The 213 Hoops Staff got together to give their final predictions for the Clippers’ first round series against the Nuggets.

Lucas Hann: Clippers in 6

I’m going confident with this one.  The Clippers and Nuggets finished tied in the regular season, and split the season series 2-2–but there’s no doubt who has been better over the last month of basketball, with the Nuggets sliding in the standings and firing their head coach and GM while the Clippers have surged, going 18-3 in their last 21 games.  Denver’s starting 5 of Murray, Braun, Porter Jr, Gordon, and Jokic is probably an even match with the Clippers’ best lineups, but Denver doesn’t have a single bench player the caliber of Bogdan Bogdanovic or Derrick Jones Jr or Nico Batum, meaning that LAC can rotate their top 8 guys while maintaining good lineups on the floor… and Denver should struggle to.  Look for tight margins, especially early in the series, with Denver playing all 5 of their starters 40+ minutes.  As knocks, foul trouble, and fatigue set in, I expect the Clippers to be able to withstand the attrition of a hard-fought series better than the Nuggets.  It should be as contested of a series as you’d expect between two teams with identical regular season records and a split head-to-head record, so I wouldn’t be surprised if things broke Denver’s way and they were able to emerge, but I truly feel like the Clippers are entering the series in a stronger position.

Niels Pineda: Clippers in 6

It’s obviously always a tough choice to bet against the best player in the world, but on that same side of the equation is a bad defense.  The Nuggets pathway to victory requires winning a shootout here, but with the combination of Harden’s methodical pace setting and LAC’s suffocating defense, I’m hard pressed to think Denver will be able to make it one.
On the Clippers side of things, they’ll likely have the 2nd and 3rd best players after Jokic, and it’s also very easy to see them having the better depth. When you stack up all of these factors on top of a significantly better defense, I’m cautiously optimistic that they’ll be able to take this one home in a VERY hard fought series.

Erik Olsgaard: Clippers in 7

On paper the Clippers match-up far better with the Nuggets than the Nuggets with the Clippers—particularly on the defensive end, where the Nuggets sport the only bottom-10 defense in the Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers can throw elite defensive guards like Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. at Jamal Murray. And Ivica Zubac is one of the better defensive options on Nikola Jokic in the NBA not named Wemby (one that will also put plenty of offensive pressure on Jokic). Meanwhile, the Nuggets will have trouble finding enough legitimate defenders to guard all three of James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell at the same time, without giving up a lot on offense. The Clippers also just have a far deeper bench, when healthy, and with Nic Batum on the cusp of returning the Clippers are nearly whole. Denver also just fired their head coach, so they may find themselves missing Mike Malone’s experience in the playoff chess battle. But even with all of those things being true, I can’t bring myself to count out Jokic. He’s still probably the best and most consistent individual offensive player in the league, and one who’s become a far bigger three point threat than any year previously. He could single-handedly will the Nuggets to three wins in this series. Just not four.

Shapan Debnath: Clippers in 6

I respect Nikola Jokic a lot. He’s the best player in basketball, and that carries a lot of weight in a best of 7 series, so I anticipate this going long rather than short because of him. But I think the Clippers have a ton of looks to attack Denver on offense and are very well equipped to defend them on the other end. With Aaron Gordon defending Kawhi Leonard, there should be a nice trickledown effect to set up James Harden for success against a vulnerable Denver PnR defense. Denver has eaten up the Clippers with the Murray/Jokic two man game, but the Clippers have heavily upgraded their point of attack defense this year, & Murray is already a bit banged up. Couple that with Denver’s depth being as thin as it’s been in years, with way too much riding on old friend Russell Westbrook’s shoulders, and you have a ton of reasons to like the Clippers in this matchup. Just give them the health to prove us right or wrong.

Robert Flom: Nuggets in 7

Logically, the Clippers should win this series. They have played better than the Nuggets over the second half of the season. They have a deeper roster than the Nuggets. They have some nice matchup advantages and more looks to throw at the Nuggets than vice versa. But something vibes wise feels off to me, I think mostly just because things have been going so, so well for the Clippers – and they never seem to stay that way. The Nuggets have the best player in the series by a healthy margin, and while the Nuggets defense is bad, I think they actually match up ok with the Clippers, with Norm Powell needing to have a big series to really punish Jamal Murray. Maybe this is just an emotional hedge, but I just keep returning to the Nuggets pulling out the win here. Hopefully I’m wrong, and I think the Clippers have a very good chance of winning this series. It just doesn’t seem like a Clippers thing to have happen, and it’s tough for me to move past the failures of the past three years.

Cole Huff: Clippers in 7

Of all the realistic first-round opponents, Denver felt like maybe the most preferred for the Clippers, which seems crazy to say given that the Nuggets roster the best player in the world and retain mostly the same nucleus from a team less than two years removed from a championship. Yet, the Nuggets’ coaching shakeup, questionable bench, and inconsistent defense are enough swing factors to lead me to liking the Clippers’ chances more, on top of LAC being one of the best teams in the league over the last month. Nikola Jokic is great enough to make this a long series, but I think this is the best Clippers team we’ve seen in this era, and they will ultimately have exorcised some demons by the time this one is all said and done.

Clippers vs Nuggets Series Prediction Roundtable
Robert Flom

With over a week having past since the Clippers’ season sputtered out, the 213 Hoops staff got together to give thoughts on whether the Clippers should run it back, re-tool, or blow it up.

