The LA Clippers looked competent (enough) and ended their two-game skid in Portland with the help of hot shooting. Check out the details below:

Game Summary

The Clippers took their time before finally pulling away in the second and their quarters. After one frame, the Clippers found themselves down one to Portland. But it was clear from the beginning that the Clippers were poised to have a nice night from the field, as they shot 52% in the first quarter, which turned out to be to be their final grade.

Specifically, in the first half, James Harden hit five of his seven three point attempts, with Paul George adding two of his own. Then, in the third quarter, Kawhi took the baton. Unfortunately, George and Harden ended up playing big minutes, though the Clippers won comfortably in the end. Really, the game was fairly simple. As Rob put it in the preview, the Clippers just had to win—no matter how it looked. In the notes below, we have some interesting nuggets to discuss.

Notes

Bones Got Benched: Bones Hyland played four minutes in the first half and just three more in the second. Specifically, he entered the game with three minutes left in the first quarter and then was replaced by Brandon Boston, Jr. just one minute into the second quarter. He would not return until garage time, with the Clippers up 18. His third quarter shift was taken by Boston, who finished the game with nine points in 23 minutes on 4/9 shooting. Xavier Moon even got time in the fourth quarter before Bones was brought back.

Since the Chicago game last week, Bones has shot 4/17 from the field and 1/13 from three (including tonight). He also has eight turnovers to seven assists over those three games. What’s more, he is not passing the eye-test. His shot selection has been suspect and his passing erratic. With Norman Powell and Terance Mann out tonight, Bones had an opportunity to contribute, but did not make anything out of it. With the Clippers flirting with falling to the fifth seed, it is unlikely that he will get many more chances.

Kawhi’s Hand: During the third quarter, Kawhi started to noticeably flex his left hand, as if it was bothering him. It turned out that his hand got caught while he was going around a screen. After the game, Ty Lue said his hand was OK, but we will have to see how he feels between now and Friday.

Standings Watch: The Clippers are only one loss ahead of the Pelicans, who have won eight of their last ten. The Pelicans next seven games are the following: on the road in Orlando, Miami, Detroit, and then home against the Thunder, Bucks, Celtics, and Suns. That is a relatively tough schedule, though the Clippers have to keep winning regardless. There is some slight hope the Clippers could move up, as they are three games in the loss column behind the Timberwolves (who are down an All Star), but that is less likely.

Clippers Handle Business, Beat Blazers 116-103
Kenneth Armstrong

Despite some unrealized excitement earlier in the week, the Clippers had an uncharacteristically quiet draft night (they didn’t make a single trade tonight after making at least one during each of the last 8 NBA Drafts). For the first time since Lawrence Frank took over basketball operations from Doc Rivers, the Clippers simply entered the day with two picks, made them, and called it a night. While the hope is that these two guys–Kobe and Jordan–develop into good players, it’s unlikely that either is a major factor in the Clippers’ pursuit of the 2024 NBA title. Forward Kobe Brown will be on the 15-man roster in a reserve role behind a host of veterans, while wing Jordan Miller is expected to sign a two-way contract, spending most of the upcoming season with the Ontario Clippers.

The biggest story of the draft for the Clippers, though, wasn’t who they took–it was the players who weren’t moved. It’s no secret that the team is ready to move on from Marcus Morris, who has been the team’s primary power forward for the last 3.5 years. Originally, the team expected to send the 30th pick and Marcus Morris to the Washington Wizards in a 3-team trade that would have brought guard Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles, but they backed out over concerns regarding Brogdon’s health. Adding Brown with the 30th pick instead is all well and good, but the clear need to move on from Morris at the power forward position remains–and the team targeting Brogdon (and Chris Paul who was dealt to the Golden State Warriors today) suggests that they’re looking to move for a guard and a forward this summer. Whether the goal of making a big addition at guard is to replace or complement Russell Westbrook, who is an unrestricted free agent, is anyone’s guess.

At guard, the Clippers could always simply re-sign Westbrook, having sufficient depth to round out a solid guard rotation without an addition (Bones Hyland will definitely appreciate not being stuck behind two hall of fame point guards next year). Questions about the championship upside of putting his shooting and turnover issues alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard remain, but it would hardly be a surprise to see him back with the team after he became the emotional centerpiece of an otherwise listless Clipper team last year and put up big numbers in the team’s first round loss with George and Leonard sidelined. I’d still look for the Clippers to deal a guard (Westbrook, Hyland, Norman Powell, and Eric Gordon is one too many guys as long as Paul George is starting at shooting guard, and that’s without mentioning Terance Mann, who more easily slots into the backup small forward role), likely Gordon who is the most expendable and movable due to a combination of skill level, age, and contract status.

