The Clippers announced today that they waived Jay Scrubb. Scrubb was the 55th pick in the 2020 draft, and was the first player taken out of JUCO since 2004. A high-powered scorer in college, the concerns about Scrubb were about how his play would translate against much higher levels of competition. The Clippers signed Scrubb to a two-way deal, allowing him to toggle between the NBA and G-League as needed.
Unfortunately, Scrubb never even got much of a chance. He sat out most of his rookie season with a foot injury, returning at the very end of the season to play four games, all of which were meaningless and effectively garbage time. His second year, after a disappointing Summer League, Scrubb played in just 18 games, averaging 2.7 points and 0.9 rebounds across 6.7 minutes. He would have played more, but was shut down in mid-February with another right foot injury.
Because of his injuries, Scrubb didn’t play a ton in the G-League either, though he did play in 10 games this year, averaging 19.8 points, 5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 3.8 turnovers in 33.7 minutes on decent efficiency. Those numbers are pretty solid for a guy who’s still just 21, though the assist to turnover ratio is pretty brutal.
The final nail in Scrubb’s Clipper coffin probably came in this past Summer League. He had a few awful games, and a couple decent ones, but even in his better performances, it never felt like his scoring abilities would translate at the NBA level. If Scrubb is to have an NBA career, he needs to work on his off-ball play, his passing, and decision-making. The talent for scoring is there, and he has some defensive chops as well, but it’s just not polished enough right now.
By waiving Jay Scrubb, the Clippers should be down to 20 players on their training camp roster. More moves might well be made, but this early notice is probably more for Scrubb’s benefit to help him find a gig overseas if he prefer. Best of luck to Jay Scrubb, and hopefully he’s able to make an NBA career yet.