Lucas Hann: Re-Tool

I think the Clippers are frankly in too deep to simply give up, but it’s clear that this core group has gotten stale.  Even if they never win a championship with Kawhi Leonard, blowing it up now would mean moving him at a low point in his value, with a murky injury and 3 years/$150 million left on his deal.  Even if they take a step back and lose in the play-in next year, if the picture around his health is clearer and he only has 2/$100 left on his contract, he’ll be a more attractive piece for a number of other teams in a trade.  The Clippers are so asset-barren that I don’t really see a downside to riding the Kawhi train one more time–if it ends the same sad way, things aren’t really going to be any worse than the dark ages we’d be facing if we fully blew it up with none of our future picks going forward.  I do think that retooling, likely involving moving on from Paul George, gives you the opportunity to have some more flexibility in how you build a younger, more athletic supporting cast to see if this team can get some new energy moving into next season.

Shapan Debnath: Re-Tool

Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard for guaranteed years this past season, so they simply have no choice –  as long as you have him (and with his sunk value fresh off another playoff injury) you have to push your chips in to a degree, especially with how the Clippers immediate draft future looks. You imagine James Harden returns and he lines up a bit with Kawhi’s window. Does that involve Paul George? If not, how do you try to replace his touches? Can this team actually hit on the margins to lift the team with some youth and athleticism? With the weight of Kawhi’s contract, they’re kind of stuck trying to do a new look.

Randi Geffner: Run It Back/Re-Tool

I am loyal to a fault and sometimes blindly optimistic (the perks of being a season ticket holder since 1984) so in my heart I want to run it back and ignore all the anti-Paul George noise out there.  Intellectually, I know the Clippers need a re-tool.  As everyone has said, we are committed to Kawhi in the near future so the team needs to build pieces around him that can be competitive in what has become an extremely young, athletic, and fast-paced Western Conference.  It is no longer a winning formula to put two, three, or four big stars in their mid 30s in the game and hope for the best.  This hasn’t worked for the Clippers (or the Warriors, Lakers, Suns…) so given that Kawhi, likely Harden, and likely Westbrook will be back (and TBD on PG13), there is a significant need for some aggressive, fast, athletic pieces around the existing core.  Of course, keeping Zu is a priority and I think that Mann, Powell, and Coffey can continue to be very important players here.  Also, even though I have appreciated the energy Westbrook has brought in every game he has played, I’m not sure I have the strength for another season of screaming “don’t shoot!!” every time he has the ball.  And of course there is zero chance that a business person as smart and accomplished as Ballmer would open Intuit with a blown up team.  Bottom line?  Re-tool, and as always, it really will come down to keeping everyone healthy. 

Erik Olsgaard: Re-Tool

The Clippers don’t have a lot of options. Running it back is just something I can’t stomach at this point.  Fully blowing it up means that they’d be opening up Intuit with, at best, a scrappy but not remotely contending team, and will have sold very low on Kawhi Leonard. But this group needs some changes badly. First, I’m done with the Paul George ride. He has some value right now, at least on paper, so I’d hope that he’d help facilitate a sign-and-trade. And if he’d rather go to Philadelphia or Orlando, who can sign him outright, then so be it—at least we can then add a young/athletic full MLE player. Out of the second apron now, I’d then look into a Norman Powell trade package, possibly packaging him with PJ Tucker’s expiring contract. It’s tough to think we could ever play Norman much next to James Harden defensively, but more than that I just need something fresh (and to get rid of PJ’s dumpster vibes). And finally, Russell Westbrook clearly wants a starting role, and the best stretch of Clippers basketball we’ve ever seen came with Harden at the helm, not Russ. Time to move on. Oh, and no more Plumlee.

That’d leave us with a lineup of Harden, Mann, Kawhi, Zubac, Coffey, Bones, Theis, Kai Jones, whoever they can get in a Norm trade, and whoever they can get in a PG S&T (or a full MLE player). With those last two question mark slots, youth, athleticism, and motor need to be prioritized. Give Kobe Brown and Jordan Miller legitimate shots. The Clippers wouldn’t be elite, but they also wouldn’t be as prone to making me want to turn the game off. 

Robert Flom: Re-Tool/Blow It Up

If “run it back” is bringing back the Big 3, I think I’m out. Paul George is the guy I’d move on from, as he seems to want a deal way, way beyond what he’s worth at this point in his career. And, personally, I’m sick of his vibes. The Clippers can’t “replace” him, but if he walks for nothing, the Clippers would go well under the second apron and open up some much needed flexibility. Letting Russ walk, Mason walk, and cutting or dumping PJ Tucker are the other moves I’d like to see. You can then sign a true power forward with the now-open MLE, move guys like Bones Hyland and Kobe Brown into bigger roles, and maybe even get looks at Jordan Miller, Kai Jones, and Moussa Diabate. That is what I’d call a re-tool.

This is all, however, dependent on James Harden not having a real market in free agency and returning to the Clippers on what I’d consider a reasonable deal: a 3 year contract (to align with Kawhi) that is at most $40M annual average value (AAV) and hopefully somewhat less. However, if Harden wants more than that – and could somehow find a team that would give it to him (I’m very skeptical) – I would be fine letting him walk, too, and going full-fledged “young guys around Kawhi”. If that makes Kawhi unhappy, well, I’m sorry, you’re under contract and keep not playing in the playoffs. So while my ideal is a re-tool, I think I’d probably rather go more into a blow it up then run it back if those extremes are the only options even if such an option is unpalatable to the Clippers in Intuit’s first year.

