and while Lucas insists he’s not trying to get the Toronto franchise to move there permanently, he’s hoping it would be a de facto “test run” to show the league the city is worthy of an NBA franchise, according to Sports Illustrated’s Ben Pickman.
- Former Sixers executive Sam Hinkie believes his former team made a smart move by hiring Daryl Morey to run their basketball operations, he told ESPN’s Pablo Torre (hat tip to RealGM). “I think it’s great news. He’s not a good hire. He’s a great hire,” he said. “It’s a really big move for the franchise. For a franchise I care a lot about. With a bunch of people I care a lot about.”
- Brian Adams is joining Doc Rivers’ Sixers staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Adams worked under Rivers for both the Celtics and Clippers before a two-season stint as head coach of the Clippers’ G League team, Agua Caliente.
Hoops Rumors is previewing the 2020 offseason for all 30 NBA teams. We’re looking at the key questions facing each club, as well as the roster decisions they’ll have to make this fall. Today, we’re focusing on the Los Angeles Clippers.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Clippers currently have approximately $109MM committed to nine guaranteed salaries for 2020/21. That figure doesn’t account for potential free agents like Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, and JaMychal Green. The team will definitely be over the cap and could approach the tax line if it wants to re-sign more than one of those free agents.
If the Clippers’ team salary increases significantly as a result of re-signing those free agents, they may be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.72MM). If not, they’ll have the full MLE ($9.26MM) and bi-annual exception ($3.62MM) available. The club also had a couple modest trade exceptions on hand, including one worth $3.57MM.
Our full salary cap preview for the Clippers can be found right here.
Roster Decisions To Watch
Options:
- JaMychal Green, player option: $5,005,350
Non-Guaranteed Contracts:
- Joakim Noah ($2,692,991)
Two-Way Contracts:
- Amir Coffey (expires in 2021)
- Johnathan Motley (expiring)
Free Agents:
- Montrezl Harrell (Bird)
- Marcus Morris (Non-Bird)
- Reggie Jackson (Non-Bird)
- Patrick Patterson (Non-Bird)
2020 Draft Assets
First Round:
- None
Second Round:
- No. 57 overall pick
The Clippers hung onto their own second-round pick at No. 57, but sent their first-rounder (No. 27) to the Knicks at the 2020 deadline in a deal for Marcus Morris.
Three Key Offseason Questions
1. Which frontcourt free agent(s) will the Clippers prioritize?
The Clippers’ stars remain under contract through next season, as do key backcourt contributors like Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams. However, many of Los Angeles’ most important frontcourt players not named Kawhi Leonard or Paul George are eligible to his the open market, creating some difficult decisions for the franchise.
Montrezl Harrell, coming off a Sixth Man of the Year award, will be an unrestricted free agent and is poised to be one of the most talented big men on the market. He’s still just 26 years old and has put up big-time offensive numbers since arriving in L.A., including an average of 18.6 PPG on 58.0% shooting in 63 games in 2019/20.
Fortunately for the Clippers, and unfortunately for Harrell, this isn’t 2016. There’s not an abundance of league-wide cap room available, and teams probably aren’t going to reward a non-star center with a massive long-term contract like the ones Joakim Noah, Bismack Biyombo, and Ian Mahinmi received four years ago.
That doesn’t mean that Harrell isn’t in line for a nice payday, but he’s unlikely to cost $20MM per year to retain. ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated that the Clippers’ big man will receive a starting salary in the $10-12MM range. I think he could do a little better than that, but his defensive inconsistency will limit his value. And if the few teams with cap room use that space on other players, Harrell’s options will be extremely limited.
The Clippers’ decision on Harrell will be tied to which direction the team goes on two power forwards, Marcus Morris and JaMychal Green. Morris is an unrestricted free agent, while Green can also become a UFA if he turns down his $5MM player option — given the role he played on the Clippers, he can reasonably argue he outperformed that option.
Morris’ offensive numbers fell off substantially after he was traded from the Knicks to L.A., but he’ll still be a sought-after veteran this offseason — his toughness, size, defensive versatility, and scoring ability make him an easy fit on just about any contender. Marks estimates that Morris’ starting salary might be in the same range as Harrell’s ($10-12MM), though teams may be more reluctant to offer the 31-year-old a long-term deal.
As for Green, he’ll likely be the most affordable of the three, but getting him back on another $5MM deal might be too optimistic. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s offered a contract similar to the two-year, $16MM pact he signed with Memphis in 2017.
The Clippers, who already project to be over the cap without accounting for any of their free agents, probably aren’t enthusiastic about the idea of going into tax territory to re-sign Harrell, Morris, and Green without making any other upgrades. So something’s got to give here, and it will be fascinating to see which of these players becomes the Clippers’ top priority and which is viewed as expendable.
