Our exit interview series at 213 Hoops continues with a look at the 2022 season of Clippers’ departed forward Justise Winslow.
Basic Information
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 220 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 26
Years in the NBA: 6
Key Stats: In 37 games with the Clippers in the 2022 season, Justise Winslow averaged 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, in 13 minutes, on 44.7 / 61 / 17 splits.
Expectations
Coming into this season, our staff graded the signing at about a B-. Although Winslow had had a tough time since leaving Miami, at the beginning of the season, it was reasonable to be optimistic that he could return to being a replacement-level player. After all, he was only 25 and has clear natural talent. Specifically, knowing that Kawhi would miss most-to-all of the season, there was a hope within Clippers Nation that Winslow could pick up some of the forward minutes, play competent defense, and help move the ball on offense. As Rob hinted at before the season, a lesser version of Nic Batum felt within reach.
Reality
Amir Coffey probably had the season Winslow was hoping for. Unfortunately for Justise, he could not become a consistent contributor (at any level) on offense. While he had a few nice moments in transition and otherwise finding guys with nice passing, he was non-existent (even negative) as a scoring threat. He shot a miserable 17% from three and 61% from the line, which was hard to stomach with the roster’s two best scorers missing so many games. On defense, he was hard working and fairly versatile, though he was not much of a help on the boards (another area the Clippers needed a lot of help). When he did finally settle in late in his Clippers’ tenure, his role was as a small-ball center, which was nice – but not what the Clippers needed or wanted from him.
Future with Clippers
Justise Winslow, of course, did not make it to the end of the 2022 season on the Clippers’ roster. I do think that Clippers Nation will have fond memories of Justise, though. He was light-hearted and hustled, which is always welcomed attributes by a fanbase.