213 Hoops Roundtable: Clippers’ 2024 Offseason Preview
Robert Flom

As always, the 213 Hoops staff gathers together to give predictions and abbreviated thoughts on the Clippers’ playoffs series, this time on round 3 against the Mavs.

Erik Olsgaard: Clippers in 6

Assuming that Kawhi plays from game 1, I’m pretty bullish on the Clippers in this matchup. First, I’m not terribly convinced that Dallas is truly in the elite echelon. This impressive 16-2 stretch (excluding the last 2 throwaway losses) to close the season by Dallas has been against mostly below-average competition, with an average opponent win% of only .482. Second, I’m also not convinced their improved defense, with much crisper rotations that mask their defensive shortcomings, is built for LA. It’s easy to look great defensively against mid competition, particularly when it isn’t defending heavy iso offenses like LA’s where good rotations don’t work against repeatedly getting singled-out. Third, I think the postseason minutes redistribution helps LA far more than Dallas. Luka’s already at 37.5 minutes per game, the same as his historical postseason minutes, and Kyrie’s at 35, typically hovering around 36 in the playoffs. On the other hand, the trio of Kawhi/PG/Harden are all at 34.3 (what are the odds??) and all three typically ramp up to at or near 39 minutes. This means LA’s rotations will significantly and fundamentally improve, while Dallas’ might only improve on the margins. The Clippers will still have a Luka problem, so I don’t think a sweep, gentlemen’s or otherwise, is in the cards. But Ty Lue hasn’t lost a Clippers series when healthy, so health permitting, I’m excited to see what this team can do. 

Robert Flom: Clippers in 6

I’m very conflicted on this one. If Kawhi Leonard is healthy, I think the Clippers are the more talented team and should win this one. If he doesn’t play or is not 100% healthy, the Mavs should be favored by a sizable margin. For the purposes of this prediction, I will assume Kawhi can play and will be reasonably close to 100%. While Luka Doncic is brilliant and Kyrie Irving is extraordinary talented and a guy who the Clippers don’t have great options on, I just don’t love the rest of their rotation, even the upgraded one after the deadline. If the Mavs don’t get another hot shooting series from Tim Hardaway Jr., their next best offensive player is… PJ Washington? Despite Luka’s brilliance, I also think the Clippers have “better” options on him than the Mavs do for Kawhi or even PG. The Mavs have been on a roll, but I just like the Clippers’ matchups in this series.

Randi Geffner: Clippers in 6

It’s impossible to make a prediction here without a crystal ball and/or an insider on Kawhi’s medical team. Yes, basketball is a team sport, but the Clippers’ likelihood of winning four games in a really tough series depends in large part on what Kawhi’s status is. Speaking from my head, if he is playing but with limited minutes or doesn’t seem to be a solid version of himself, then I would (sadly) say Dallas in 6. If he isn’t playing at all, then (and it makes me sick to say this), Dallas in 5. If Kawhi plays and he is the best version of himself, then Clippers in 6.  And this is assuming Harden is good and everyone else stays healthy too. Speaking from the heart, it’s Clippers in 6 no matter who is playing. LET’S GET THIS!!!

Lucas Hann: Clippers in 6

The big asterisk here is Kawhi Leonard’s health–I’m choosing to believe that he’s mostly fine and has been getting precautionary rest for minor inflammation heading into the playoffs. If not, this series is a completely different story. The Mavericks are better than they were 3 years ago, but they’re also different, and I think a big part of that is their supporting cast doesn’t have the same volatile shooting upside that they had in the past. The Clippers, for their part, should be better than they were 3 years ago too, although a lot of that will come down to James Harden’s playoff performances (yikes!) and how coverages vs Luka look without Nicolas Batum. I think in this tightly contested series, the teams split each pair of games to open the series, the Clippers take game 5 at home, and then close it out in Dallas in game 6 with Luka wearing down physically from his workload over the course of the series.

Cole Huff: Clippers in 7

Part 3 isn’t going to be any easier than the prior two — not with aging and more-worn-down superstars on LA’s side vs a completely different and better-built roster on Dallas’ end. And if Kawhi Leonard is injured enough to miss any games, don’t count on the Clippers advancing to the conference semifinals. But if Leonard can manage to play even while hobbled, he’s shown that his playoff level is still incredibly high (see Game 2 vs Phoenix last postseason), which, along with the rest of the top 7 rotational players, should give Clippers fans confidence.

I’ll work off of the assumption that Kawhi will be available until I hear otherwise.

Shapan Debnath: Clippers in 7

This is a miserable series to predict. The Kawhi question looms over any prediction with answers yet to be seen until the series is underway, so picking a winner without that knowledge feels really tough. But if Kawhi is reasonably healthy, it’s hard to pick against the Clippers. I think Luka is great and offensively Kyrie is a great partner for him, but their existence on the court opens up the offense on the other end, & LAC have the wings to attack them. Importantly, this series will go very much on how James Harden goes, and those defensive bullseyes should make it much easier for him to open up the offense and get players good looks. I don’t trust DAL’s defense to be as good as their stats against mostly poor competition to end the year. Here’s hoping Ty doesn’t overreact to a few jumpers over Zu.

