Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clock Ticks On Clippers Free Agents

November 11th, 2020 at 9:10pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Clippers‘ front office, piloted by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, will face some important choices once the offseason kicks off in earnest next week, writes Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register. Forwards Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, and JaMychal Green, as well as reserve point guard Reggie Jackson, are all unrestricted free agents.

The Clippers may look to make an upgrade from Jackson. Lakers reserve point guard Rajon Rondo, who is expected to opt-out of his $2.7MM player option this summer, has been discussed as a candidate. The team might also make a bigger move, as Rockets All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, a Long Beach native and former teammate of Clippers star forward Paul George, has recently sought a trade out of Houston.

Both the Lakers and the Clippers will kick off the 2020/21 NBA season without any fans at their home arena, the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, due to current COVID-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings in LA County, according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register.

Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More

November 11th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.

However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.

As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:

Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.

Harden, Westbrook Have Expressed Concern About Rockets’ Direction

November 11th, 2020 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

Following the departures of head coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey, Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook have expressed concern – in discussions with their agents and Houston’s front office – about the direction of the franchise, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said last month that there are “no plans” to blow up the roster and that the team remains fully committed to contending for a title. New GM Rafael Stone echoed that sentiment, recently indicating that Houston is “all in” on its quest for a championship.

Despite those assurances, Harden and Westbrook have conveyed some concerns about how long the Rockets’ championship window will be open, according to ESPN’s duo. While neither player has asked for a trade, the organization is worried that their commitment to staying in Houston long-term may be wavering and believes the idea of the two guards requesting trades has become a “plausible eventual possibility,” per Woj and MacMahon.

The two former MVPs are each under contract through at least 2021/22, with $47MM player options for the ’22/23 season.

As Wojnarowski and MacMahon detail, Harden has been in discussions with the Rockets’ front office about potential roster moves this offseason, which isn’t new — he has “expressed similar urgency” about making moves to improve the club’s title chances during previous offseasons. He and Westbrook were also both consulted during Houston’s coaching search and were on board with the hiring of new head coach Stephen Silas, sources tell ESPN.

Still, while Morey was aggressive about upgrading the roster in past years, his moves have left the Rockets will little ammunition available for future deals. Houston is the only NBA team without a pick in the 2020 draft. The team has also traded away multiple first-round selections (2024 and 2026) and agreed to swap first-rounders in other years (2021 and 2025).

ESPN’s story on the Rockets’ stars comes on the heels of a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (video link), who suggested on The Mismatch podcast this week that teams around the NBA believe Westbrook “could be had” in a trade.

O’Connor says he has heard the Clippers and Knicks are among the teams with interest in Westbrook, though he cautions there’s no guarantee anything will materialize on that front.

Diaz Hired To Oversee Planning Of New Arena

November 9th, 2020 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the Clippers preparing to move to a new arena in 2024, the organization has announced several hires who will help with the transition, according to a team press release. Most notably, Alex Diaz has been named Chief Operating Officer. He will primarily oversee the operations planning of Inglewood Basketball & Entertainment Center and provide operational council for the Clippers, Honey Training Center and the LA Forum, which was acquired earlier this year by team owner Steve Ballmer.

Examining Potential Clippers Free Agent, Trade Targets

November 8th, 2020 at 7:00pm CST by JD Shaw

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.

Clippers Finalizing Deals With Billups, Drew

November 8th, 2020 at 5:16pm CST by JD Shaw

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.

Lakers Expected To Target Serge Ibaka

November 8th, 2020 at 4:45pm CST by JD Shaw

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.

Coaching Roundup: Kalamian, Foster, Vinson

November 5th, 2020 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Pacific Notes: Ibaka, Holiday, Kings, Lakers

November 4th, 2020 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Crowder Would Make Sense In Free Agent Market

November 3rd, 2020 at 9:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.