About an hour ago, the NBA released the complete schedule for the 2021 preseason, including that of the Clippers. All NBA teams will play either three or four games between Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 19.

The Clippers’ three games are against the Lakers on Dec 11 at 7:00 PM PT and Dec 13 at 6:30 PM PT, and then against the Jazz on Dec 17 at 7:00 PM PT. So far, no other details have been released, though because all the games are at “home”, it would seem that the Clippers will play at Staples Center.

It seems highly improbably that there will be fans of any sort for any preseason games, with team staffers likely being the only attendees. No broadcast information has been released either, but presumably all the games will be viewable in some capacity. The Lakers’ games in particular might make national TV, with the Lakers seen as favorites to repeat as NBA Champions and the Clippers maybe their strongest opponent.

Three preseason games is not much preparatory time before the start of season, but with a condensed 72 game calendar already packed with double-headers, it seems unlikely we see Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in all three games. If they and other key veterans do make multiple appearances, expect minutes counts to be fairly low. Maybe even more than most preseasons, this one will be probably be primarily played by young guys and camp signings such as Ky Bowman, Malik Fitts, Daniel Oturu, Mfiondu Kabengele, and the rest.

Well, the Clippers will officially return in two weeks time. Despite the closeness of preseason, their roster has clearly not been filled, with two spots still empty. Stay tuned for the last bits of free agency as well as player previews for the upcoming season!

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers 2021 Preseason Schedule Released
Robert Flom

The Clippers have made their big off-season acquisition, signing veteran center Serge Ibaka to a two-year, $19M deal in free agency. Dr. Shap, Robert Flom, and Lucas Hann break down the signing, Ibaka’s fit on the Clippers, and what’s next for the team as they fill out their roster.

Check out the pod here! Be sure to rate and review us 5 stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback on the Clippers signing of Ibaka in free agency in the comments below.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

TLTJTP: Clippers Sign Serge Ibaka in Free Agency
Robert Flom

“The Clippers blew a 3-1 lead.” 

For the past two months (five years if you want the painful truth), that line has been tweeted, blogged, podcasted, memed, and permanently branded onto the broken hearts of disappointed Clippers fans around the world. There were excuses — some valid, others inexcusable. But no matter how it’s sugar coated or how the blame is distributed, the facts remain: the Clippers underperformed and came up drastically short of their end goal, no matter what Paul George says. 

As a result, Steve Ballmer made organizational changes. He and former head coach Doc Rivers agreed to mutually part ways, leading to the official promotion of former Clippers assistant Ty Lue to head coach. Just Sunday evening, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Clippers color commentator announcer and All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups and longtime NBA coach Larry Drew are finalizing deals to join Lue’s staff. Additionally, there have been rumors from Marc Stein that former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson and vaunted Heat assistant Dan Craig are likely to join the staff as well (with Craig all but confirmed). Not only are these all important additions for the Clippers coaching staff, but they also offer interesting player connections that could facilitate the signing of free agents.

Ty Lue (featuring Larry Drew)

Lue has been around the NBA since he began his professional career as a point guard in 1998. As a player, he would suit up for seven teams throughout his eleven seasons in the league. He then transitioned to the sidelines in 2011, where he has since coached as an assistant, associate, and head coach for three different teams to this day. Lue has worked with his fair share of players throughout the years as both a coach and as a player, and among those players there may be one that could potentially be a great addition to the Clippers.

Backup Center:

Nothing has been publicly reported or confirmed, but those who pay attention to the Clippers’ front court situation are speculating that Montrezl Harrell will be playing for another team this upcoming season, as his fit and role were questionable during the past season. He doesn’t seem to be the answer going forward. If that’s indeed how it ends up playing out, the Clippers will be in need of a bench big man that can bring a positive impact over both the regular season and postseason. 

Tristan Thompson is a big name that comes to mind. The fit makes a lot of sense: he is a guy with defensive versatility that could contribute 20-25 minutes any given night with the capability to starting and/or close out games. Most importantly, both Lue and Larry Drew coached Thompson in Cleveland for five seasons, with Thompson being the starting post presence for four consecutive finals appearances, including a championship in 2016. Of course, he will have other suitors that could offer similar, if not more, than the Clippers, but between the familiarities with Lue and Drew and the championship aspirations of both parties involved, the situation would be a win for both the Clippers and Thompson.

Dan Craig

Many of us had hoped that Dan Craig, former assistant of the Miami Heat, would be interviewed for the head coaching vacancy, so it was a pleasant surprise when it was reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that Craig would be joining Lue’s coaching staff as an assistant. Craig worked for seventeen seasons as a part of the Miami Heat organization, one of the most successful and respected organizations in American professional sports over that period. We have an idea of the significance that he will bring to the Clippers coaching staff from an X’s and O’s standpoint, but he can also be key in bringing in free agents this offseason due to his relationships with players during his time in Miami. 

Playmaking Point Guard:
It has been said in recent weeks that Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has made it known that he is “clamoring” for upgraded playmaking in the backcourt. Although it’s unclear exactly of the source in that rumor, it’s common sense to anyone who watched a Clippers game last season that the team could use more playmakers at the point guard position. For that to happen, the Clippers would likely have to explore the trade market since there aren’t many realistic options in the free agent pool. I recognize that this could seem like a bit of a long shot, but I would keep an eye on Goran Dragic as a sleeper free agent option. 