213 Hoops Roundtable: Clippers vs Mavs Part Three
Robert Flom

As always at 213 Hoops, we get the staff to discuss and grade the Clippers’ moves, with this one being the James Harden trade.

Niels Pineda: B+

On a team where roster consolidation was sorely needed, this move allowed us to trade 4 players competing for 1-2 bench spots into James Harden and PJ Tucker (who would also be competing for that bench spot).  This trade has been unsurprisingly controversial, but whatever critiques I personally have of James Harden are completely overshadowed by one really simple fact: he’s a really good basketball player.  The fit on the starters looks a bit shaky, but games are won over 4 quarters.  This move now allows us to keep one of 213 out there at all times alongside a legitimate facilitator and playmaker in Russ or Harden.  In terms of what we lost, there are things that the Clippers will absolutely miss about the lost players (Nico’s defensive length, RoCo’s unreasonably quick hands, and KJM’s youth and potential on an old team), but the main concern is obviously pushing our draft capital out even further.  As someone who believes the draft is largely luck outside of the truly top, top talents, I’m not too concerned because pick swaps still guarantee that we will be selecting someone on draft night.      

Erik Olsgaard: B+

I have mixed emotions about this trade. On the one hand, I really enjoyed watching the Clippers in their current form dismantle the Blazers and Spurs in absurdly dominant fashion. Those games felt like the direct result of a full training camp and a new pace-pushing, defense-minded identity. Even though it wasn’t perfect, in stretches I could see the potential of that iteration of the Clippers, and I wanted another dozen games to figure out if that potential was going to be realized. On the other hand, I really did NOT enjoy watching the Clippers look like last year’s mediocre team against the only decent team they’ve played so far: the Jazz. That game made me worried that the success against the Blazers (and subsequently the Spurs) was just fool’s gold. Even though there were bright moments, in stretches I could see the low ceiling of that iteration of the Clippers, and I wanted a change as soon as possible. 

In the end, I see this trade as an overall upgrade. By keeping Terance Mann, there are still lineups that can achieve what we saw defensively against Portland and San Antonio. And by adding James Harden, that low ceiling has vaulted into the stratosphere. Harden is the best passer the Clippers have had since Chris Paul, and when he wants to be a distributor first, he can get his teammates open better than most anyone in the league. The idea of Kawhi and PG getting open shots that they don’t have to manufacture themselves is something we’ve seen flashes of with Russell Westbrook, but something we’ll get a steady diet of with Harden. And PJ Tucker plays basketball too. 

Daniel Olinger: B+

I understand concern over what this trade might have done to the long-term outlook for the Clippers. Giving up that many picks and banking on three stars who all have ages on the wrong side of 30 doesn’t project well for what the 2028-32 Los Angeles Clippers will look like. But LAC was already looking toward a rather grim future post-Kawhi and PG prior to the James Harden trade. When the Clippers made their first midnight transaction frenzy years ago in the summer of 2019, the goal was clear — win the NBA title. Through a number of twists and turns, this Clippers team has still not done that, nor have they even reached the NBA Finals, all while entering the fifth season of this era. In trading for Harden, LAC gets one of the very passers and creators in the NBA, while still managing to keep their five best players on the current team (Kawhi, PG, Westbrook, Zubac, Mann).

Going from Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington to P.J. Tucker as the reserve forward is a definite downgrade, but peak star talent and shot creators are vital in the playoffs, and the Clippers have three of the most talented players in the NBA. This trade could come back to bite the franchise in a half-decade or so, but the Clippers shouldn’t be making decisions based on what might happen a long time from now. They need to be making moves to maximize their chances of winning a title with this current core, and trading for James Harden gave them the best chance to do that. 

Ralston Dacanay: A-

Beyond the obvious upsides that come with adding James Harden, I think it’s been understated how much the Clippers were able to minimize the risk involved in this deal. Mind you, I’ve been someone who’s believed the Clippers simply could not run it back with the same collection of vets this season and expect to be title contenders. And while starting Terance Mann and ousting Marcus Morris Sr. from the rotation so far was actually looking quite pleasant, to me, there’s just no denying that the Clippers would have a much higher ceiling to work with Harden in the mix.

Now, after weeks and weeks of hearing, “There’s no way the Clippers could get Harden without giving up Mann or their own two unprotected first-round picks.” It actually happened! LAC finally got its consolidation trade sending Morris Sr. out the door, and they didn’t have to trade Terance or their 2030 first. This trade would’ve been perfect if the Clippers somehow could’ve kept Robert Covington or gotten this done before training camp, but realistically speaking, I think this is about as good of a value as it gets. Sure, trading for a guy who has historically flamed out of the playoffs, torched his last two stops on the way out, and is set to be an unrestricted free agent means this isn’t an automatic home run (hence, why I respected the Clippers for reportedly making a strong run at Jrue Holiday.) But, considering how much of a “last dance” season this year was already shaping up to be for the Clips, what they possibly could’ve acquired mid-season, and the relatively light package that they ended up having to give up, I think it makes a lot of sense.

