The Clippers may already have found a preseason problem worth solving in Blake Wesley.
LA sits at 15 guaranteed players, which leaves the team with no easy path to keep Wesley if it wants to stay compliant with the league limit. Because he’s on an Exhibit 10 contract, he isn’t eligible for the usual waiver-and-two-way shuffle. That means if the Clippers want to stash the former first-round pick they drafted with the San Antonio Spurs, they likely need to open a spot another way.
Wesley made the case the hard way in the preseason opener against the Golden State Warriors. In 18 minutes, he put up eight points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
The line itself is strong, but the timing mattered even more. He knocked down a clutch and-one with less than a minute to play to put the Clippers ahead, then came through with the game-sealing stop before Keaton Wagler buried the jumper that finished it.
That kind of two-way impact is exactly why Wesley has put the front office in a bind. If the Clippers decide he needs to be on the regular-season roster, the cleanest route is a trade.
There are pieces LA could move, too. Gradey Dick and Brook Lopez are both mentioned as possible trade candidates, and either one - or a combination - could be moved to make room. Both help in their own ways, but the source material makes clear that the Clippers would have reason to consider parting with either if it meant keeping Wesley.
And there’s another layer to this: the Clippers may need Wesley sooner rather than later. Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal, Jordan Miller, Max Strus, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser will be out at the start of the year, while Kobe Sanders is potentially unavailable as well.
The rest of the preseason will tell the story from here, but Wesley has already done enough to make this a real roster decision. If he keeps producing like this, the Clippers may not have much choice but to trade their way into keeping him.
In Other News...
Clippers Bring Back A Familiar Name As Roster Battle Takes Shape
The Clippers have filled one of their open preseason roster spots by bringing back a familiar name in wing Jahmyl Telfort, signing him to an Exhibit 10 contract as the team continues sorting through its 21-man camp group. Telfort already knows the organization well, having spent time with the Clippers before, and this move gives Los Angeles another look at a player who has already been in its system.
Telfort is expected to head back to the San Diego Clippers, where the arrangement gives him a path to keep developing within the organization. Exhibit 10 deals are often less about immediate NBA roster impact than they are about finding the right fit for the G League pipeline, and for the Clippers, this is another low-risk way to keep a familiar wing around while the preseason roster battle plays out. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Already Have A Regret Fans Can See Developing
The Clippers are already staring at one of those decisions that can linger if the player gets off to a fast start elsewhere. Bennedict Mathurin, who left Los Angeles for New Orleans on a deal worth about $8 million a year, wasted little time making an impression in his first preseason game with the Pelicans. For a Clippers roster dealing with injuries and looking for usable depth, it is the kind of move that naturally invites second-guessing.
Mathurins early fit in New Orleans only sharpens the question of what the Clippers passed up when the price was still in reach. He gave the Pelicans a productive debut and, more importantly, showed the type of energy and shot-making a team can plug in quickly. If the Clippers were looking for a realistic way to keep him in house, this is the sort of start that makes the missed opportunity look even bigger. [Read more 🡒]