Craig and Dragic have been together in Miami since Dragic was acquired at the 2014-2015 trade deadline. The pairing made an unexpected Finals appearance this past season, and perhaps the relationship materialized strongly enough along the way to earn the Clippers a serious shot at the 34-year-old Slovenian point guard. Given the complexities of the Clippers’ financial situation, it would probably take a multi-year deal to get the ball rolling, but it would be worth exploring for Dragic’s scoring and playmaking as a lead guard.

Kenny Atkinson (featuring Larry Drew)

It is rumored, but not confirmed, that former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson could joining the Clippers’ bench as another key addition to Ty Lue’s coaching staff. As head coach during the 2018-2019 season, Atkinson was able to lead an overachieving Nets team to the seventh seed in the eastern conference playoffs. Perhaps more importantly, for the sake of this article, he was able to help orchestrate three successful Atlanta Hawks playoff runs during his three seasons there, including a first place, 60-win 2015-2016 campaign before being outed in the conference finals. Over the past six seasons (three in Brooklyn Nets, three in Atlanta), Atkinson has had his hand in helping develop some free agents who could slide comfortably into a variety of roles with the Clippers — if he indeed joins Lue’s Clippers coaching staff.

Guard/Wing Depth:

If you take rumors seriously regarding the Clippers being in the trade market for top rotational players, you also have to consider how that could affect their depth. Between Lou Williams’ $8 million salary and Landry Shamet’s “young-talent” attraction, it’s possible either of the two could be included in any trade deals, leaving a vacancy on the L.A. bench. A few former Hawks and Nets rotational players would be interesting addition as bench reserves. 

Kyle Korver, despite his age, is still shooting lights out, and has been consistently healthy throughout his 17-year career. Korver had his best seasons during his time in Atlanta under the lead coaching of Larry Drew for a season, and in the following seasons wasn’t shy to mention how important assistant coach Atkinson had been in his decision to re-sign with the Hawks during his free agency after the 2015-16 campaign. He wouldn’t be quite as versatile or as good as Shamet if he were to completely replace him in the lineup, but he could fulfill similar needs and could even play a smaller role alongside Shamet at times at the forward position due to his 6’7 build. It’s unforeseen at this point how much Korver would add to the bench, but his shooting, and more importantly veteran presence, would be especially welcomed in this L.A. locker room.

Kent Bazemore’s pursuit by the Clippers would likely be for a role as an 8th-10th man rotational player, giving strong bench depth. Clipper fans may largely remember Bazemore in one of two ways: that guy on the Golden State Warriors bench who famously trolled Blake Griffin for shooting a three-pointer off the side of the backboard a while back, or the random Sacramento Kings player who came in off the bench and destroyed the Clippers for 23 points back in February. Either way you see it, he became a valuable rotational player on those Atkinson assisted Atlanta playoff teams, and has since built out a solid NBA career. He too gave credit for his development as a player to Atkinson, and was often linked to the Nets as a potential trade target for the years Atkinson was the Brooklyn coach. It wouldn’t be a splashy signing, but Bazemore could be what McGruder was originally brought in to be as a feisty “3-and-D” wing with some guard capabilities.

As recently as last week, there was some speculation that the Brooklyn Nets will not pick up Garrett Temple’s option for the 2020-2021 season. It was a bit unfortunate to see him depart Los Angeles for Brooklyn this past season, but it was great to see him have success there under Atkinson’s system, albeit briefly. Temple’s role would be similar to the role he had on both the Nets and on the Clippers during his brief stint in 2018-2019: defend multiple wing positions, play in transition, and be a floor-spacer — things he has carved out a career doing. Not to mention, he would bring a veteran leadership and a valuable voice to the locker room as Vice President of the NBPA.

CONCLUSION

We now have an exact date of when the 2020-2021 season will tip off, and we are awaiting a bit more clarity regarding the starting period of free agency.  Don’t pencil in any of these free agents as future Clippers, but also don’t be surprised if any of these guys get a look. Having a Clippers coaching staff who are well-traveled and highly-respected could be an added bonus in attracting free agents for this season and those that follow.

Clippers New Coaching Staff Might Attract Free Agents
Cole Huff

With reports indicating that Jrue Holiday is available via trade, Dr. Shap, Robert Flom, and Lucas Hann discuss the Clippers’ potential pursuit of not only him, but another Pelicans point guard: Lonzo Ball. The three also consider the ongoing negotiations between the league and players on the 2020-21 season and the team’s interest in Rajon Rondo, and they conclude the 2020 Exit Interview series with Ivica Zubac and Landry Shamet.

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us 5 stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and provide feedback in the comments section below.

TLTJTP: Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball Trades
Robert Flom

The NBA Finals didn’t even end three weeks ago, but as soon as the final horn sounded, preparations started for the 2020-2021 season. The Orlando bubble and the extremely late finish to the season meant that the 2021 season would be pushed back as well, but the question was by how much. At this late date, with November nearly here, the NBA start date remains unclear.

The NBA’s proposition seems simple enough: a 72 game season that starts on December 22 and ends sometime in early summer before the Tokyo Olympics in July. This would not only keep the league from conflicting with the media-hogging Olympics, but would allow star players to participate if they so desire. Ending in late June or early July would also allow the NBA to prepare for a return to its normal schedule in the 2021-2022 season. And, of course, the start date would enable the NBA to hold its signature Christmas games, a large source of revenue.

The players, however, led by NBPA executive director Michele Roberts, have pushed back on this. They view the Dec 22 start date as being far too close to the end of the Orlando bubble: the proposed training camp start of December 1 would be less than two months after the Finals wrapped up. Worries abound regarding lack of rest and the potential for injuries as a result. Instead, the players have proposed a start date of January 18, MLK Day, with a season that would be somewhat less than 72 games (66, maybe?).