Westbrook cannot be traded as a current free agent, only re-signed. Powell’s contract is likely unappealing to trade partners, but he’s an important piece for the Clippers, so it’s hard to see a win-win deal developing there. Mann and Hyland both represent players with positive trade value, but they’re both players the Clippers would be reluctant to part with lightly. Gordon, at 34 years old and with a fully non-guaranteed salary of $20.9M next season, is an easy choice to explore moving. The Clippers face an interesting decision with Gordon–in many ways, he’s a completly expendable piece on this team, because if Westbrook is retained (or another guard added in his place) the team can build a comfortable backup rotation with Hyland, Powell, and Mann. While it’s certainly possible that Ty Lue would play Gordon over Hyland if both are on the team in October, it wouldn’t be healthy for the organization to invest minutes in a mediocre 34-year-old veteran over a high-upside (if tumultuous) 23-year-old prospect. Cutting Gordon does Lue a favor by taking away a bad choice and leaving him with a straightforward guard rotation. At the same time, Gordon isn’t a bad player, and the Clippers aren’t getting that $21M salary slot back if they release him. He has on-floor utility, especially during a regular season where you know you won’t always have your first-choice 10-man rotation available, and could be a part of a deadline deal as a huge expiring. Then there’s the tax angle: simply releasing Gordon would save the Steve Ballmer something like $100M next season. Even for the league’s wealthiest owner, that’s gotta be hard to not consider for a guy who shouldn’t be in the nightly rotation.

Even if the Clippers are hunting for an upgrade at guard, the possibility of running it back with Russ at least exists. That isn’t the case at power forward, where Morris was woefully ineffective for the majority of last season before losing his starting job late in the year. His time with the team, both on the court and interpersonally, seems to have fully run its course. 34-year-old backup glue guy Nico Batum isn’t exactly ambitious to take over starter’s minutes, and it’s hard to imagine Ty Lue trusting Robert Covington to fill Morris’ shoes next season after routinely giving him the cold shoulder last year. In fact, while Gordon and Morris almost need to be moved in this off-season, Covington is the third player who I most expect to depart. The non-trade options for the Clippers to address replacing Morris come down to Covington and Kawhi Leonard… and while I’m into the idea of shifting Kawhi to PF in certain lineups, it’s hard to imagine the team asking their oft-unavailable superstar small forward to play against bigger, stronger opponents on a nightly basis in the regular season.

Knowing that the Clippers should be shopping Gordon and Morris (and Covington) hard while looking for a guard upgrade/insurance and a new starting power forward is the easy part. Making a deal or two along those lines is a bigger challenge. Without the 30th pick to attach in deals (the Clippers can still trade Kobe Brown’s draft rights, but the pick is always more valuable as currency before the selection is made), the Clippers will have a hard time attracting much interest in Gordon and Morris. In fact, last night, the Sacramento Kings straight-up gave Dallas the 24th overall pick in order to take the undesired contract of Richaun Holmes–and Holmes is a useful player that the Mavericks will use! If 24 + Holmes = nothing, then 30 + Morris = Brogdon was actually a massive win (health notwithstanding)… and Morris without 30 = less than nothing. The Clippers are hardly in a position to give up future picks, Terance Mann, or Bones Hyland just to get off of Morris’ contract, so unless someone is really clamoring for Amir Coffey or Brandon Boston Jr., they’ll have to get creative to make a deal work.

As far as I can figure, the Clippers’ best bet is to go deeper into the crevasse by trading Gordon and Morris for less desirable contracts, thereby creating a situation of leverage where they can get some value back to help the team next year (either via a flippable asset or a useful player on an undesired contract). Say what you will about not wanting to pay them next season, but both of their contracts end after just one more year (and in Gordon’s case, only the amount required to make trade math becomes guaranteed, meaning he could offer some instant savings–more on this in a second). That’s not true for someone like Ben Simmons, who will make $40M in 2024-25. Would the Nets downgrade from Dorian Finney-Smith to Robert Covington if it meant the Clippers ate Simmons’ extra year in exchange for Gordon and Morris? Would they give LAC an additional asset too? If the Heat need Duncan Robinson’s outgoing salary to make a trade work this summer but their trade partner doesn’t fancy owing him $30M over the two seasons beyond next year, would Miami compensate the Clippers for taking on that deal in exchange for Morris’ expiring, and could they use that asset with Gordon to land a new power forward? Would the rebuilding Hornets jump at the opportunity to offload 3 years and $75M of Terry Rozier, a player who could be useful to LAC? What about the Hawks and ever-rumored forward John Collins’ similarly big deal? Atlanta particularly strikes me as a team that has to prepare to pay their upcoming young talent and could look to offload money this summer to set the stage for those deals in future years.

While it’s possible that some trade partners could value Gordon as a short-term role player, his presence allows for some immediate savings, too. His deal is fully non-guaranteed, which means the Clippers are completely off the hook for his salary if they cut him by June 28th. It’s not a complete mulligan for trade partners, though–enough of his contract needs to be guaranteed to make a trade legal. Still, teams can save money that way. Let’s look at that Gordon/Morris/Covington for Simmons/Finney-Smith deal, just as an example. To bring back those two players, the Clippers would have to send out about $38.6M. After Morris and Covington, the Clippers would only need an additional $10M, meaning that the Nets could immediately cut Gordon and have trimmed $13M ($19.6M if they elect to stretch his salary hit over the next 3 years) from their payroll for next season on top of savings on Simmons’ additional year.

Of course, there is the possibility of bigger deals solving these issues organically–maybe Gordon, Morris, Terance Mann, and future picks can land the Clippers Zach LaVine (good luck figuring out how to make him fit with Paul and Kawhi on offense, but talent is talent). If they get off of Morris’ deal in such a fashion, there are a couple of younger, less established power forwards that the Clippers could always look at as upside plays with the knowledge that they can turn to Batum or move Kawhi up a position in the playoffs: Obi Toppin is looking for a way out of New York to a bigger role, and the Clippers are rumored to have interest in Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr. One issue with targeting Toppin or Martin, aside from their relative inexperience and unprovenness, is that their salaries are too low to make a swap for Morris easy. Another is that they’d likely cost draft capital to acquire, something the Clippers have very little of and need to treasure.

