The Clippers Offseason Could Get Complicated…

The Clippers Offseason Could Get Complicated…

What is up fellow sickos? The postmortem train rolls on offseason look ahead train rolls on because we’re not just talking about playoff teams. We’re going to go into each and every team and kind of look at their offseason. Let’s get into it. The Los Angeles Clippers. Grant, did you want to take us through their vitals after I honestly think that this is one of the most confusing teams for me as we get into postmortems following that seven game set with Denver. I mean, better to be confusing than hopeless, which is what we thought they were seven months ago, uh, or give or take. Uh, so basically, the Clippers are 15.1 million under the tax or or 23.1 million and 23.1 million under the first apron. This assumes though, Harden at 36.3 and Batum at 4.9 pick up their player options. We could talk about that. Uh, we al this also assumes that Amir Coffee is a goner and Drew Eubanks is also gone. Um, they should be able to access the non- taxpayer mid-level exception at 14.1 million. They can trade up to three first rounders after the draft. Um, they have a 2025 first via the Thunder uh conditional first in 2030 and 2032. Um, should we start with the Harden player option because that feels like a pretty big pivot point to me. Yeah, I would think if to me I look at it through the lens of is he just going to exercise it or is this we’re penciling him in for the Clippers with a new number because I don’t you don’t see a scenario in which he opts out and leaves, right? No, I mean I I my best guess is he’ll opt out and look for a like two-year 80 million or 90 million or something something like that oneplus one that kind of thing. And I think if you’re the Clippers, you probably just have to do it right. I mean, although you can squeeze him a little bit because like like you’re alluding to where where are you gonna go? Like you want to go play you want to go back to Brooklyn? Don’t think so. Maybe you could come up with a team, but like let’s just say they were willing to even trade him or like there just doesn’t feel like oh like Harden would be an excellent fit like this team needs like James Harden at age what 35 at the at the price that it’s probably going to cost. Like I do think I do think there’s a future and who knows if he’d do this where it’s like he could be a six-man on a really good team making 15 million a year 2012 Thunder maybe you think that basically if you just he’ll go full circle and it’ll just be that guy. Hey, he would be a really good six-man on the current Thunder, right? You wouldn’t have your shot creation problems anymore, unless it was game seven, I guess. But he So, yeah, I I think the opt out the opt out feels like I don’t think like is Do you think he might just pick it up and I’ll be a free agent in 26? No, I feel like he’ll get like the oneplus one again like just got to be right. Yeah. Yeah. So, that would be the pivot point. And then I think if you’re using let’s say they game it properly so they’ll have the non- tax because we know Steve Bomber will pay the tax. So I don’t but do they want to hardcap themselves at the first apron? They did already. So yeah they I think they would do that. What is like the need you’re focusing on with this team? Well I mean they’re not losing anybody really. Like I’m trying to think looking at their free agents like Coffey’s unrestricted. We mentioned him. Patty Mills is un Ben Simmon. Like there’s just like I mean did you see but I’m sorry. Did you see who the betting favorite is right now to land Ben Ben Simmons? Oh my. First of all, there are odds on this. Yeah, taking people’s money for that is criminal, but also if you’re going to like that’s also on you where you’re bet on Ben Simmons’s next destination. I want to try to guess because I have no idea no earthly idea. Uh the Lakers, it’s the Boston Celtics. So you had the it was a flagship market, but it’s Boston. That’s weird. What the Okay, he’s he’s What would his purpose What especially watching the Celtics against the Knicks and like what would be the what would Ben Simmons do for that team? Uh pass the ball uh whenever he got it, I guess. I don’t know. Yeah, that’s that’s what So, what are their I mean, I guess you have to look at what just happened in the first round of the playoffs if you’re assessing needs like because you can’t just say they need Kawhai to be healthy. They need Harden to hold up another year. what what what went wrong against Denver in a seven game series that either team could have won. I guess here’s what I’m before we even get into their needs. The path forward to them is really my wife used this word the other day that she made up confuzzled where I’m like confused and anxious and just puzzled over it all. And can you bank you’re not going to get a better version of Kawhai than you did this year. Maybe he’s slightly more available. um James Harden not getting better, but at the same time, you don’t have an incentive that like you can’t strip this down. You just you can’t because even if even if you said, “Okay, let’s do that.” I don’t know what value you get for any of the like Zubos probably has the most objective trade value, right? Like maybe Kawi edges him out a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. But so I’m just how aggressive are is it just oh we’re going to use the tax pyramid level to improve and that’s that or is it oh we might put first round equity on the table. I think that is it the the former um because you just like it this season was great like it was just beyond expectations for everybody but you can’t get caught up in like let’s mortgage more of the future and like because we’re going to get two or three more years out of this group. It’s like it’s a it’s a week-toeek thing, right? Like they they ran hot towards the end of the season. I don’t that that’s dismissive. Like they’re they were they’re good. This is a really good team when everybody is in the spot they’re supposed to be in and healthy. But