The league’s argument comes to revenue. Per a recent report from Woj, the NBA projects the delay from a December 22 start to January 18 to cost anywhere from $500M to $1B, which is quite substantial. This is especially true considering that with COVID-19 still raging, it seems very hard to imagine that more than a handful of fans (if that) will be able to attend games for most of the season. Any loss of TV revenue on top of the gate revenue would be tough for the NBA, especially after last season’s revenue dipped substantially as well.

There are clear pros and cons to either side. On one hand, revenue loss on that front is legitimate, and would result in decreased player salaries for years to come. On the other, the NBA will ultimately be fine – it’s a massive institution, and can afford a couple seasons of reduced revenue. Conversely, the NBA can argue that nearly a third of the league hasn’t played since March, and that another 6 teams have been off since mid-August. Even for those teams who had deep playoff runs, the long break from the shutdown in mid-March to the Orlando bubble in late July should have afforded much more rest than usual.

Ultimately, while the players’ fears about starting the season too soon are present, the league’s argument regarding revenue will probably prove decisive. Add that to the fact that half the league (who didn’t play in the playoffs) are presumably very eager to get back out there, and I think the players’ resistance will eventually crumble.

Still, the NBA start date will be something to keep a close eye on in the coming days. If it’s December 22, then training camp and preseason are truly right around the corner. If it’s January, there will be a bit more time to focus on the draft and free agency.

NBA Start Date Unclear Heading Into November
Robert Flom

Over the next couple of weeks going into free agency, we will be reviewing a number of players who the Clippers might try to trade for. First up on the list of Clippers trade targets is New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball.

Basic Information

Height: 6’6

Weight: 210 pounds

Position: PG/SG

Years in NBA: 3

Age: 23

Key Stats: 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.4 steals in 32.1 minutes per game on 40.3/37.5/56.6 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Has one year left on his first-round rookie deal for $11M, will become a restricted free agent after the 2021 season.

Why the Clippers Would be Interested

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding Lonzo Ball since his time at UCLA. Unfortunately, much of that is due to his father LaVar, whose outspoken nature has won him some fans but earned a lot of enmity over the past few years. There has been quite a bit less discussion regarding Lonzo as a player, even when he was on the Lakers, which is a bit odd considering how unique he is.

Lonzo is a big point guard who can pass, rebound, play defense, and hit threes. Sounds like a good player, right? Well, he is! So far, Lonzo has not lived up to the hype, but he’s been a net-positive player since he first came into the league, which is rare at point guard, and has made some crucial strides since then. Notably, his three-point percentage has ticked up every season, and last year sat at a very healthy 37.5% on 6.3 attempts per game. Now, his poor free throw percentage would make me a bit wary regarding the staying power of that outside shot, but he’s probably at least an acceptable shooter from distance, which is big considering everything else.

The Clippers need shooting around their superstars, but they also need a lot of playmaking, and Lonzo would easily become the best passer and playmaker on the Clippers roster. His ballhandling chops aren’t what they could be (though that’s absolutely something that can be improved upon), but he creates easy looks for others on a regular basis, and is a deft hand at running an offense. With scorers like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard around him, his lack of scoring punch in isolation would be less important – as long as he would hit open threes, he’d be a good fit on offense.

Defensively is where Lonzo truly shines, however. He’s big enough and tall enough to guard quite a few wings, yet has the lateral quickness to stay in front of faster guards. More importantly, he’s a good team defender with positive instincts who regularly gets steals, then igniting his excellent fastbreak playmaking. The other element that generates transition is rebounding, and Lonzo is one of the better guard rebounders in the league. That defense and rebounding would make him a nice eventual replacement for Pat Beverley in the starting lineup, even if he’s not quite the shooter or pure defender that Pat is.

Finally, Lonzo is still young. He just turned 23, and the elements that need improvement in his game (shooting, ballhandling) are far easier to improve than the proficiencies he already brings – passing, rebounding, defense. He could be the long-term point guard of this team, and would also be a potential building block alongside Landry Shamet and Ivica Zubac if Kawhi and George were to leave next summer. There aren’t many trade targets who really fit what the Clippers need in a vacuum more than Lonzo Ball.

Why the Pelicans Might Be Interested

After all that, the question must be asked – why would the Pelicans want to trade Lonzo? Well, it mostly comes down to contract. Lonzo will be on the last year of his rookie contract, and if the Pelicans have decided that they don’t want to move forward with him as a key piece of their franchise future, it makes sense to get some value for him now. Teams know that if they trade for Lonzo know, they’ll be able to enter restricted free agency with him next offseason, giving them a leg up on re-signing him. Even if the Pelicans like Lonzo, they might not want to match the kind of offers they think he will get, so finding a trade now makes sense.

As for what the Pelicans are looking for, the key will be fit next to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. As Ingram’s shooting remains unproven (last year was a massive jump for him, and the sustainability is somewhat in question), and Zion is mostly a non-shooter, they need plenty of shooting and spacing. Also, while both of them can make plays for others (as can Jrue Holiday), neither is really a player who can run an offense or consistently get easy looks for their teammates. Therefore, playmakers are welcome. Finally, Ingram is just 23, and Zion is 20. While Jrue is older, the timeline for the team revolves around Zion, which means younger players who can grow with him (as well as Ingram, Jaxson Hayes, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker) are presumably preferable.

