The Clippers’ offseason has gone from shaky to downright messy, and that turbulence may have opened the door for Gradey Dick.
Los Angeles finally got the long-awaited Kawhi Leonard trade done with the Toronto Raptors, but the deal came with a steep price. The Clippers gave up a significant amount of first-round draft capital because of the league-issued penalty, then tried to offset some of that by getting two first-rounders from Toronto.
Even so, the player centerpiece of the move, Brandon Ingram, was later found to have a partially torn Achilles. That injury is expected to keep him out to start the upcoming season, and there still isn’t a real timetable for his return.
The hits haven’t stopped there. Bradley Beal is now working through knee inflammation as he tries to get back to game speed, another blow to Los Angeles’ veteran group. On top of that, offseason addition Max Strus has a partially torn right plantar fascia and is expected to miss “at least four weeks,” according to reports.
With those injuries piling up, the Clippers’ swingman rotation has thinned fast. That puts Dick, the other outgoing piece in the Kawhi Leonard deal, in a much more interesting spot than he was in when the trade first landed.
At the time, his future in Los Angeles looked unsettled. He hadn’t done enough to generate much excitement about his development, and there was real reason to wonder whether he could be moved again as the Clippers looked to trim the roster. That concern faded once he was viewed as more likely to stick, thanks to a movable contract and the fact that there is still some upside left to chase.
Now the situation has changed again. With the depth chart taking hit after hit, Dick could be in line for a real opportunity early in the 2026-27 season.
A starting role still feels unlikely, but the bench is suddenly thin enough that he has a strong case for meaningful minutes. Even after Beal returns, a reserve group featuring Kris Dunn, Beal, Dick, and Brook Lopez would still leave room for him to play.
The last version of Dick Raptors fans saw didn’t leave the best impression, but his sophomore season in 2024-25 is still the version worth remembering. He looked like a rising player then, before Ja’Kobe Walter eventually “snatched his chain,” so to speak, and the chance in Toronto slipped away. This latest turn could be the opening he has been waiting for: more minutes, more reps, more touches, and a chance to build on the flashes he showed two seasons ago.
For the Clippers, the logic is simple enough. After the way this trade situation has unfolded, they may be hoping to squeeze value from whatever pieces they have left.
Brandon Ingram won’t be ready any time soon, so giving Dick a longer leash makes sense. There isn’t much to lose.
Even so, the margin for error is small. Dick is still on thin ice, and his first preseason outing wasn’t encouraging. Once the games count, though, he’ll have a chance to show he still belongs in the league.
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