Then, there are the elephant(s) in the room: the lingering rumored availability of Paul George in trade talks (and Damian Lillard’s satisfaction in Portland). It’s been mentioned throughout the week that the Clippers are gauging George’s value, though the latest update from Andrew Greif in the LA Times suggests that the feedback they received wasn’t great, with teams concerned about the downside of trading serious packages for a 33-year-old with a looming opt-out next summer who has averaged just 47 games played over his 4 years as a Clipper (2 of which were shortened from 82 to 72 games due to COVID scheduling, for what it’s worth). Still, Knicks reporter Ian Begley says he would expect New York to continue a pursuit of George if the Clippers are open to trading the star wing. The problem: both teams are trying to get closer to a championship in the near future, not further away. The Clippers would surely entertain a George-Randle framework for the same age, health, and contract reasons that the Knicks wouldn’t; the Clippers would hopefully rebuff a package built around RJ Barrett for the same quality disparity reasons the Knicks would pursue it. Perhaps a convenient way out: if Damian Lillard does finally decide it is time to leave the Trail Blazers behind instead of hanging around to mentor #3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, could a 3-team deal sending George to the Knicks, Lillard to the Clippers, and Barrett and a heap of draft picks to the Blazers satisfy everyone? The Knicks are committed to Jalen Brunson as their younger, cheaper star point guard, but covet a two-way All-NBA wing to join their core, while the Clippers would embrace the Lillard upgrade, especially given George’s reluctance to be a playmaker last season. I wouldn’t bet money on it, but I wouldn’t rule it out either. Lillard isn’t eligible to be traded until July 9th, the one-year anniversary of signing his designated veteran maximum extension last summer, so I’d expect these talks to be slow-developing as all sides (including Lillard himself) consider their options.

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After Quiet Draft, Clippers Need Trades For Gordon, Morris
Lucas Hann

The LA Clippers completed another big comeback on Tuesday night in Portland, overcoming an 18 point second-half deficit, to win by six. The short-handed Clips were led by Norman Powell, who had 22 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 32. Oh—and Moussa Diabaté played the whole fourth quarter. Check out how it all happened in our recap below:

Summary

Both teams started the game slow, but the Blazers went on to finish the first quarter with 30 points and a five point lead. They were led by Anfernee Simons, who had 15 first quarter points, and Jusuf Nurkic, who added 9. The Clippers recieved six each from Mann and Zubac and five each from Powell and Jackson. Morris was 0/4 in the quarter, which foreshadowed the night he would have, as he finished 3/13 from the field and 0/5 from three (although he had a block, a bucket, and three rebounds during the critical fourth quarter).

The Blazers then put together another 30 point quarter and extended their lead to eight by half time. Jerami Grant started to get going and the Blazers’ role players—primarily, Hart and Winslow—started to support Grant and Simons. Robert Covington led the way for the Clippers in the second, with 11 points (3/3 from three). Covington would finish with 15 points and four rebounds (+10 on the night).

The Blazers, again, had over thirty points (34) in the third quarter—and Simons had almost half (15) of them (on 5 threes). The Blazers’ lead was as large as 18 and the Clippers looked like their lack of depth, given the injuries, was catching up to them. Still, though, the Clippers finished the quarter strong and were down just thirteen by the end of the quarter.

In the fourth, the script completely flipped: The Clippers had their first 30 point quarter of the game (36) and the Blazers’ scoring fell off a cliff (just 17). Over 60% of the Clippers’ fourth quarter points (22) came from one player, Norman Powell, who saw what Simons did in the third and decided to show the Blazers they traded the wrong shooting guard. Norm’s sidekick was—of all people—Moussa Diabate, who played the whole quarter and was +19.

Notes

Norm Powell Revenge Game: Norm finished with 32 points on 10/16 from the field, 4/5 from three, and 8/10 from the free throw line. As mentioned above, he did the majority of the damage in the fourth quarter, relentlessly attacking the rim, finishing tough layups or getting fouled (or both). As Law Murray pointed out, he outscored the whole Blazers team in the fourth and outscored their bench over the whole 48.

Moussa Makes His Announcement: Moussa was called up from the G-League to either help this short-handed main roster win or to get “real” NBA minutes if or when the Clippers were losing by an insurmountable deficit. It turned out to be the former, as he played the most important minutes of the game, and played so well that Clippers’ defensive leader Ivica Zubac never came back into the game after leaving in the third quarter. Moussa finished with just three points, four rebounds, a block, and a steal, but his overall activity and defensive switch-ability were a revelation.

Jason Preston Sighting: Along with Moussa, Jason Preston was also brought up to the main roster. He played six total minutes in the first half and hit his first NBA shot—a three pointer. He also had an assist and no turnovers.

