Gradey Dick’s preseason with the Clippers has been a quiet one so far, and that matters because he’s not just trying to get up to speed - he’s trying to win a place in the rotation. For a player who left Toronto with questions still hanging over his game, this is the kind of stretch that can either open a door or slam it shut.
Dick was already slipping out of the Raptors’ plans last season. The issues were familiar: the 3-pointers weren’t falling, and he wasn’t meeting Darko Rajakovic’s defensive expectations.
Toronto then dealt him to the LA Clippers in the trade that brought Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, and now he’s trying to carve out minutes for a new coach. Even with Max Strus and Brandon Ingram injured, nothing is being handed to him.
The early returns haven’t helped his case. Through two preseason games, Dick has attempted one 3-pointer in each and missed both. He’s made only two shots and four free throws total, going 1-of-5 from the field against the Golden State Warriors and 1-of-3 against the Raptors.
That scoring drought is especially notable because Dick was drafted to be a floor spacer. That part of his game never really took hold in Toronto.
He shot 36.5% from deep as a rookie, which was respectable, but he never became an above-average shooter. Last season, that number fell to 30%.
The larger problem is what he offers when the jumper isn’t dropping. Dick hasn’t been a reliable defender, and he hasn’t done much to stand out as a passer or creator.
Against Golden State, he logged one assist, one turnover and three fouls. The one area where he did leave a mark was on the glass, where he pulled down six rebounds, including two offensive boards, in 16 minutes.
His second preseason outing against Toronto was quieter still. He finished with four points and one rebound in 13 minutes, and the rest of the stat line stayed mostly empty.
There is still time for him to change the conversation. The Clippers have one more preseason game, against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, and then the real opportunities begin. Max Strus is out for at least a month, and Brandon Ingram has no official return timeline, which leaves room in the wing rotation.
That’s the upside of landing in LA instead of staying in Toronto. The Raptors are trying to become a championship contender and need role players who can handle that standard. The Clippers are still piecing together what comes next, and that gives Dick a better shot at minutes than he would have had with the Raptors this season.
But the pressure is real. Dick will be a restricted free agent after this season, and the longer he looks like a lottery pick who hasn’t found his footing, the harder that next contract becomes.
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