I will be interested to see what type of role PJ Tucker plays, how the pieces fit, and what the Clippers end up doing with their two open roster spots. But, for now, I do think LAC can potentially get to a level that legitimately puts them in the conversation for the crown again. Best of luck to RoCo, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin, and Morris Sr.!

Lucas Hann: B+

I suppose I’ll sound spoiled and that no deal is ever perfect, but looking past the obvious monumental win of landing James Harden while also keeping Terance Mann, something many of us weren’t sure was possible, there’s just enough to not like here to keep me away from an A.  The first is the positional combination of guys LAC lost here–four forwards (one of whom was beyond contributing).  PJ Tucker is going to be less productive as a Clipper than Nico Batum or Robert Covington would have been in a very similar role, and the extra year on his contract will make it harder to make further adjustments to the roster this year.  Keeping the 2030 first round pick is huge, but giving up the 2029 swap (instead of having the obligations end in 2028) will stretch the capabilities of this aging big three beyond reasonable expectations.  In the aggregate, though, this is a massive win for the Clippers, who not only get the clear 3rd best player we’ve asked for for years, but a legitimate third star who produced at an All-NBA level last season.

Shapan Debnath: B+

I badly want to give this an A-, but as James Harden is a known diva, I’ll keep it in check a bit. What has been glaring to me is that, while LAC has repeatedly out-efforted teams early this season to run and get transition baskets off of turnovers, it’s a recipe that has shown to not last come postseason. As much as his recent quote will be mangled, LAC *does* need a system, as their offense through Russell Westbrook, particularly in crunch time, has become far too predictable. Having a player that’s not only willing but efficiently able to run offense will do a world of good to this team, and LAC has decided to put their chips in, early, into the tail end of Kawhi Leonard’s prime, with a guard specifically designed to make his life more easy and sustainable this season and next. That is the priority of the rest of this era.

Robert Flom: A-

The Clippers are trying to win a championship this season. Whether they should still be trying to do so with this core is another question, but that’s the goal. In that context, the James Harden trade is a massive win for the Clippers. Nic Batum and Robert Covington are nice role players, and KJ Martin is an interesting young guy, but James Harden was a near All-NBA caliber player last year who offers shooting, playmaking, and creation the Clippers need. He’s a regular season floor raiser who, despite major issues in the playoffs, is also the caliber of player who will boost their postseason ceiling as well. Giving up the 2028 pick and swaps in 2027 and 2029 (that top 3 protection is a bonus though) along with those players is legitimately a lot – but keeping the 2030 1^st, Terance Mann, and Bones Hyland makes this a very, very fair deal. Are the Clippers favored against Denver or Boston? No. But they’re more likely to stay out of the play-in tournament and grab homecourt advantage now, and have increased firepower to match those top teams. A needed deal if the goal is still a championship.

David Mendez-Yapkowitz: B

There’s something to be said for building and maintaining a culture and chemistry. Nico Batum, Robert Covington, and yes, even Marcus Morris contributed to that over the past couple of seasons for the Clippers. But it’s not hard to see why the Clippers made this trade for James Harden. The roster prior to the deal was just not championship caliber. That’s not so much a knock on the Clippers, more so like the state of the Western Conference where you have the Denver Nuggets…and everyone else. The Clippers needed to make a trade if they wanted any sort of chance at seriously competing with the Nuggets, and when you can add a third star like James Harden, you make that deal 99 percent of the time. This team is trying to maximize their championship window with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as much as possible. Not only is Harden an elite scoring option, he’s been a very good playmaker as well. Now it’s just up Tyronn Lue to figure out how to make this all work.

Kenneth Armstrong: B+

This trade is a ceiling raiser, but it could very well lower the floor dramatically. Specifically, Harden provides scoring fire-power and playmaking. But the Clippers’ roster is now badly unbalanced (again): too many guards. I also fear that Russell Westrbook will have to go through yet another identity crisis—something that I thought was settled coming into this year. Hopefully the Clippers can find a way to bring in another “4” in the Covington/ Batum mold. Even with PJ Tucker coming back in the trade, I am afraid we’ll be looking at another season of small-ball lineups that cannot guard or share the ball effectively. 

Cole Huff: A-

I’ll be the gutsy one here. You bring in the third star that us fans have felt was needed for the better part of the past season and a half, 213 + Ty get the pick and roll/playmaking point guard they’ve practically begged for, and you retain all of your young (and good) role players for depth and potential trade deadline purposes. The fit with James and Russ on the court together stops me from making this an A, and so do the departures of Nico Batum and Robert Covington for a lesser version of them in PJ Tucker. But at the end of the day the front office moved all their chips to the center for a make-or-break season. I can’t be mad at that.

213 Hoops Roundtable: The James Harden Trade
Robert Flom

As is playoff tradition, the 213 Hoops staff gives their quick thoughts and predictions for the Clippers’ playoff series in a roundtable, this time against the Phoenix Suns.

Adam Auslund: Clippers in 6

I’m keeping it positive to counter “Big Shot Bob Flom” and his Eeyore energy. I’m going full Tigger instead, which might trigger some who have watched 82 games of this team being consistently inconsistent and overall underachieving with ending up in the 5 spot.  

The Suns though might be the only team with championship hopes that has EVEN MORE questions than answers than the Clippers. Yes, they are 8-0 with KD and the advanced numbers look good with their stars, but they haven’t been tested yet. Their best win came in a close game against the Timberwolves. 