Please Let Reggie Rest: Reggie had a better game today, with 24 points (on 9/23 shooting) and 12 assists. But he got beat up pretty bad as well. He crashed to the floor coming down from a made layup and stayed there until the Clippers could call a timeout. Then, in the fourth, he took a massively important and very physical charge, which led to Grant’s sixth foul. Hopefully John Wall will be able to handle the majority of the point guard minutes tomorrow and perhaps Reggie can even get the night off to recover.

That about does it for this recap of the Clippers’ comeback win against the Blazers. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers comeback big in Portland, 118-112
Kenneth Armstrong

The super short handed LA Clippers will start a two-game road back-to-back on Tuesday in Portland as they take on the Trail Blazers. While the Clippers are used to playing short handed, they will be especially short-handed tonight, with John Wall added to the injury report (knee injury management). Check out our preview of Tuesday’s Clippers vs. Blazers game below:

Game Information

Where: Moda Center, Portland, OR

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: KTLA, TNT

How to Listen: AM 570 KLAC

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Terance Mann – Amir Coffey – Marcus Morris, Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Blazers: Anfernee Simons – Josh Hart – Jerami Grant – Justise Winslow – Jusuf Nurkic

Injuries

Clippers: OUT: Kawhi Leonard (ankle); Paul George (hamstring); Luke Kennard (calf); John Wall (knee management). G-League Assignment: Brandon Boston, Moussa Diabate, and Jason Preston.

Blazers: OUT: Damian Lillard (calf); Gary Payton II (abdomen); Keon Johnson (hip).

The Big Picture

The LA Clippers rotation will only be nine-deep on Tuesday, with Norman Powell, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and Moses Brown being the only reserves available. The Blazers, though, will also be pretty limited: they’re missing their best player (Lillard) and a defensive guard they were expecting to count on this season in Gary Payton II.

The Clippers should actually match up fairly well with this Blazers. The main concerns will be Anfernee Simons (averaging 23.2 points this season), Jerami Grant (21.5 points), and Jusuf Nurkic (14 and 10 rebounds). Terance Mann should be able to manage Simons relatively well, Amir Coffey and Nico Batum will take the lead on Grant, and Zubac is more than capable to match up with Nurkic.

Moreover, the Blazers will likely be forced to play Justise Winslow on Marcus Morris, Sr., which is a huge advantage for the Clippers. And, finally, the “X” factor for this game could be Norm Powell, who will play his former team for the first time on Tuesday. If Norm can carry a big scoring load on the bench unit to make up for John Wall’s absence, the Clippers will have a shot to steal this game.

The Antagonist

On the other hand, according to Stat Muse, the Clippers are an abysmal 27-89 in Portland across franchise history (although are 3-1 in the Ty Lue era). And we should also expect that Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups will have a better scouting report than most given his time with the Clippers and the mentorship he’s received from Ty Lue.

Finally, while Norm might be the “X” factor, Reggie Jackson could easily cancel him out. After three really nice games against the Pistons, Spurs, and Jazz, Reggie has been less than effective in the last three games (Warriors, Nuggets, and Pacers). To be fair, Reggie is asked to do a lot—especially with Kawhi and George out. Nonetheless, the Clippers will need him to be efficient and protect the ball, in order to beat the Blazers on Tuesday.

That about does it for this preview of the super short handed Clippers’ game against the Blazers. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers vs. Blazers Game Preview
Kenneth Armstrong

The LA Clippers stayed undefeated in Seattle, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers, 102-97, Monday night. Marcus Morris Sr., Terance Mann, Jason Preston and (eventually) Luke Kennard were unavailable for LAC tonight, opening up even more room for certain guys to showcase their current statuses. Although the game was heavily skewed towards the Clippers when both sides’ starters were in, Portland did stage a comeback once most of LA’s main names got the night off either at halftime or by the end of the third. With the game’s final result up in the air for either team’s young guns to go out and secure in the closing minutes, Amir Coffey and Moussa Diabaté led the way to bring home the “W.” Read on for our full Clippers-Trail Blazers preseason game recap.

Clippers vs. Trail Blazers Game Notes

• KL2 Takeoff: With 11 points (3-8 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals, Kawhi showed just about everything that the Clipper-faithful could ask for in his return. In 16 first-half minutes, Leonard used his strong frame that’s been wowing social media audiences, as well as the high IQ that he’s displayed since he first suited up for LAC, to quickly establish his presence out there. Especially sans Gary Payton II, the Blazers’ tiny starting backcourt was terrorized by both Kawhi and Paul George, with Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum setting them up with mismatches perfectly via on-ball screens. Kawhi’s jumper and footwork looked great as usual, but what really stood out was him showing zero hesitation whatsoever to either make a quick cut inside off the ball or drive hard to the rim to set up looks for others. Welcome back, Kawhi!

• Wall (Finding His) Way: John Wall looked about as advertised, consistently setting guys up for quality looks with his instincts and natural ability to penetrate the paint. It is a shame that he only collected three assists, but that’s the nature of the game. Wall certainly didn’t put up enough shots to catch the attention of NBA highlight YouTube channels, but had a good mix of facilitating and scoring aggression. Fittingly enough, considering the amount of work he seemingly put into his 3-point shooting this summer, Wall’s first bucket in a LAC jersey was a “FU” 2-for-1 triple from deep a few moments after he didn’t get the call on a drive. It’s definitely going to be interesting to see him on the floor more with the 213-duo when he starts the next game.

