The LA Clippers have done plenty of things right this offseason, but the front office still left value on the table. They’re being viewed as a play-in team right now, and that’s exactly why a few low-cost additions could have changed the conversation fast.
The biggest issue is simple: this roster needed more help on the glass and more reliable two-way depth, and there were affordable options available to fix both.
Marcus Smart stands out as the miss that could have moved the needle most. Instead of Bradley Beal, who is making roughly $6.5 million annually, the Clippers could have gone after Smart, who landed with the Houston Rockets on a two-year, $12.4 million deal.
If Smart wanted a little more, the Clippers could have opened up room to make it happen. His playoff résumé shows why he would have mattered so much: 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.5 rebounds across 10 games, plus a 25-point, seven-assist outing in the second game of the first round when he also grabbed five steals.
He would have been a strong fit in the starting lineup alongside Darius Garland and would have played a major role in the development of Keaton Wagler.
Nick Richards was another chance to shore up the frontcourt without breaking the bank. In 20 games for the Chicago Bulls, he averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds, enough to show exactly what he brings. He eventually signed with the Miami Heat on a one-year, $3.06 million contract, a number the Clippers could have matched and even topped if they wanted to strengthen their rebounding and frontcourt depth.
Then there’s Dorian Finney-Smith, a player who would have fit the Clippers’ needs almost perfectly. The team could use a backup power forward, and Finney-Smith would have helped there while also addressing the rebounding problem.
Last season, for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged nearly nine points and four rebounds while shooting 41.1% from three on 5.0 attempts per game. He later signed with the Houston Rockets and didn’t get much run in a crowded rotation, but the talent remains.
Finney-Smith was just traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations, and it’s the kind of move the Clippers could have made to better position themselves for the playoff hunt.
Taken together, those three additions would not have been flashy. They would have been practical. And for a Clippers team trying to look like more than just a play-in hopeful, that’s exactly the point.
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Clippers Fans Have One Big Reason To Watch Toronto's Next Move
Torontos front office still sounds like it believes theres room to keep pushing. Bobby Webster said the Raptors have enough draft capital and financial flexibility left to make another major addition if the opportunity comes along, even after the franchise paid a steep price to land Kawhi Leonard in the first place. For Clippers fans, that keeps the old Leonard trade tree from feeling like a closed book, especially with Webster also pointing to healthy signs around Jakob Poeltl and the clubs ability to keep RJ Barrett in the fold.
Webster also addressed the process behind the Leonard deal itself, saying Toronto completed its due diligence while the NBA was investigating the Clippers and never tried to reopen or renegotiate the trade after the leagues sanctions. Leonard later signed a two-year extension with the Raptors, but the lingering context around that move still gives this another layer of intrigue for anyone in Los Angeles watching how the fallout continues to echo around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Open A Two-Way Spot With Camp About To Start
With training camp about to get underway, the Clippers are making room on the back end of the roster by planning to waive Jamarion Sharp to open a two-way contract slot. Sharp, a 7-foot-5 center, joined Los Angeles on a two-way deal in August after building his case with a strong G League and college career, but the move gives the team more flexibility as it sorts out its camp roster.
If Sharp clears waivers, he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. The Clippers already have two other players on two-way contracts and are not actively looking to replace Sharp, which suggests this is more about preserving roster flexibility than making an immediate addition. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Lost A Frontcourt Fix They Really Needed
The Clippers have been searching for a better answer on the glass in their frontcourt, where Brook Lopez and Rui Hachimura have carried much of the load but have not given them the rebounding edge they need. That made Julian Reese an interesting name for LA, especially after the rookie big man showed he could help on the boards during his first season with the Wizards and looked like a sensible developmental fit for a team trying to shore up a glaring weakness.
Now Reese is off the board after landing with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-way deal, which takes another potential frontcourt fix out of the Clippers' reach. With training camp approaching, the focus turns to the current two-way group and whether one of those players can emerge as the rebound-minded option this roster still needs. [Read more 🡒]