While KD may heal the mental scars from being up 2-0 in the Finals (along with their meltdown in game 7 last year) this Suns group hasn’t exactly thrived when adversity hits. Nor has CP3 throughout his career. 

Meanwhile, the Clippers have shown the ability to play their best when people count them out and they get the underdog role. They most certainly are in this series and that makes me dangerously optimistic.

They’ll need to be better than the Suns from three, get an efficient 20 from Norm, AND Mann has to have a breakout series offensively (15 ppg).

Charles Mockler: Suns in 7

Given how much hope the Clips came into the season with, predicting them to lose in the 1st round as a 5 seed stings, but such is life as a Clippers fan. The absence of Paul George is what tips this series in favor of the Suns: yes Kawhi Leonard is playing at an other-worldly level and is one of the few players who can go heads up with Kevin Durant, but the Suns have more top-end talent than the Clippers, who never could string together 4 straight quarters of “this team could be the champs” level basketball this season. If PG returns for the Clippers home games this prediction could be flipped, but to buy the Clips time we’ll need Russ to keep being efficient, Terance to cause chaos on the Suns guard rotations and in the paint, Batum to defend like hell (and even out from 3), Zu to average a double-double, and…okay I only have a paragraph but you get it: a lot has to go right without PG to win this series.

Ralston Dacanay: Suns in 6

Just know that this prediction comes from a place of pain. Realistically, it’s hard to pick the Clippers after how disappointing their regular season was. And with Paul George’s availability up in the air, it’s an additional tall hurdle that would be tough for any team to overcome. Seeing how the Clippers always seem to make things pretty dramatic in the playoffs though, my gut leads me to believe that there is a world where Kawhi Leonard goes superhero mode, Russell Westbrook puts up vintage numbers, Bones Hyland breaks out, and Ty Lue‘s adjustments are top-notch. As such, I don’t think you can just write LAC off, but the talent of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul might be just too much.

Niels Pineda: Suns in 6

Whenever I look at this Clippers’ roster on paper, I find ways to convince myself that they are a great matchup for just about any team… but it is very difficult to believe that after watching this team actually play for a full season.  They have struggled against elite talent all season long, and the Suns significantly out-talent the Clippers from a top-heavy perspective.  If you’re extremely high on one of LAC’s role players, the best argument you can make is that the Sunshave only 3 of the 5 best players in this matchup (assuming of course Paul George is out). 

Trying to be a bit more optimistic, I think there are a few positives to look at that give me some amount of hope.  For starters, Kawhi has been playing incredible basketball, and history indicates that this level of play will continue if not improve.  On top of that, the team has a significant amount of depth, including several players who I legitimately think can win you a playoff game (though not a series).  Overall, even without Paul George, I think the Clippers have an equal if not greater amount of overall talent, but the main issue is that in the playoffs, you’d rather that talent be spread out across 3-4 players rather than 7-8.  I’m excited for this series, but right now I lean towards Suns in 6.

Lucas Hann: Suns in 6

I’ve gone on the record about thinking that the Clippers match up fairly well this Suns team, and I still think that that’s true.  But without Paul George, I think there’s just such a talent gulf that we simply rarely see teams overcome over the course of a 7-game series.  Phoenix’s core has even less experience together than the Clippers’, and I think Ty Lue will find ways to keep the Suns on their toes.  Their lack of depth could also leave them exposed at times as they stagger lineups, especially if the Clippers (looking at Russ and Norm here) can get any of the key 4 Suns into foul trouble.  Still, even as Phoenix has to figure it out on the fly, I think their talent advantage overwhelms the Clippers in this series unless Paul George can make an early return and immediate impact, which I just don’t feel comfortable banking on.

Robert Flom: Suns in 6

I don’t think the Suns are unbeatable, even against this mess of a Clippers team. If Paul George were healthy, I’d still lean Suns but would give the Clippers a real chance of winning the series. Without PG, the Clippers simply have too many one-way players – Ty Lue will probably lean offense-first to start with, and the Suns should be able to feast on the likes of Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland, and Norm Powell. But if he tries to add more defense, he’ll sacrifice playmaking and scoring, enabling the Suns to play some of their own defense-first guys. Paul George would add 40 minutes of premier shotmaking, shooting, and defense. Without him for at least part of the series, and without him at 100% for all of it (even if he plays I don’t see how he’d be at full throttle), it’s just tough to see the Clippers finding enough combinations of players that give them the offense and defense to match the Suns’ firepower.

Randi Geffner: Suns in 7

It breaks my heart to say this… but Suns in 7. And if that is the case (or if the series goes 6 games), Clipper Nation can hold our heads high.  As a staunch anti-CP3 advocate, I believe that parts of this series could be a mess for the Suns as I don’t think he has the impact that he thinks he has.  We can’t pretend that Booker and Durant are not formidable opponents, but their sample size together is very small and we have had some good success against several versions of this team in the past.  Add to that the championship history of Ty Lue, Kawhi and Powell, and you can’t sleep on the Clippers in this series or really any matchup.  I’m hanging on to my prediction that we see Paul George in game 3 or 4, and not just on the sideline.  Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I don’t think it was an accident that he was very visible courtside and looking good at the last regular season game.  I think it was sending a message, and if that is the case, all bets are off.