What a Deal Would Look Like

Unfortunately, right away, a deal becomes difficult. After all, the Clippers are mostly a veteran team with few young rotation pieces, and one of their own weaknesses last year was a lack of playmaking. To set some ground rules, these trades will be centered on Ball (not with Ball attached to Holiday), and will mostly not involve other teams due to complexity. Completely off the table for the Clippers are Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Ivica Zubac, who are too valuable to trade for Lonzo. Two other players that I’ve eliminated are Pat Beverley and Landry Shamet. Shamet is far and away the Clipper who makes the most sense on New Orleans, but he’s also younger and cheaper than Ball, and I can’t see them flipping Landry for a non-star or serious upgrade. Beverley provides some toughness and shooting for the Pelicans, but his age and contract make his being the centerpiece very unlikely. That’s the difficulty with most of the Clippers trade targets this summer, including Lonzo Ball – the Clippers’ players have more value to them than they would elsewhere.

Trade One: Lou Williams

This is the simplest move, and one that kind of makes sense. The Clippers are looking to improve on defense and get younger. Swapping Williams for Ball certainly does that. Additionally, while Lou was better than Lonzo last year, he’s much older, and a sharp downswing could come at any time. The Pelicans would be interested because Lou is the kind of scorer and playmaker who they needed at times last year to get a bucket or get to the line, and because his own contract expires in a year. Lou will help them in a playoff push this season, at which point they can evaluate if he’s someone who they can keep as a veteran presence long-term or they’ll let walk to clear cap space.

However, ultimately, I don’t think either team does this deal. If Ball improves he could be a better overall player than Lou next year, but the Clippers really need Lou’s scoring and ability to get downhill, things which Lonzo does not provide. Simply, the Clippers are trying to win a championship, and getting Ball for Lou is probably a downgrade on that front. For the Pelicans, while Lou will help them, he’s almost certainly not a long-term piece, and they’d probably want some return for Lonzo that lasts longer than a single season.

Trade 1b: Lou Williams to Philadelphia, Mike Scott and Matisse Thybulle to New Orleans, and Ball to Clippers

The reservations on the Clippers end would remain in this deal, but this would answer New Orleans’ problems, in that they’d get a young piece with huge defensive upside and some shooting to put around Ingram and Zion. Philadelphia gets a veteran ballhandler, scorer, and playmaker who would fit well next to their core players, and would help with a championship push this season. Again, the main hold up would probably be on the Clippers end due to the decrease in scoring.

Trade Two: Montrezl Harrell S&T

Another simple trade, but one that makes less outright sense than the Lou deal. The Clippers would sign and trade Montrezl Harrell for Ball, enabling them to get an asset for a player who was leaving anyways. Rather than signing Trez outright, the Pelicans would be able to swap him for Lonzo, which would take up less of their cap. Harrell is a veteran who could come in and immediately provide them with a scoring push off the bench while also being able to fill in for Zion as needed.

The issue is that Harrell is a very similar type of player to Zion – except worse. While that can make for an effective backup, the Pelicans probably don’t want to pay a fairly hefty contract to a player who does the same kind of stuff as their franchise cornerstone. That’s not even taking into account Jaxson Hayes, another rim-running big man who had a promising rookie season on his own merit. Harrell just doesn’t make a ton of sense in New Orleans.

Trade Three: Rodney McGruder, Mfiondu Kabengele, and Terance Mann

I think this is the deal that probably makes the most sense. The Clippers don’t give up any key rotation players, adding Ball to a guard rotation with Lou, Beverley, and Shamet. While they would lose their own recent 2019 picks, the Clippers are in win-now mode, and Kabengele in particular doesn’t seem all that close to helping the Clippers win a ring. McGruder would be a depth loss, and Mann has shown a lot of promise, but it’s unlikely that he’s ever as good as Ball was last season, and he’s actually a year older than Ball as well.

For the Pelicans, they get a veteran guard who can sop up some minutes, a young guard with potential on both sides of the ball, and a long-term big man prospect who could play next to Zion due to his floor-spacing abilities. The Pelicans want to win, but they also aren’t in a huge rush, and would have the time to develop Mann and especially Kabengele over the coming years. It’s not great value for Ball, but the timeline and overall fit is much better than the other deals.

Final Thoughts

The Clippers probably won’t trade for Lonzo Ball. While he’s a player who fits well with their stars, the Pelicans probably wouldn’t have interest in most of the potential packages the Clippers could offer, and the Clippers’ most enticing asset (for the Pelicans), Landry Shamet, is probably off the table for Lonzo. Larger three-team deals might work better, but those are always quite complicated, and it’s never smart to bank on those coming to fruition. Ultimately, I think Lonzo Ball would is one of the better trade targets for the Clippers, but I can’t see a deal happening.

Clippers Trade Targets: Lonzo Ball
Robert Flom

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features sharpshooter Landry Shamet.

Basic Information

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 190 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 23
Years in NBA: 2

Key Stats: In 53 regular-season appearances, Landry had 30 starts and played 27.4 minutes per game, averaging 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 40.4% from the field and 37.5% from deep.

In the playoffs, Landry appeared in all 13 of the Clippers’ games, starting 4 and averaging 18.7 minutes per game and 5.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 40.7% from the field and 35.7% from deep.

