Gradey Dick’s future with the Clippers is still murky, but there’s at least a path that could keep him around.
With the Kawhi Leonard trade from the Clippers back to the Raptors nearing the finish line, attention has shifted to what happens next on LA’s side of the deal. That naturally pulls Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick into the conversation, since both players are now part of the Clippers’ outlook as the franchise moves into its rebuilding phase.
Ingram’s name briefly surfaced in reroute chatter, with the Mavericks and Masai Ujiri mentioned as possible destinations. But the latest reporting says the two-time All-Star is expected to stay with the Clippers, at least for now.
Dick’s situation is a little different. The former 13th overall pick has been discussed for weeks in terms of his role, his possible playing time, and his extension eligibility.
But based on recent reports, an extension does not appear to be coming. After a rough season and with LA needing to make two roster cuts in its current situation, Dick has even been mentioned as a possible cut candidate.
His stock has taken a hit. He’s still young, but he’s no longer being treated like a can’t-miss asset. In the Kawhi trade, his place was essentially salary filler alongside Ingram to make the money work.
On a recent LA-focused offseason episode of the Third Apron Podcast, NBA writer Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints and Yossi Gozlan dug into where Dick fits in all this. Gozlan said Dick could wind up in the same conversation as Johni Broome, whom LA took in this offseason from the 76ers to create room to sign veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He also noted that training camp could bring more clarity on which players the Clippers ultimately decide to cut.
There’s no immediate deadline forcing the issue, though. The Clippers can wait until just before the season starts to make those calls. Azarly added that Dick may sit slightly higher in the team’s view than Broome, but that does not necessarily mean a real role is waiting for him.
As Azarly said: “[…] Gradey Dick would be easier to include in any kind of trade if he needed to for additional salary than maybe a guy like Johni Broome at 7 million. So if he keeps a spot, it could be used for that down the line.
Maybe not necessarily to play. So that's another reason why I think it could be Broome.”
That fits with where the Clippers are headed. After the punishment from the Kawhi Leonard investigation left them with far less first-round draft capital, the team still looks like a club that will keep working the trade market.
They have several names that could help bring back second-round picks, including Rui Hachimura, Max Strus, Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., and even Bradley Beal or Brook Lopez depending on how their seasons go. Ingram is part of that mix too, although his salary makes him a harder piece to move.
Dick’s expiring $7.1 million contract may actually give him a better chance to stick. That deal could make him useful in a future trade if the Clippers want to take on a slightly bigger contract, even if the player coming back is less appealing. Broome does not offer the same flexibility, and Cam Christie appears to be the other player in line to be cut.
So Dick’s path may not be glamorous, but it may be enough to save him from an early exit.
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