At a certain point, it all has to click for the Los Angeles Clippers, right? Consistently one of the most talented teams in the league with a 1-2 punch that few squads in the NBA can match, the Clippers once again came up very, very short during the 2022-23 NBA season. Los Angeles got the 5-seed in the Western Conference after winning 44 games, then lost in five games in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. Once again, the year ended with a whimper for the team with the highest payroll in the NBA, and curiously, the team has opted against making any sort of moves that could shake things up in the aftermath.
Ty Lue is still around. Kawhi Leonard isn’t getting moved, but Paul George is still here, too, and while they’ve reportedly gauged his trade value, nothing concrete has come to light of them seriously discussing deals to send him out. Other than Mason Plumlee and Russell Westbrook, every major contributor from last season is coming back. They were rumored to have interest in Chris Paul before he was dealt to Golden State, and tried to get Malcolm Brogdon before that deal fell through, indicating point guard is on their list.
If this is true — and it’s worth noting that things can change dramatically once 6 p.m. EST on June 30 rolls around — then the No. 30 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is incredibly important, as it’s an opportunity to address some of the flaws that we’ve seen in this old, flawed roster. Guys like Terance Mann and Bones Hyland can add some of that if their roles increase next season, and perhaps the player they take on Thursday night can do the same.
Roster Needs: Youth, guard depth, another big
Kobe Brown (No. 30 overall), B-: Brown has the pieces to be a very solid role player in the NBA. He fits within the Clippers’ structure as a result, and if his shooting uptick from 2022-23 is real, Brown could be a steal with the final pick of the first round.
2023 Free Agents:
Mason Plumlee (UFA)
Russell Westbrook (UFA)
Xavier Moon (Two-Way)
Moussa Diabate (Two-Way)
Roster:
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Eric Gordon
Norman Powell
Marcus Morris Sr.
Nicolas Batum
Robert Covington
Ivica Zubac
Terance Mann
Amir Coffey
Bones Hyland (Team Option)
Brandon Boston Jr.
Jason Preston