Contract Status: After finishing the second year of his inexpensive rookie contract, Landry will make just over $2 million next season. He has a team option worth about $3.75 million for the 2021-22 season, which the Clippers will have to make a decision on (they will certainly accept it) before next season begins. Then the summer of 2022, he will be a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer of $5.5 million, meaning the Clippers would have the right of first refusal on any contract Shamet agrees to with another team. His production, inexpensive deal, long-term team control, and youth and potential make him a valuable asset for the Clippers to either develop or trade.

Expectations

After a truly stellar rookie season that saw Shamet–first drafted by Philadelphia–excel enough as the 19th overall pick to become the centerpiece of a trade for Tobias Harris and then start for the Clippers upon his arrival, it’s safe to say expectations were high for the sharpshooter in his sophomore campaign. In a short post-deadline stint for LA as a rookie, he moved cleverly without the ball in a way that could only remind fans of former Clipper J.J. Redick, and he was lethally efficient, making 45% of his triples on over 10 attempts per 100 possessions. Defensively, he was unspectacular but solid, a rarity among rookie guards.

Entering the off-season, the 22-year-old looked like the kind of player who could be a start for the team for the next decade, particularly because of his extremely friendly rookie contract paying him less than $2M a year.

Changes above Shamet’s pay grade altered that plan. After all, when you can play two positions and your team acquires a player from the prior season’s All-NBA 1st team at one and the reigning NBA Finals MVP at the other, it’s going to change your role a bit. Still, Landry was going to have his opportunities to be a big contributor to a contending team, and faith was high in his ability to come through. Paul George would miss the opening weeks of the season as he recovered from double shoulder surgery. Kawhi Leonard wouldn’t play in back-to-backs as he managed a persistent quad injury. And even in the biggest games when both were playing, the team would use Shamet as their main wing option off the bench when George and Leonard sat–not to mention the widespread assumption that the team’s best lineup would ultimately be a smaller one with Shamet, George, and Leonard playing together at the 2, 3, and 4.

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Reality

In a bizarre and disappointing season, perhaps no Clipper faced more disappointment than Landry. A starter last year, it was of course understandable that he would be demoted this season, but would get his chances as a starter in the early weeks as George recovered from surgery. That made a pre-season wrist injury all the more excruciating. Shamet would play though it, but it would clearly hurt his shot as he hit just 39% from the field and 36% from deep in his first ten games before being forced out of the lineup with an ankle injury.

After missing 17 games with that ankle sprain, Shamet returned to the lineup with an inconsistent role. In the 37 games between his return and the season’s suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Landry would see 17 starts at different positions, with his minutes dipping as low as the teens and skyrocketing as high as the 40s depending on who else was available. When Reggie Jackson joined the team after the trade deadline, Landry’s minutes faced an even stronger squeeze, dipping into the teens multiple games at a time and even falling as low as 8 minutes played in the team’s big March match-up against the Lakers.

Things didn’t stabilize much in the bubble. Landry tested positive for COVID in July and was delayed in arriving to the bubble, missing the team’s Orlando training camp and starting the team’s seeding games with a minutes restriction. He moved in to the starting lineup in the team’s fourth, fifth, and sixth seeding games–each at a different position in place of Patrick Beverley, then Paul George, then Kawhi Leonard. Then, he missed the last two seeding games with a foot strain and came into the playoffs behind Reggie Jackson in the rotation… until Jackson’s underwhelming play in place of the injured Beverley caused Doc Rivers to turn to Landry Shamet at point guard, a position he had rarely played in the playoffs. He thrived in the role, starting in games 3-6, and then was immediately demoted upon Beverley’s return in the second round and saw scarce minutes as a backup.

One can hardly blame Landry for falling short of expectations considering the circumstances–repeated injuries with inconvenient timing, an inconsistent role that thrust him into multiple positions as a starter and backup with drastically varying minutes, and an unimaginative offensive scheme that removed many of the actions that generated good looks for him last season.

Future with Clippers

Despite an underwhelming sophomore campaign, there’s little doubt how important Landry is to the Clippers. Despite Lawrence Frank’s optimistic remark about how many under-30 players the team has, the reality is that most of them are 29 years, and Shamet and Zubac at 23 years old are the team’s only actual young players who have proven that they’re capable of playing in the NBA.

For a team that won’t control their own first-round draft pick until 2027, that–and hitting on second-round selections–means a whole lot in terms of long-term team building. On the one hand, Landry is crucial to the team as their only young guard, in tandem with 32-year-old Patrick Beverley and 34-year-old Lou Williams. If George and Leonard choose to stay in LA after their free agencies next summer, Landry is one of the few role players who won’t eventually need to be replaced around them. If those two depart, he’ll be one of the team’s best building blocks going forward.

On the other hand, if the Clippers do want to make any kind of short-term upgrade to their roster for next season, Shamet will also likely have an important role to play. While the team would hate to part with him for the reasons discussed above, their lack of first-round picks to trade means he’s their best trade chip, even after a disappointing year.

Just like last summer, Landry’s fate is going to be determined by transactions (or lack thereof) above his paygrade. We’ll just have to wait and see.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Landry Shamet
Lucas Hann

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features rising center Ivica Zubac.

Basic Information

Height: 7’0

Weight: 241 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 23

Years in NBA: 4

Key Stats: 8.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 18.4 minutes per game across 72 games played (70 started) on 61.3/74.7 shooting splits.

Playoff Stats: 9.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.8 blocks in 24.6 minutes per game across 13 games played (all starts) on 56.4/81.1 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Has 3 years and $22M left on a 4 year, $28.5M deal signed last summer.

