While most of the league was wheeling and dealing as free agency opened on Friday evening, the Los Angeles Clippers were extremely quiet. Their in-arena neighbors signed Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish to open the frenzy, but the Clippers were not eager to make any moves as they were still working on a potential James Harden trade.
The problem is, the Sixers plan to be patient in dealing Harden, meaning the Clippers can’t really make the moves they might want until that deal is done and that deal might take some time to get completed. So, instead of standing completely idle, the Clippers did make one move that didn’t even get reported by any of the major national reporters (although Andrew Greif of the LA Times did have it early), trading cash ($2.1 million) to Detroit for the draft rights to the 57th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Balsa Koprivica.
The LA Clippers traded cash considerations to the Detroit Pistons for the draft rights to Balsa Koprivica.
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 1, 2023
As to why the Clippers would deal for a guy’s draft rights they probably would never actually sign, there are a couple of reasons. First, as Tony East explains, is once it’s July 1 they won’t be allowed to trade cash anymore as a second apron team, but can deal draft right.
This is clever as hell. In about 80 minutes, the Clippers won’t be able to trade cash in deals since they will be over the second apron. But they can trade draft rights even when over the second apron. So, a quick swap while still within the old CBA for a bit.
Dorky and smart. https://t.co/zG7g3tWN4r
— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 1, 2023
Second is, as John Hollinger notes, they can use those draft rights in a potential three-team deal for James Harden, as all parties involved need to “touch” in a trade, and Koprivica’s draft rights would suffice.
Wondering if this is a prelude to an imminent multi-team trade involving a certain bearded guard.
Koprivica’s rights could be used as the touch on one of the peripheral teams. https://t.co/eAzuthrcpZ
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) July 1, 2023
So, maybe this helps facilitate a Harden deal or maybe it was just the Clippers burning some cash in their pocket they would lose the chance to use otherwise. In any case, you can’t say they didn’t do anything on Friday night.