Yanic Konan Niederhauser’s return is getting closer, and that’s about to create a real rotation squeeze for the LA Clippers.
The team’s 2025 first-round pick appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from the Lisfranc injury he suffered last season. Niederhauser was briefly assigned to the San Diego Clippers, along with Brandon Ingram and Max Strus, a routine step teams often take before a player is officially cleared. Strus, for what it’s worth, is already back.
Once Niederhauser is ready to go, Tyronn Lue will have a decision on his hands. The Clippers have gotten strong play from Brook Lopez and Isaiah Jackson, and there simply isn’t room for all three centers in the same rotation because none of them can slide to power forward.
That leaves one of the two current bigs headed for a reduced role, and the case here is for Jackson to be the one who loses minutes.
The reason starts with what Lopez brings. With Niederhauser operating as a paint-first presence, Lopez gives the Clippers a different look because of his ability to stretch the floor.
That kind of pairing creates a tougher read for defenses, whether Lopez starts and Niederhauser comes off the bench or the other way around. Jackson has shown flashes from outside, but he doesn’t offer the same spacing threat.
There’s also the business side of it. Lopez is on an expiring contract, and keeping him on the floor makes sense if the Clippers want to preserve or boost his trade value before the deadline. He’s been productive enough to justify the minutes, too, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 block over seven games.
Jackson has been excellent as well, putting up 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 60.4% from the field. He’s clearly done enough to show he belongs in the team’s long-term plans, which is why the expectation is that he’d be the one pushed into third-string duty for now.
So while Niederhauser’s return gives the Clippers another option, it also forces a tough choice. On the surface, it looks like a good problem. Underneath it, the answer is pretty straightforward.
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