However, I think you could replace Morris’ role in the offense with a slight downgrade in efficiency, while getting a large upgrade on defense.

EJ might be an overall better player than Reggie, but I don’t think it’s that significant of a difference. Reggie is a better playmaker, and better rebounder than EJ. EJ basically will drive more and look for contact trying to drawl fouls. Is that going to save our offense? Just feels very unlikely to me.

While I was not really enamored with any of the point guards being discussed, I still would’ve easily taken a flier on a “true” point guard like DLo, Lowry, Conley, or FVV over EJ. Obviously FVV was reported going to cost a lot more, but feels like they could’ve been in the sweepstakes for any of the other guys. And I mean I think they offered everything they could’ve for Kyrie, but coming out of the trade deadline, that still feels like would’ve been the homerun move (if you can compartmentalize his off the court issues).

At least with some of these former all-stars you have hope they can regain some of that all-star caliber play during the playoffs. Or having a real “playmaker” on offense will do wonders for an offense that more often than not goes through lulls or gets stuck in the mud. Maybe those guys also wouldn’t have worked out, but to me, it has a better upside than a guy with a very duplicative skillset of players they already have.

Don’t get me wrong, I love EJ and it’s a great story to have him back, but his last year with the Clippers might’ve been the best year of his career. EJ just feels like a safe low risk, low reward move. That would be fine if the Clips were like near the top of the Western Conference, or no one else made a significant move. Instead the Clippers look mediocre at best, and Kyrie and KD just got moved to the teams basically in direct competition in the standing with the Clippers. This wasn’t the time to go after the safe low reward guy. I’d almost have more hope Reggie can go on a 2021 playoff heater again, or they figure out a way to really weaponize Luke’s shooting than hoping EJ can fix what’s wrong with the Clippers. I’m maybe even more hopeful that Bones ends up taking that next step and ends up being like the PG they’re looking for than thinking EJ will be the solution.

I hope EJ proves me wrong.

Now I know, I tend to underrate the importance of “creating your own shot”, and when things do bog down in the playoffs, or at the end of the shot clock, so Morris has some utility. But still think that use is better maybe on a bench which doesn’t have as much firepower. Definitely not 30 minutes a night, and definitely not over guys that bring so much more on the defensive end.

It’s starting to really remind me of Doc’s reliance on Trez. He put up points for sure, and was one of the one guys that could score in isolation, so if you aren’t watching closely I could see being impressed with these guys. But it’s just crazy the amount of minutes they get, and given the responsibility of closing games when you have so many other options. Doc’s reliance on Trez was the nail in the coffin for me to want to see Doc fired. I still have to trust Ty as he’s proven to be a way better coach than Doc. Just hopefully Ty actually makes adjustments when the adjustments are really needed in the playoffs.

The swap with HOU is top-6 protected.

If the OKC pick is 1, the LAC pick is 2, and the MIL (to HOU) pick is 29, everyone keeps their pick.
If the LAC pick is 1, the OKC pick is 2, and the MIL (to HOU) pick is 29, OKC gets to take 1 from LAC, but LAC gets to keep 2 instead of giving it to HOU.
If the OKC pick is 1, the LAC pick is 7, and the MIL (to HOU) pick is 29, OKC keeps 1 and the Clippers move back from 7 to 29.
If the LAC pick is 1, the OKC pick is 7, and the MIL (to HOU) pick is 29, OKC gets to take 1 from LAC and then HOU gets to take 7 from LAC, and the Clippers end up moving back from 1 to 29.

There are absolutely catastrophic scenarios in a world where we miss the playoffs, especially since it’s unlikely that both us and OKC would end up in the top 6 in the draft.

There’s like a 90+% chance that we make the playoffs this ends up being like a 20-for-28 swap. And even if we miss the playoffs, we’d be in one of the last lottery slots with like a 99% chance of ending up with pick 14.

So something like:
– 90% chance it’s 16-22 for 27-30 (we make playoffs)
– 9.9% chance it’s 13-14 for 27-30 (we miss playoffs and don’t win lottery)
– 0.05% chance it’s 1-3 for 2-6 (we miss playoffs, win the lottery, and us and OKC both end up with top-6 picks)
– 0.05% chance it’s 1-3 for 27-30 (we miss playoffs, win the lottery, and OKC is outside of the top 6)