Cole Huff: Suns in 6

I don’t believe it to be a foregone conclusion that the Suns win this series. However, A LOT would have to go right for the Clippers to pull this off without the services of Paul George. I’m talking about peak Playoff Kawhi, Ty Lue in his postseason bag, Russell Westbrook turning back the clocks, and many of the role players being the best versions of themselves. Obviously, if PG plays at all in this round, his presence could change things quite a bit. But until we get word of his return, the Clips might just run out of juice having to deal with the top-end talent of the Devin Booker and Kevin Durant-led Suns. But again, not impossible.

Shapan Debnath: Suns in 6

Yeah, it’s nice that the Suns don’t have that trademark fast twitch player that seems to always destroy the Clippers lack of foot speed on defense. The Suns are very green (in terms of chemistry), likely figuring out kinks as they go, and that does make them vulnerable. They do have injury prone players, but we are catching them early, not late. And while they might not be quick, they are methodical, and their play actions will utilize a lot of shot making strengths across their roster, whether it be their excellent midrange shot makers, Deandre Ayton’s ability to effectively roll and score off defenders cheating off of him, or the impeccable spacing held by the fact that you just can’t leave any of their star perimeter players open. The Clippers will miss Paul George’s defense on that end, but without him the offense will need to depend on too many streaky players outside of Kawhi Leonard’s brilliance. Kawhi is so good that he can get you a game, and a combination of hot streaks at once can get you another, but that lack of top end talent will cost the Clippers, even if George does make his return in the middle of this series.

Clippers vs Suns Series Roundtable
Robert Flom

Next up in our roundtable review of the Clippers’ 2022 offseason is their signing of reserve wing Amir Coffey. Also of note – some new names in the roundtable!

Erik Olsgaard: A-
If you can’t tell, I’m really high on the Clippers’ off-season moves. Coffey had a breakout season that had me convinced he’d end up out of our price range. But the Clippers were able to retain Amir for a very reasonable $11M/3yrs, and without a doubt I feel he is the most talented 12th man in the NBA (it sounds weird, but this roster is crazy). Of course, the Clippers don’t relegate him to the end of the bench. Our Brewmaster is a large, athletic guard with ball-handling skills that makes good decisions and can defend multiple positions. He’s not a great (Editor’s Note: or even good) rebounder, but he’s unselfish and always seems ready to contribute. He’ll go from cleaning up garbage minutes to starting due to player absences, and he’ll consistently produce time and again. You can’t teach that. Players like Amir allow championship contenders to survive the long grind of the NBA season with enough left in the tank to make a real run. So in my mind, that makes him far more valuable than his current contract. That, and his 45-38-86 shooting splits. Great, great signing for Amir Coffey.

Adam Auslund: A+ Gourmet
Amir Coffey this past season was “some serious gourmet s**t” as Jules Winnfield proclaimed after that sip of Jimmie’s non-freeze dried coffee in Pulp Fiction. He was at worst the Clippers’ most consistent player in January, and likely their most critical contributor while averaging 14/4/3 on splits of 50/42/90 over the Clippers 17 games to start the new year, including 29 in their historic 35 point comeback in DC. Overall, it was his most impactful season as a Clipper. When we discuss who’s the odd man out in rotations this year for a potential healthy group, we often bring up Luke Kennard, but Amir and his new well earned and team friendly contract will also have to wait his turn. However, when coach Lue does look his way he’s proven to be a valuable member of the “stay ready Clippers”.

Chuck Mockler: A+
Did anyone else double-check the final contract numbers for the Amir Coffey signing when they were released, or was it just me? 3/$11M is an incredible value for a player that fits the exact image of what the Clippers have been building over the last few years (guys who are able to defend multiple positions, have length for their position, and shoot well from outside) and who brings help in needed areas like transition scoring. I’m not sure there are any faults with this contract, it was another elite “margin move” by this Clippers front office. May the coffee puns never stop.

Shapan Debnath: A
I don’t usually give As on here, but this is just flat out an A. There was mild concern Amir might get a 10 million dollar offer for one year, and we got him on a 3 year, 11 million dollar deal? Absolutely incredible, and the biggest bargain of all the Clippers’ deals, for a guy who is maybe the biggest example of having too much guys. Amir was the best Clipper for stretches last season, a surefire regular season rotation guy at minimum, who’s currently squeezed out of a healthy rotation on this team. From his underrated ability to touch the paint and make the smart play, his willingness to take on a challenging defensive assignment, and his much needed pace on a team mostly devoid of it, this is a guy I really hope the team finds minutes for, because he’s worth every penny of his deal.

Robert Flom: A+
This might be the best value signing of the entire summer, not just for the Clippers, but in the entire NBA. Amir Coffey is a 6’7 guard/wing who played competently (at least) on both ends of the court last year, is a 38% shooter from deep (albeit on a still small-ish sample size), plays hard, and hasn’t had any serious injuries. Add in the fact that he’s just 25 years old – and having played limited minutes in his first two seasons, could still well be developing – as a cherry on top. I thought Amir was worth at least $8M for what he provided last year, and considering age and position, I wouldn’t have considered 3/30 an overpay. Getting him at 3/11 is a massive coup, and also a testament to Steve Ballmer’s willingness to spend (two people plugged in with different teams said the teams were unwilling to offer Coffey much in restricted free agency since they figured Ballmer would match regardless). What a deal, even for a guy who will be the 12th man.