Expectations

While most fans were excited that the Clippers gave up literally nothing (Mike Muscala, a guy they were probably going to waive) for Ivica Zubac, his actual play was considered more workman-like than anything else. Sure, for a 22 year old playing meaningful minutes for the first time in the NBA that was a huge step forward, but in the grand scheme of things he was just a piece to the Clippers puzzle, nothing more. His signing to a 4 year, $28M contract last summer was met with praise, but was not regarded as a massive win. The expectations for Zubac were simple: be a stopgap starting center who would start games off on a solid note, and then step aside to let sixth man Montrezl Harrell play the bulk of the crucial minutes in crunch time. As a young player, Zu was expected to improve, but nobody thought he would take a real leap except maybe as a shooter.

Reality

The shot never developed at all, but Zubac improved in almost every other facet of his game, and quickly won over fans who had been scarred by his poor performance in the 2019 playoffs. There were calls for him to play more minutes within weeks of the season starting, and those cries only grew louder as the team’s defense proved inconsistent and Doc’s reliance on Harrell became more blinding.

However, ever as Zu’s game took steps forward, his minutes decreased, shrinking from 20.2 in 2019 to a paltry 18.4 in 2020. More frustratingly, Zu almost never got a chance to play in the 4^th quarter, with Harrell frequently playing from the mid-3^rd quarter to the end of the game without rest. Not only did this blunt Trez’s effectiveness, but it also prevented Zu from getting reps with the starting unit in close, end-game situations – something that bit them in the playoffs. By the playoffs, the call to play Zu more minutes was overwhelming, extending even to beat reporters and close analysts of the team, as everyone saw the need for more Zu.

How exactly did Zu take such a leap? Well, first and foremost, he improved significantly on the defensive end of the court. While still not exactly prim Shaquille O’Neal, Zu was notably bigger and stronger this year, and that showed frequently. When other big men would post him up, he was able to hold his ground, and not give way as he had earlier. More importantly, he was able to go up strong as a rim protector, challenging shots at the rim on a frequent basis. When Zu played, the Clippers gave up fewer attempts at the rim and opponents shot a poor field goal percentage in that area. When he was out, opponents feasted. Zu went from a so-so defensive player to a quite good one in one season, and at the position where defense is most impactful at that.

It wasn’t just Zu’s defense that was enhanced though. His offensive game, too, was stronger. While not much was necessarily added (those videos of him draining threes were predictably misleading), his newfound strength led to going up much stronger in traffic. His field goal percentage surged as a result, going from a decent 53.8% in 2019 to an excellent 61.3% mark in 2020. And not only was Zu finishing more, but he was also getting to the free throw line at a higher clip, with a free throw rate of 0.431 compared to 0.323 the year before. To top it all off, he turned the ball over at a far less rate as well, and improved his offensive rebounding percentage to be tops in the entire league for qualifying players.

His abilities and Harrell’s prolonged absence from the Orlando bubble culminated in Zu playing more heavily in the postseason, upping his minutes to 24.6. Unfortunately, while this was an improvement, it still wasn’t enough, as the Clippers bled points when Montrezl Harrell took the floor. Additionally, Zu’s lack of playing time in tight situations was made evident by a couple end-of-game blunders, and by some fatigue late in contests. Still, even with a rough end to the Nuggets series, Zu was probably the 3^rd best Clipper in the playoffs behind only Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and probably the only Clippers outside of JaMychal Green to play above expectations instead of below.

In short, it was a stunning campaign, one that cemented Zu as the Clippers’ starting center for the next three years (hopefully more), and made his contract look like an absolute bargain.

Future with Clippers

The above statement really says most of it. Ivica Zubac has the Clippers’ starting center spot locked up, and with the presumed departure of Montrezl Harrell this summer, should see around 30 minutes per game for the foreseeable future. He’s not a franchise cornerstone like Kawhi or George, but his age, performance, and contract means that it is highly unlikely that the Clippers move him – he’s a great fit with their stars, is likely to keep improving, and is cheap to boot. Only a trade for another true star would cause the Clippers to even consider moving Zu, and that seems unlikely. Even in trades for guys like Chris Paul or Ricky Rubio, Zu should be safe. So sit back, relax, and get ready for more years of ZuBacca in a Clippers uniform – it should be a fun ride.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Ivica Zubac
Robert Flom

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features superstar Kawhi Leonard.

Basic Information

Height: 6’7″
Weight: 225 lbs
Position: Small Forward
Age: 29
Years in NBA: 9

Key Stats: In 57 regular-season appearances, Leonard played 32.4 minutes per game and averaged 27.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.6 turnovers while shooting 47% from the field and 37.8% from deep.

In the playoffs, he played 39.3 minutes per game and averaged 28.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.3 steals, and 2.5 turnovers per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 32.9% from three.

Contract Status: Leonard has a guaranteed contract for $34,379,100 next season, with a player option for $36 million in 2021-22. He is expected to opt out next summer, when he will be eligible for the larger 35% maximum salary as a player with 10 or more years of experience. Because Leonard will have only been with the Clippers for two seasons, they will have his “early bird” rights instead of full bird rights, meaning that while they are the only team that can offer him 8% raises, they cannot offer him an additional 5th year on his contract. Depending on how long Leonard plans to play, he could opt for a LeBron James-inspired “1+1” contract next summer that would allow him to enter free agency again in 2022 and sign the full five-year max with the Clippers.