• The Boys Are Back: Of course, tonight also gave us the first looks at PG, Ivica Zubac, Batum, Jackson and Norman Powell. Paul George was easily the sharpest player on the floor tonight, knocking down some loud shots from deep and in the mid-post, as well as hitting wide-open teammates when prompted. Perhaps the best sign of his current status was his seven boards in that 16-minute span. George’s chemistry with Zubac did not miss a beat at all, with both connecting to shut down several Jerami Grant drives with ease. It appears the ankle issue concerns for Zubac were put to rest tonight for the most part, as he looked just fine on both ends. Nicolas Batum looked like the same guy who, rightfully, has had a battalion of fans in his corner in recent years. The man just knows where to be at all times on both ends of the floor and certainly gave Dame fits while he was matched up on him to start the game. It was a lukewarm shooting night for Reggie Jackson (2-7 FG, 2-5 3PT, 1-2 FT) and a classic preseason stinker for Norm Powell (1-11 FG, 0-5 3PT, 1-1 FT). There’s no real concern for either guy from tonight as they each took a lot of shots that they usually do, but simply didn’t get the results we’re used to seeing.

• Tinkering Ty: Throwing out a Jackson-Wall combo for most of the second quarter, as well as uber-small lineups whenever Jusuf Nurkić sat, Tyronn Lue did not hold back in what appears to be just the start of what should be a fun year for him. Unfortunately, considering the number of guys that did sit out tonight, there still wasn’t much to take away from tonight in terms of where the Clipper braintrust’s thinking is right now in terms of rotations, but it’s clear LAC has plenty of options to experiment with right now.
• Coffey on the Come Up: With Mann, Mook and Luke out, Coffey got some extra run in the second half against the Trail Blazers’ young’uns and did not disappoint once again. As showcased time and time again throughout last season, Amir Coffey could truly help out a ton of teams right now. With the added weight he’s put on this offseason, it seems he’s able to play even more at his own pace with the ball in his hands. It again makes you wonder how the Clips managed to get him to agree on the deal that he signed this summer as he’s just a fun player to watch.
• C3 Watch: Early on, neither Moses Brown or Moussa Diabaté had a game to look back on, but that quickly changed once the competition level evened out towards the end. As alluded to by the guys on 213Hoops podcast network, Brown does seem like an odd fit to be the Clippers’ regular season emergency big considering he’s still super raw on both ends. Admittedly, this is still preseason and a tiny sample size, but Moses’ early returns in the league defensively have also suggested that someone like a Hassan Whiteside would perhaps address the team’s needs much better. Meanwhile, Moussa Diabaté simply came alive to close this one. The rook brought the energy once again on both ends, vacuuming rebounds and switching 1-5 repeatedly. Diabaté’s passing especially stood out in this one as he found Coffey wide open on the arc several times. Of course, perhaps the stuff we don’t see in training camp and practice could weigh quite a bit into this, but judging just by this game, it appears Diabaté has put some distance between himself and Moses.

Up Next: The Clippers will continue their four-game preseason ramp-up back at the crib against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. PT.

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 vs. Trail Blazers Preseason Game Recap
Ralston Dacanay

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the LA Clippers made a massive trade Friday afternoon to acquire Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, and Keon Johnson. The Clippers are also sending Portland Detroit’s 2025 2nd round pick, acquired with Luke Kennard two offseasons ago.

The obvious centerpiece of this deal is Powell, who is currently putting up an efficient 18.7 points per game for Portland this season on good efficiency (45.6% from the field and 40.6% from deep). He’s averaged 17.8 points on 48/41 splits in 161 games over the last three seasons, so none of that production should be unsustainable moving forward. For a Clippers team starved of offensive talent (currently 26th in the NBA in Offensive Rating, according to basketball-reference), Powell should provide a lift on that side of the floor without creating major issues on the defensive end either. What Norm doesn’t do is create much offense for others: his assist numbers fall drastically short of point guards like Bledsoe or Jackson and are more in line with current Clippers like Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, and Amir Coffey. While Powell is a guard, he’s really more of a (slightly–he’s 6’3″ with a 6’11” wingspan) undersized scoring wing than a playmaker.

In Covington, the Clippers get a short-term look at a once-coveted defensive forward who has fallen off a bit of a cliff recently. Playing somewhere between the small forwar and center positions based on lineup and scheme, he’s still capable of making an impact on the defensive end of the floor (he’s averaging 2.8 steals + blocks in just under 30 minutes per game for Portland this year), but that impact has declined along with his three-point shot, really hurting his ability to add any value on the offensive end of the floor. RoCo is a bit of a wild card in this trade. In theory, he is still a serviceable veteran who can be a good team defender at power forward and give Ty Lue the versatile switchability in a small ball center that he loves. In practice, he’s not as good as the incumbents in that power forward role, Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum, and stuck behind all three of the Clippers’ traditional centers. I could see him occupying a part-time rotation role as a depth 4/small ball 5 to replace Justise Winslow. I could also see this acquisition maybe making the Clippers feel a bit more secure in their forward depth if they were to trade Marcus Morris this week–something that has been rumored to be on the table. I also wouldn’t be shocked to see Covington’s $13M expiring contract flipped before the trade deadline passes as the Clippers deal with a glut of forwards and now find themselves in need of a backup point guard.