2. How will the Clippers address the point guard position?
A consensus emerged following the Clippers’ disappointing second-round exit last month that while the team had a deep, versatile roster, it could have used a point guard capable of assuming more ball-handling and play-making responsibilities.
When Leonard won titles in San Antonio and Toronto, he did so alongside Tony Parker and Kyle Lowry, respectively — there was no point guard like that on L.A.’s 2019/20 roster. Beverley is a strong defender but isn’t a dynamic offensive player, while Williams is more of a score-first player and Reggie Jackson couldn’t be relied upon for major playoff minutes.
It will be a challenge for the Clippers to find the kind of player they’re looking for on the free agent market this fall. Fred VanVleet will be out of their price range and most of the other point guards available won’t move the needle for L.A. — veterans like D.J. Augustin or Jeff Teague are solid but probably not the extra piece a team needs to win a championship.
The two most intriguing names on the free agent market are Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic. The Clippers have already been linked to Rondo, who played an important part in helping the Lakers capture their 17th championship and should be attainable for a deal worth the mid-level or less. He’d be a nice fit — especially since signing him away from the Lakers would help weaken the defending champions’ roster.
As for Dragic, he’s less likely to be within the Clippers’ price range. It’s possible a multiyear deal could lure him away from the Heat, who figure to make him a sizeable one-year offer. But a salary in the mid-level range probably won’t be enough to do it.
If the Clippers don’t land Rondo and don’t like their other free agent options, pursuing a trade could be the way to go. Unfortunately, some of the veteran point guards who would be the best fits – such as Chris Paul, Mike Conley, and Lowry – are impractical trade targets for various reasons, including their mammoth cap hits. But there are more affordable players out there who could realistically be available, like perhaps Ricky Rubio, Dennis Schroder, and Derrick Rose.
3. Are Leonard and George in it for the long haul?
It was a major coup for a long-downtrodden franchise last July when Leonard chose to sign with the Clippers and essentially brought George along with him in a trade from the Thunder.
The moves instantly made L.A. a title contender and generated so much excitement that it was easy to overlook one key detail — the contract Kawhi signed was only for three years, with a player option after year two. That means both he and George will be eligible to reach free agency in 2021, just one year from now.
Technically then, Leonard’s and George’s futures are questions that will have to be answered next offseason and not necessarily this year. But with that uncertainty looming over the franchise, there will be added urgency in the front office to make sure this year’s roster has the right pieces in place to make a championship run. Another early exit in the playoffs could significantly dent the Clippers’ odds of keeping their two star forwards for the long term.
While the Clippers will do what they can to make sure Leonard and George are happy, the odds that the two stars will bolt in a year seem low to me.
They’re both Southern California natives who chose Los Angeles over every any other potential destination — Kawhi left a championship team to move home, while George has been talking for years about the possibility of playing in L.A., even as he signed a new deal with the Thunder. Plus, Leonard’s decision to sign a shorter-term contract can be attributed to his desire to ink a more lucrative maximum-salary contract once he earns 10 years of NBA experience after next season.
Even if the idea of Leonard and George jumping ship is a long shot, the Clippers can’t take anything for granted. But if they can get any sort of assurances from those two stars that they’re planning on sticking around for the long haul, it’ll make it easier for the team to bring in the necessary pieces without making any panicky, short-term moves.
Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sam Cassell, a longtime Clippers assistant coach under Doc Rivers, will be joining Rivers in Philadelphia, becoming part of the Sixers‘ staff, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
A former NBA player who won two titles with the Rockets and a third with the Celtics, Cassell transitioned into coaching after he retired in 2009. He spent five seasons on the Wizards’ staff as an assistant and has worked since 2014 under Rivers in Los Angeles.
Rivers endorsed his longtime assistant as a deserving NBA head coaching candidate last month before he parted ways with the Clippers. Cassell reportedly interviewed to replace Rivers in L.A. and drew some interest from Houston, but the expectation was that he’d continue to work on Rivers’ staff if he didn’t get a head coaching job, per Pompey.
Meanwhile, the 76ers are also hiring veteran Pacers assistant Dan Burke, league sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).
Burke, who began his career with the Trail Blazers, has been a fixture in Indiana for over two decades, having served as a Pacers assistant under six different head coaches, dating back to Larry Bird‘s days on the sidelines. As Bontemps notes, Burke is highly respected around the NBA and is known for his defensive acumen.
Cassell and Burke will be joining a growing Sixers staff that will also reportedly feature former Kings and Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger.
Rivers’ group is also expected to include former Clippers video coordinator Pete Dominguez, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic, who tweets that Dominguez earned a promotion to the bench after impressing Rivers and the Clips in multiple roles in recent years.