it’s like the calculus can’t really change that much because like for most of this iteration of the Kawaii Clippers, it’s been like if they’re healthy, they’re really good and dangerous and can beat almost anybody. And that’s exactly what happened in the first round here. Had they gone on, like I don’t know. you you would have the same like [ __ ] they could they could win this series against virtually anybody. Um, so you can’t you can’t let that, you know, shroud the fact that like this is still kind of like we’re this whole thing is built on like a shaky foundation that could give at any time. So, I don’t think you can be putting picks on the table to to improve the roster. And then like other than a change of pace center that you wouldn’t spend a ton on anyway, like I’m not I mean like this team has this team is actually like Dererick Jones can play and and like matters and like Batum you I think honestly you need to make sure Batum comes back. Yeah, for sure. I remember when we thought he was going to retire. Maybe that was just like a threat to make sure never retire. That guy just swings playoff series. Yeah, I I I’m with you on the big and I although yeah, I’m I’m with you on the big, but I think the question they also need to ask is just like when you look at how some of these guys performed in the playoffs, it’s like okay, like Derrick Jones Jr. could play, but again him and Chris Dunn, they proved to be like iffy on the offensive end for you in the playoffs. And then you have to look at Norman Powell and Bogd Mcdanovich and say even if you expect them to shoot better in the playoffs next year, is that the type of tertiary offense that you need or is there a possibility to upgrade from there? That’s all in addition to I agree that you like the change of pace center like you know who I this maybe wouldn’t be like very change of pace but there are like a couple bigs with mid-level money I think would be in like who knows what’s going to happen with Brook Lopez in Milwaukee he could work here that gives you some of the stretch or Steven Adams on this team maybe they play him with Zubat at one point who knows there’s proof of concept on that I mean like well just the other consideration before you go on like I think I think you’re right about like the Joneses and Dun and Bdonovich’s of like, okay, we’ve seen some cracks in the playoff viability, but I do think the Clippers are a team that they need guys to eat minutes during the year because you must assume that Kawhai will miss time and or Harden will be inconsistent. Like so those level of players like while they you do run into issues in the playoffs I think like they matter a little more here than they might on a lot of other teams just because like okay but Gonovich isn’t perfect but like as long as he’s healthy he’s he can give you like 30 minutes of starter caliber play like at a key in a key role. I think that’s true for Jones even done like just the regular season you you’re going to need some guys to to chew up some of that time. That’s a good point. I I’ve also kind of wondered I’m with you that I wouldn’t like those 2030 and 2030 like those distant picks. I’m not touching those if I’m the Clippers. No, I agree. But then you look at like what would a trade offer look like if you attach Norman Pal’s expiring salary to the 2025 first that’s going to be OKC. So it’s the number what is it the number 29 pick? Mhm. That it’s going to end up being. What does that get you? Like is I don’t even I I don’t even know if that’s upgrading Norm Norm Powell situation. Well, does that if you send him to Orlando and you get back like John Isaac or like something like that to just I don’t know like where how you knee capture offense even right that’s the thing I’m not trading Norman Powell probably for I mean he’s among all the guys we mentioned like there’s a guy assuming he doesn’t just turn into a pumpkin but like there’s a guy that’s going to be a get get you 25 any night you don’t have Kawawaii that that’s that’s going to matter the way you framed it in terms of the regular season is like these guy even if you would like someone who’s not Norman Powell in the playoffs you also need someone who’s like going to be as good or better than Norman Pal to get you through the regular season, right? Which is like a fringe all-star, which you’re just like like I knew who and the other thing with him too is like yeah, he had some more like on ball stuff this year, but what makes him so appealing is well when Kawhi and James Harden are available and if you want to put him next to like floor space, like he doesn’t need the ball and he can stretch the floor. So you need to factor in all of this. It’s sort of it’s the Pelicans aren’t a great analog, but it’s like they were trying to build a team around Zion Williamson that both optimized him, but could exist at a high level without him. And that’s sort of what to a lesser degree the Clippers need to do. And James Harden will be available, but he’s also getting older. It’s such a it’s a challenging offseason, but I will say because I was so wrong about their 2024 offseason, this front office has more than earned the benefit of the doubt. And so they go out again and you split up the mid-level between two players. And that’s like kind of the change they make. I’m I’m just going to trust I’m not going to pick them to win the title, but at this point it’s sort of just like can you remain competitive and relevant while making these moves on the margins until other opportunities open up. And your point about the regular season I think is super salient because I’m sure they will crop up as well why don’t they throw it all in if like they could get to Kevin Durant’s money. One I guess you could get to that money but that’s decimating your non Kawawaii harden rotation. Yeah. at that point and this isn’t a team that when you look at they might be deep but when you just look at the age at the top of their roster that’s not necessarily a luxury they have of of thinking in those