For Portland, the value in this deal is essentially financial. The Blazers are in dire straits as an organization, recently firing former Clippers executive Neil Olshey after an independent investigation found Olshey created a hostile work environment. They’ve struggled with injuries to core players and constant speculation that star Damian Lillard would ask to be traded, and currently sit well below .500. This trade helps the organization get their finances order in two ways: first, by shedding a total of $4M in the exchange, they avoid the NBA’s luxury tax; second, the team moves Norman Powell’s hefty multiyear deal to create flexibility moving forward. Between Powell, Lillard, C.J. McCollum, and breakout star Anfernee Simons, the Blazers had more 6’3″ guys than they knew what to do with. McCollum’s $30M+ deal will also likely be on the move soon, freeing up money for Portland to invest in rebuilding their frontcourt for next season in a last-ditch attempt to be competitive in the Lillard era. Powell signed a 5-year, $90 million dollar deal with the Blazers last summer that will pay him about $17M next year, $18M in 2023-24, $19M in 2024-25, and $20.5M in 2025-26 when he is 32 years old. It’s not a bad contract for a player of Powell’s caliber, especially since it won’t stretch too far into his 30s, but it is understandable why Portland was reluctant to hold on to it if they felt he was redunant with their other options.

Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, and Keon Johnson all could offer some utility to the Blazers, but it’s unlikely that their play is going to make a big difference for the team. Bledsoe is a solid enough backup guard, but Portland is probably already hard at work on a way to repackage him before next Thursday’s deadline. Winslow is a fun and hard-playing but flawed backup who should get some minutes in Portland and have a similar impact to the one he’s been able to have with the Clippers, while Johnson is a developmental prospect who still needs a lot of work to become an NBA player.

For the Clippers, this trade could indicate that another move is on the horizion, simply because they gave up a point guard and didn’t get one back. One key ramification here is that LAC managed to create a roster spot in a 3-for-2 trade, which will allow them to promote Amir Coffey from his current two-way contract to the 15-man roster. Two-way contract players are not eligible to play in postseason games, so that is an essential promotion for one of LAC’s key contributors this season. In theory, they could just do that and stand pat, but the current depth chart certainly suggests another move is coming:

In the meantime, the Clippers can get by with Jackson and Powell sharing guard duties while Coffey, Kennard, and Mann pick up the slack at SG and Batum and Covington share backup forward minutes, but by the time the deadline rolls around, it would really behoove the Clippers to have another point guard in the regular rotation. While there are any number of options for trades to accomplish that, the most obvious avenues are either a big deal involving Luke Kennard and/or Marcus Morris, or a simpler deal using the expiring contracts of Covington or Serge Ibaka to bring back a veteran guard. It’s worth noting that if the Clippers’ roster currently feels a bit crowded at the 2, 3, and 4, that’s with them still missing two All-NBA wings. Not all of these guys are going to get to stick around heading into next year. I think there’s a chance that the team views Powell as the long-term starter as a shadow point guard, with George resuming his duties as the team’s lead on-ball offensive creator. That would both alleviate some of the logjam on the wings and, with the assumption that Powell and Jackson are your point guards heading into next season, mean that all you need to do here is a simple deal to flip Covington or Ibaka. I would keep my eyes on guys like Kemba Walker and Dennis Schroder as veterans who should be available on the current trade market and can plug a short-term hole on the second unit with some playmaking.

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 Acquire Norman Powell, Robert Covington for Bledsoe, Winslow, and Johnson
Lucas Hann

The Clippers reset the season with a blowout win over the Blazers, 116-86. Lifted up by an explosion from Luke Kennard, the Clippers controlled the game from tip. Check out our game recap below.

Summary

Nicolas Batum got the start on Monday night, with Marcus Morris, Sr. being a late scratch for injury maintenance on his left knee. And, from the jump, Batum — along with Paul George — set the tone on the defensive end. George’s aggression in the passing lanes was matched by his early offensive production, as he led the Clippers to a 31-17 lead after the first quarter with eight points. He was joined by Reggie Jackson, who had eight of his own, though on 3/9 shooting. The Blazers’ shot 33% from the field in the first quarter (20% from three) — and that was the story for them as the night went on.

But it was really the bench who broke this game open early. With his first substitution of the game, coach Ty Lue once again went with a “shift change,” bringing in Isaiah Hartenstein, Terance Mann, and Luke Kennard to play along side Reggie and George. The Clippers were only up by one at this point (4:36 left in the first quarter), but Kennard and Hartenstein combined for 11 points to close the quarter.

Portland matched the Clippers in the second quarter (25-25), but the score was not representative of how the game felt. Paul George had three turnovers late in the second quarter and the Blazers picked up their shooting a bit. Nonetheless, the Clippers had control of the game and largely kept Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum contained as they finished the first half with a 56-42 lead.

In the third quarter, the Clippers blew the game wide open and secured the win, taking the frame 35-19. Reggie, George, Zubac, and Mann were mostly responsible for pouring it on, while PG’s four third-quarter steals disrupted the Blazers’ attack. At this point, the starters were on track for big numbers, but none of them were needed in the fourth quarter.

Coach Lue emptied the bench to end the game, which allowed the home fans to witness Brandon Boston, Jr.’s first career points.