Expectations

More than any individual production benchmarks, there was one clear metric that reigned supreme in the LA Clippers’ pursuit of Kawhi Leonard in free agency last summer: 2x NBA Finals MVP. In 7 healthy NBA seasons (excluding 2017-18, when he played just 9 games for the Spurs) before joining the Clippers, Leonard had made the conference finals five times, the NBA Finals three times, and won the NBA Championship twice, with Leonard voted Finals MVP both times.

A lot of times, when we evaluate players in the NBA, we hedge: “he can be the best player on a team, but he’s really a #2 guy on a playoff team or a #3 guy on title team.” This is the case with Paul George, who would almost certainly be the best player on the majority of NBA rosters but is trying to prove that he can win a title as a #2 in LA. Kawhi Leonard has an incredible rare all-around package of skills that have not only earned him the designation of “best player on a championship team”–but earned him that designation twice, on two different teams. The Clippers’ expectation in going all-in to land Leonard was clear: a belief that the feat could be repeated yet again.

With that expectation of postseason glory came some regular season concessions, most notably the now-infamous “load management.” Leonard, who deals with a recurring–and sometimes referred to as degenerative–quadricep injury, has noted that taking care of his body is his biggest priority. It’s crucial not only for team success (“My health is no. 1 and that’s gonna make us a better team”) but also for his life after basketball: “I just want to be able to walk strong when I’m done playing this game. My son motivates me to keep playing. Once he gets to the age to play basketball, I want to be able to play with him still.”

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• Clippers Make Multiple Back End Roster Moves
• Clippers to Sign Chris Paul

Reality

There isn’t much to say other than that the Clippers’ failures are Leonard’s failures, regardless of his individual production. His playoff numbers–39.3 minutes, 28.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game–were individually beyond reproach, but being a “best player on a championship team” guy means that your individual statistical profile isn’t enough. You have to make your team better by lifting them in the biggest moments.

Leonard had just 14 points on 6-22 shooting in the team’s game 7 elimination at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. When they blew a big lead in game 6, he managed just 11 points on 3-10 shooting. Those moments have to be weighed against his his successes–he broke 30 points 7 times in the team’s 13 games (and had 2 additional 29-point games) and lifted the team to many of their playoff wins. But he also failed to shoot 30% from the field in two of the team’s four losses to Denver after having just one such night during his entire 2019 title run in an inconsequential first-round game against the Orlando Magic. In fact, Leonard has only shot under 30% from the field in eight playoff games over the course of his career (in 124 total outings), and three of those came during his rookie season in San Antonio. This year was the first time it’s happened twice in a playoff run in his career since then.

It would, of course, be absurd to suggest that Leonard is solely at fault for the Clippers’ elimination. Paul George had his own struggles. Patrick Beverley couldn’t stay on the court due to foul trouble. Lou Williams and Landry Shamet couldn’t hit a shot in the second round. Marcus Morris lost his match-up with Paul Millsap. Montrezl Harrell brought awfulness that tanked the team on both ends whenever he played–and Doc Rivers continued playing him anyway. This wasn’t a case where the stars aligned for the Clippers’ supporting cast and Leonard came up short. It would be a lot more accurate to describe it as a perfect storm of struggles that Leonard couldn’t quite bail them out of.

But that’s the standard that Leonard is held to when he’s won two Finals MVPs and a franchise builds their entire organization around him, including trading virtually every asset in the war chest to bring Paul George on board at Leonard’s behest. That “best player on a championship team” label means the Clippers simply need more from Kawhi next season just as they most certainly need more from their coaching staff and supporting cast. That doesn’t mean sacrificing Leonard’s crucial load management regimen, but it means more leadership on a nightly basis, and ultimately it will have to mean stronger performances in the biggest moments if the Clippers are to realize their championship aspirations.

Future with Clippers

I don’t think either the Clippers or Leonard are inclined to overreact to some mutual disappointment–but even if they were, a divorce wouldn’t be easy. The two are far more entangled than Leonard was with the Raptors last season.

The Clippers, for their part, already made the call a year ago to go all-in on Kawhi. You don’t fold when all of your chips are already in the middle of the table. But depending on their read on Leonard, they have to balance building the best possible roster around him for next season with a medium-term approach covering the next 3-5 years.

Kawhi has a player option next summer which he’ll almost certainly exercise, putting him into free agency. Whether or not he’ll actually take meetings and consider leaving the Clippers remains to be seen, but the Clippers have several advantages. The largest is location: Leonard signed with the team in the first place largely because he wanted to live at home in Southern California surrounded by his family and friends. The Clippers also have a money advantage–while they won’t have Leonard’s full bird rights to offer him an extra fifth year on his contract, they can give him 8% raises compared to 5% from other teams. And, if Kawhi wants to play into his mid-30s, his most lucrative path by far would be signing a one-year deal with the Clippers next summer and then getting that five-year maximum deal when the team has his his full bird rights in 2022.

It would also be fascinating to see how a market shapes up for Leonard next summer. As long as he and Paul George are together, the Clippers will be in the conversation to contend for an NBA title. As far as competitive rosters go, the Los Angeles Lakers would have to part with LeBron James to make a Leonard addition feasible. The Toronto Raptors would have to miss out on Giannis Antetokounmpo. Either move would have a significant negative impact on his legacy after he chose the Clippers over those two teams in 2019 free agency. And if the Clippers flare out in the playoffs again, teams will start to have serious questions about Leonard’s load management, long-term health, and ability to replicate his 2014 and 2019 Finals MVP runs.