terms. Yeah. I think I think maybe the the button to put on it is is like it is challenging to have to balance regular season needs, past, you know, present and future stuff while dealing with this idea that like yeah, our top two guy, top three guys like are really they’re good enough to almost get us over the hump against anybody. But we don’t know how about about one and a half or two of those guys for any like two week stretch of the year. And then the playoffs is just a big like hopefully we time it right and they’re good. These are all great challenges to have relative to the ones we thought the Clippers might be facing going into this off seasonason because last year it was just like doom and gloom. This is bleak. this is a hopeless situation and and they you better believe they’re happy to be trying to juggle all this stuff because like oh it actually affects like can they win 53 games and get the second or third seed like that that’s that’s miles away from where I thought this was headed not that long ago. The final thing on them I just wanted to throw a couple of if they were free agents like would the mid level if you have the full midle can this get you in the conversation I think for most of them you would. I’ll start with the one where I don’t think it would. But if the Rockets decline his team option like Fred Van Fleet, I would take that as a signal because there’s not a ton of teams with cap space. At the same time, I almost take as a signal, oh, he’ll just be back in Houston. It’ll be higher than 14 million a year, but it’ll be less than 40 plus. Yeah. If you could get Van Vleet for the mid-level, that’s that’s a no-brainer. Anybody would say yes to that. What if they’re like if you could say what if they’re ready to unbottle Reed Shepard and so it’s like it’s a Fred Van Fleet signin trade. Yeah. Yeah. Are you like looking at the the pick plus Norman Powell to get Fred Van Vleet? Would you do that? Man, I my my first reaction was like I don’t know what I think about the Harden Van Vleet back court, but like Van Fleet can really guard. So I think and he has on and off ball value. I think is he better than Powell on this team though? I guess probably. But that’s not a that’s not like a a super easy decision for me. Would would you do that? I have no I I might I bet you you’re right. Did Harden Van Fleet but like you still have Chris Dunn to kind of throw in there and Ben Fleet’s a better defender than Norman Pal right now. He’s just getting older and he’s smaller. So that would be something to consider. And if Harden misses time, Bogdanovich and Van Vleet are going to your offense will be fine. Like that’s that’s that’s that’s doable. And you also one of the reasons you might not do that even if the opportunity was available is do you like any of the names that are I think fall in more mid-level territory if not less. Malcolm Brogden. Sure. Yeah. That’s that’s got to be way below the mid level, though, right? I mean, I I I just You can’t count on him holding up that or the short-term deal at the full mid level. Yeah. Yeah. What about Dennis Shruder? I think he’s getting the mid level, don’t you? Like I just just as a threshold issue, I think what he’s done with the Pistons is like, yeah, he’s going to be and that like it’s pretty close to what his number was coming off this year. I forget what he what he was making exactly. 12, 13, something like that. What’s tough with him though is like his biggest value. He can do some stuff defensively, but it’s he can give your other primary ball handlers like in-game breaks away from the ball. And I still feel like even to this day, there’s a cap on the value of doing that when Harden is your primary ball handling option, right? Yeah. Because it’s just doesn’t have any offball value. Um, yeah. And like the him and Shruder and Bdonovich I actually like less than like Van Vleet and Buggdonovich hypothetically. Um, even though like Yeah, cuz Shu Shruder’s pesky, but I think Van Fleet’s just a better defender. Um, what about I’m assuming he would have to agree to come off the bench in a little Chris Paul reunion. Oh wow. Will they let him start all 80? He can’t start all 82 games. That that’s not going to be on the table. They could also look at one of the Joneses, Trey Jones, Taius Jones. I think Malcolm Brogden’s the most interesting to me. This would be kind of a swing, but if you believe you have the defense to insulate him, D’Angelo Russell. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, talk about come off the bench, right? You’re not starting him next to Harden. Him and Dunn would be good. Him and Bdonovich is not playable. You You’d have to really do I mean, but if you could get him at mid-level money, then you’re not really that concerned about fit issues with other bench guys. Moral of the story is I don’t know. We kind of understand that the direction is tread tread water is that’s what it feels like for them. Can you improve on the margins? I’ll still be interested to see how they go about doing that, right? All right, that’s going to do it. Thanks everybody for listening, for watching. If you have not already, please remember to rate, review, and subscribe. Uh, if you’re watching this on YouTube, give us a thumbs up, leave us a comment there, join our Discord. Links for that are in the YouTube and podcast description. Tell your friends, tell your enemies. Shouts, Frankina, apologies, Jared Allen. [Music]

Dan and Grant break down the 2025 NBA offseason outlook for the Los Angeles Clippers. Which trades and free-agent signings do you want to see them make? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for more in-depth NBA content! CHAPTERS BELOW.

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CHAPTERS⬇️
0:00 – INTRO
0:30 – Clippers cap situations
1:13 – Future of James Harden
2:42 – Biggest needs
4:06 – What’s the best path forward for the Clippers?
8:11 – What can the Clippers’ trade assets get?
11:27 – Clippers free-agent targets

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