Game Notes

• Luke Kennard was electric: Luke finished the game with 23 points on 8/10 shooting (6/7 from three) and three assists. What’s more, he was scoring in all kinds of ways — catch and shoot, coming off screens, curling around hand-offs, etc. If Luke can score 15+ points a night consistently throughout the season, Paul George’s season will be a lot less taxing, like tonight.
• Paul George, ball hawk: Paul George had a career-high eight steals tonight (the Blazers, who were loose with the ball all night, made it easy). The Clippers as a team had 21 steals, which was the second-most steals in franchise history (per Clippers PR). They also forced the most turnovers by a Clippers team since 1996 (per Clippers PR).
• Justice Winslow gets some burn: With Morris out, Winslow was back in the rotation after being a DNP-CD against the Grizzlies. He only scored six points on 3/9 shooting, but he was active on defense (three steals and two blocks) and assisted on four Clippers makes.
• Ball Movement: Reggie Jackson shot 15 three-points, which was incredible to watch because he only made three of them (he was 6/20 overall). Besides Reggie, however, the Clippers played very unselfishly, which led to 37 assists on 44 made field goals. According to Clippers PR, that was the most assists in a game since 2015.

That will do it for our recap of the Clippers’ first win of the season. Check out the podcast for more analysis from the 213 Hoops team.

Clippers vs. Blazers Recap: First Win of the Season
Kenneth Armstrong

Well it’s never fun to be on the wrong end of blowout, especially during an exhibition game. The LA Clippers (0-2) fell victim to a 27% shooting night from the field as the Portland Trail Blazers got hot from deep at the right time to put this one away in the third, 86-66. It was about the opposite of the Summer Clippers’ first game as they started off with the right energy and ball movement, and then faded as the game wore on. Four different Blazers (2-0), which included the veteran trio of Emmanuel Mudiay, Kobi Simmons and Antonio Blakeney, paced Portland with double-digit scoring while LA just couldn’t find a consistent rhythm throughout the contest.

Clippers vs. Trail Blazers Game Notes

• Keon Johnson: While an eight point, 3-for-14 shooting box score line would suggest that tonight was more of the same for the Clippers’ first-round pick, half of Johnson’s attempts came in garbage time with the game already out of reach. Regardless, Johnson’s stroke from distance still left a lot to be desired, along with his struggles to finish in traffic. What was nice to see from Johnson, aside from his endless energy, was the passing that he, as stated previously, himself feels is a bit underrated. Johnson somehow manifested a team-high six assists, including connecting with Brandon Boston Jr. for a pair of treys, as well as a terrific half-court lob to Kerwin Roach II.

• Jason Preston: It was another quiet game for the birthday boy, who finished with two rebounds and two assists in just 13:33 of action. At the time of writing, it is unclear why Preston played so little. He seemed able to compete on both ends against a Blazer team with much less athleticism compared to what Milwaukee trotted out on Monday, so much so that he was able to attempt a floater in the paint. On the bright side, his creativity and vision as a passer were apparent in the few minutes he was out there, even though the stats don’t suggest it.

• Brandon Boston Jr.: Boston Jr. was perhaps the Clippers’ best player in the first half of this one, showcasing a ton of versatility in bringing the ball up, curling off of screens and playing solid defense for the most part. He looked very comfortable as a catch-and-shoot shooter once again. On three different drives, Boston Jr. was called for a charge on Kenneth Faried and was blocked by Faried, but also found Daniel Oturu for a lob towards the end. Ultimately, his decision-making near the paint continues to need some work. There was also a play where Boston Jr. got stuck in no man’s land under the basket and gave up three looks at the rim to George King, so the all the stuff about him needing to develop some strength remains true.

• Amir Coffey: It was another forgettable, frustrating night for the third-year wing, who just could not buy a bucket from anywhere on the floor. As mentioned by Rob after last night’s game, Coffey is mainly struggling with taking on a workload that he’s usually not leaned on for, which could explain why his offensive rhythm has been so off. The boards and defense on Michael Beasley were good, which was the main thing that he needed to show off coming to Vegas—the ability to play the four—but the inability to recreate what he’s been solid at in knocking down threes, as well as getting ejected due to frustration, have been tough to see.

• Jay Scrubb: Scrubb finished with a team-high 15 points, but got there on 4 of 20 shooting from the field. The concerns about his ability to do little else besides scoring right now were paramount tonight as he wasn’t able to get his shot to drop for most of the game. Scrubb did play very hard, however, and once again showed off some explosiveness, which is great to see, en route to 10 boards.

• Daniel Oturu: Do I dare say that Daniel Oturu was the best Clipper on the floor tonight? Well he was. The second-year center had 11 points (5-9 FG), 13 boards and a game-high five blocks. Aside from airballing a top-of-the-arc early shot clock three, Oturu was consistently active around the rim on both ends with some tough finishes and recovering contests. After picking up six fouls Monday, Oturu had just one called on him tonight.

• The Others: For a couple of guys looking to earn some opportunities anywhere in the NBA, Isaiah Hicks and Kerwin Roach II were super solid once again for LAC. It seems as if both guys just never make mistakes, which is exactly what you hope to see from more seasoned players in SL. Both were unselfish, deferring to the open man, but also aggressive when needed. Meanwhile, Jordan Ford showed the burst to drive and kick, but was mainly a secondary ball-handler which seemed to fair better for him tonight.