There are too many variables to have more than a hunch about Leonard’s future beyond the 2020-21 NBA season–and that makes it all the more crucial for both team and player to make the most of their chances in the upcoming campaign. Succeeding together is the best-case scenario for both parties.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Kawhi Leonard
Lucas Hann

It’s been a few days since the news broke that the Clippers were bringing on Ty Lue as their head coach, with Larry Drew and Chauncey Billups being his likely lead assistants. Now that we’ve had some time to process, it’s time for grading the Ty Lue hire, as well as assessing his leading men.

Cole Huff: Ty Lue, B+; Chauncey Billups and Larry Drew, A-

The Clippers go the safe route in hiring Ty Lue – but safe is likely wise in this instance. In perhaps the biggest season in Clippers history, the Clippers have a guy who already has the pulse of the team, and has championship experience as former player and more recently as a head coach. If Lue can incorporate his offensive sets, while bringing his ability to be flexible and spontaneous in incorporating game plans as he did in Cleveland’s championship runs, the Clippers will be in good shape.

Billups gets to play the role of lead assistant for his first coaching gig and I couldn’t be more excited. Between his experience and pedigree as a player and Larry Drew’s long resume as a player and coach, the Clippers will have a plethora of basketball expertise flowing throughout the facilities.

Thomas Wood: Shrug

I have no idea how to grade coaching hires, especially on the day of. Other writers on this site with a deeper reserve of tactical knowledge (and time) can elucidate what this means schematically, and even that’s just a fraction of a coach’s responsibilities. Sometimes you’re the Magic and you hire Frank Vogel, and sometimes you’re the Lakers and you hire Frank Vogel. I don’t trust my ability to immediately spot the difference. For any hire short of Phil Jackson or Bill Belichick, I’ll just wait and see.

Kenneth Armstrong: B

I like Ty Lue and I think reshuffling the rest of the assistant staff is smart, but the Clippers lose points for lack of creativity. Ty also needs to articulate to Clippers fans (I assume he convinced Ballmer) why he should not be complicit in the failures of last season.

Erik Olsgaard: Ty Lue, A-; Chauncey Billups, B; Larry Drew, Shoe

Since Doc resigned, I felt the Clippers’ replacement needed to be someone who could match Doc as a player’s coach, fighting in the trenches with the team during these times of political and social unrest, but who would also be an upgrade on strategy and execution that values analytics and makes in-game adjustments. After I read rumors that Kyrie’s beef with Ty in Cleveland may have stemmed from Kyrie ignoring Lue’s analytics-based advice, and tweets from much smarter people than me raving about his X’s and O’s, I knew Ty Lue was the only real choice. 

We’ve all had the pleasure of hearing Chauncey as an in-game commentator for a couple seasons now, and he’s always had great insight, intricately detailing how he thinks the Clippers should adjust throughout the game (truly the NBA’s Tony Romo). I’m really sad to lose him as a commentator, but I think he’ll be valuable on the bench. Of course, he’s also an unproven quantity, so that’s why I’ll temper my high expectations with a B-grade.

I know nothing about Larry Drew. I barely remember him as an Eastern Conference coach, but he does have a ton of experience which balances nicely with Chauncey being a newcomer. However, since I am absolutely miserable to see Sam Cassell is no longer one of the lead assistants, I am boycotting this grade and will instead give Larry a grade of “shoe”.

Joey Linn: B

While I would have preferred a more innovative move that did not involve internal hires, I am cautiously optimistic about what Ty Lue can bring next season. The biggest driving force of my optimism is Lue’s reputation of malleability, which was Doc’s shortcoming that ultimately led to the historic collapse last postseason.

Shapan Debnath: Ty Lue, A-; Chauncey Billups, B; Larry Drew, B+

I’ve talked myself into the Ty Lue hire more and more, especially after hearing Cavs beat guy Justin Rowan on an episode of TLTJTP right before this hire. I’m excited about his voice with our stars and his tactical changes as the season goes on. Plus, the guy has undeniable pedigree with the Cavs.

I’m probably giving Chauncey a higher grade just because I’ve enjoyed his color commentary, even though I don’t think it should be a huge rubric for his future coaching performance. It’s nice to have a former finals MVP on the coaching staff for a team that could use a strong voice.

Larry Drew is a guy with a nice amount of pedigree to offset the lack of pedigree from Billups. Seems like a nice guy to have after your head coach.

Robert Flom: Ty Lue, B+: Chauncey Billups, B-; Larry Drew, B+

On one hand, Ty Lue was the lead assistant for a Clippers team that completely collapsed in the playoffs, and with a huge chunk of the blame falling on the coaching staff. Then again, his very closeness to Doc Rivers meant he might not have wanted to push too hard on Doc’s opinions – by all accounts, they have very different coaching philosophies. Ty is someone who has held superstars like LeBron James accountable, made crucial adjustments in playoff series, and has been responsible for excellent offenses and defense. He’s a very good coach who was probably the best hire, even if I have some concerns regarding his ties to the previous staff.

It’s hard for me to get too worked up about assistant coaches. While I thought Billups was a fine color commentator, some of his opinions on the ESPN studio left me scratching my head (at best), which makes me a bit wary of his takes on the modern NBA. That said, he’s a legendary NBA figure known for his leadership and smarts, and should be able to connect well with the players on the team due to his recent playing experience. Larry Drew, meanwhile, has been a coach in the NBA for nearly 30 years, for a wide variety of teams and systems. His vast experience (including some decent head coaching stints) is very nice to have, especially with Billups (and even Lue) being so green.

213Hoops Roundtable: Grading the Ty Lue Hire
Robert Flom