The Clippers will have two days off before matching up with the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center for their third game of the 2021 NBA Summer League Friday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. PT.

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.

Summer Clippers Ice Cold in Blowout to the Blazers
Ralston Dacanay

Following a tight loss against Milwaukee to break the ice, the LA Clippers (0-1) look to secure their first 2021 NBA Summer League win versus the Portland Trail Blazers (1-0) Tuesday night. Read on for our Clippers vs. Trail Blazers Summer League game preview.

Clippers vs. Trail Blazers Game Information

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: 8 p.m. PT
How to Watch: ESPNU

Projected Starting Lineups:
L.A. Clippers: Jason Preston – Keon Johnson – Jay Scrubb – Amir Coffey – Daniel Oturu
Portland Trail Blazers: Emmanuel Mudiay – CJ Elleby – George King – Michael Beasley – Kenneth Faried

Less than 24 hours after seeing Bucks sophomore Jordan Nwora drop 30 points firsthand, the young-gun Clippers will be battle-tested once again against a team fielding several NBA veterans.

Heading into his third year around the league, the 6-foot-4-inch Antonio Blakeney torched the Charlotte Hornets in his 2021 Summer League debut for 27 points (9-10 FG) on Monday.

Meanwhile, some familiar faces in Michael Beasley, Kenneth Faried and Emmanuel Mudiay will try to put their combined 24 years of league experience to good use and give Jay Scrubb and co. some extra growing pains.

As for the main guys that Portland is looking to develop, the No. 43 pick in this year’s draft, Greg Brown, and second-year guard CJ Elleby will be looking to show what they can do. Although Nassir Little remains listed on the Blazers’ summer league roster, it appears newly appointed head coach Chauncey Billups and his staff deemed it unnecessary for the third-year forward to be out there, per The Athletic’s Jason Quick.

This will be the comment thread for all six of the Summer League games today, as well as for the Clippers’ game against the Blazers, of course. Sign up for a free account and join the conversation!

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 vs. Trail Blazers Summer League Game Thread
Ralston Dacanay

The Clippers head out on a one-game road trip to face the Trail Blazers in Portland. These two teams would face one another if current postseason seeds were to hold, but with key injuries on both sides, how much will there be to learn? Read on for our full Clippers and Blazers game preview:

Game Information

Where: Moda Center, Portland, OR

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570 KLAC

Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson — Paul George — Kawhi Leonard — Marcus Morris Sr. — Ivica Zubac

Blazers: CJ McCollum — Norm Powell — Robert Covington — Rondae Hollis-Jefferson — Enes Kanter

Injuries

Blazers: OUT — Damian Lillard (hamstring); OUT — Jusuf Nurkic (injury management); OUT — Zach Collins (ankle)

Clippers: OUT — Patrick Beverley (hand); OUT — Serge Ibaka (back)

The Big Picture and the Antagonist

. . . might see one another in the first round of the playoffs, so let’s handle them together in notebook style:

— First, the Clippers, who are more secure in their position and perhaps even upwardly mobile. Kawhi Leonard made his return on Sunday along with the fans, and Serge Ibaka doesn’t appear to be far behind. The Clippers officially signed Yogi Ferrell yesterday to a 10-day contract to shore up the guard depth in Patrick Beverley’s absence. Ferrell is an undersized but effective pick and roll navigator, and is still just 27, although he’s unlikely to be offered an impactful role unless the team suffers additional injuries.

— Sunday’s victory over Minnesota may have started a streak, another winning one, but it snapped Paul George’s run of five straight 30-point appearances. The low minute count was the likely culprit though, and Portland’s 29th-ranked defense by efficiency should provide George the opportunity to kickstart another scoring surge. After all, they were on the floor when he began his last one. Portland is the lone team in the West’s top eight with a negative scoring differential, and the unsightly defense is mostly to blame, with the seventh-ranked offense holding up its end.

— The Clippers will try for the season sweep, having already handled the Blazers twice before by 17 and 23. Their most notable achievement in each matchup, beyond the lopsided scoreline, was their suppression of one Damian Lillard. The fringe MVP-candidate managed just five made field goals in 28 tries across the two contests, with just one make from three. Injury will do the defense’s job tonight, as Lillard will miss his third straight game with hamstring trouble.

— The Blazers will also be without Jusuf Nurkic, who will sit for injury management on the first night of a back-to-back, which may be Portland’s way of acknowledging that they see tomorrow’s tilt against Denver as more profitable. Both teams play again tomorrow night, with the Clippers returning to the friendly confines to host Memphis.

— Rondae Hollis-Jefferson signed a second 10-day contract with the Blazers on Sunday. He was named to the starting lineup in a game for which the similarly molded Derrick Jones Jr. received a curious DNP-CD. At the time of this writing, it was unclear who would start, but considering Lillard’s absence and the Clippers’ bevy of big wings, both Jones and Hollis-Jefferson should get minutes.

— The Clippers will have to re-acclimate to silence, as the Blazers are one of three NBA teams without a timeline for the return of fans.

Game Thread

Thanks for reading our preview of tonight’s contest between the Clippers and the Blazers. The comments for this post will be the live thread. Sign up for a free account and join the conversation!

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 vs Blazers Preview: First Round Sneak Peek?
Thomas Wood