Lucas Hann: A++++++++
How many plusses are we allowed?  Maybe, maybe, the Clippers deserve a little less credit for their genius here than the value on this contract indicates, since his restricted free agent status likely scared off other suitors and left them negotiating against nobody.  On the other hand, maybe this is the biggest actualization of Ballmer Bucks this off-season, if other teams would have offered the Clippers’ 12th man a contract and tested their luxury tax spending limits, but knew the Clippers would gladly write a bigger check to keep a talented 25-year-old around.  Either way, this contract is ridiculous.  Let’s just look at some comps on other deals given out this summer: Jae’sean Tate, who is actually older than Amir, got 3/22.1M.  Caleb Martin, also a year older, got 3/20.5M.  Danuel House, who is 29 and bounced around on 10-days last year, got 2/8.5.  We can quibble about where Amir belongs in that hierarchy–it’s probably fair to say that most teams would prefer Tate or Martin, though the production each offers is similar–but him getting a slightly lower AAV than House and half the money of the others is actually insane. 

I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around him going back to a DNP role after how good he was last season.  You know it’s a great deal for the front office when, as a fan, you actually feel a little uncomfortable with how ripped off a young guy is getting.  Obviously $11M is a lot of money, but damn, for a guy who hasn’t even spent a full season on an NBA salary yet (he was a two-way guy the last three years), every million counts in a way that might not be true for someone like Nic Batum–and based on the market, Amir came up about $10M short on this deal.  If other teams thought he wasn’t worth the money (and weren’t just scared off by Ballmer Bucks), they’re stupid and should watch more film.  For now, we can all be relieved that Amir is still a Clipper, even if it’s unclear what his role will be in a super stacked wing corps going forward.

Cole Huff: A
For Amir’s sake, this kind of sucks, to be honest. He had a tremendous NBA season (by his standards) and as a result, comes back for cheap to likely be an end-of-rotation guy on arguably the deepest team in the league. I thought that he could very easily make TPMLE money and even inch closer to the Non-Taxpayer amount. Anyways, the Amir Coffey signing is a homerun for the Clippers — they get a young(ish), proven, versatile piece back on an incredible deal.

213 Hoops 2022 Offseason Roundtable: Amir Coffey Signing
Robert Flom

Our look at the 2022 Clippers’ offseason leisurely strolls along with an examination of the Nic Batum signing for 2 years, $22M.

Shapan Debnath: A-
One year Nico is going to come back and prove that Father Age is undefeated. That’s the only reason this grade is knocked down; Nico is already 33 and will be 34 before the year ends. But, otherwise, bringing the do it all forward back for this price after paying him peanuts after a stellar couple of years is totally fine. Nico is arguably the most important role player on the team after the team’s big stars, as he has legitimately shown an ability to guard 1-5 aside from the speediest point guards, has been an absolute sniper for LAC that doesn’t even need to bring the ball all the way down, and always seems to make the right play and be in the right spot. Pretty much every best version of the Clippers has a lineup that includes an in-form Nico. He’s done enough to earn our trust be good this coming year and RoCo is a great player to help keep him fresh.  Here’s hoping arguably the most reliable Clipper over the past couple seasons keeps it up.

Lucas Hann: A
I’m being a little generous here and giving the Clippers credit for the multi-year trend of Nico contracts here, which I think is fair considering all signs point towards his taking a massive paycut last year being done with this early bird payday in mind.  Paying a guy who turns 34 later in 2022 above-MLE money (ie, the most he could have gotten on the open market) isn’t actually the best value on its face.  It’s likely that Nico, who will be 35 in the 2024 NBA playoffs when he’s making $11.7M, is going to have notable age-related decline over the course of this contract.  But if you close your eyes and pretend that the team gave him a 3-year, $25M contract last summer, it feels like great value.  That’s essentially what happened here, just manipulated in a way that made it legal for the team to keep him (they couldn’t have legally offered 3/25 last year).  Any age-related downside on this deal is easily offset by the Clippers actually keeping him last summer and having one of their most valuable two-way role players around as they push for a title.

Erik Olsgaard: A
The Clippers have REALLY focused on building an incredible team culture over the past few years. And the results, like Nic Batum returning without even a moment’s hesitation, speak for themselves. Batum is as solid a glue-guy as there has been in this league. He legitimately defends 5 positions, he can knock down threes in bunches, he just tends to make the right plays, and he’s done it all with a phenomenal attitude. With a reasonable contract on an optimal timeline, this is as good as it gets. I fully expect Nic to retire a Clipper and take another role within the team. And until that time, let’s just enjoy our time with the humble, but damn near perfect role player that is Nic Batum. 

Robert Flom: A-
With 40% three point shooting on high volume, excellent defense across multiple positions, an an innate knack for “doing the little things”, Nico has been worth well over $22M over the past two years. The question is whether he’ll be worth that over the next two years, and my guess is possibly, possibly not, but that it doesn’t matter much. Nico is an incredibly important member of this Clippers’ team that they had to keep due to his versatility and fit with their stars. If the Clips win a championship in the next two years and Nico plays a contributing role, nobody will remember that he was making $11.7M as he faded into his mid-30s. And honestly, even if he drops off a bit he’ll still be worth around that much.

Cole Huff: A-
I understand that his age is something to theoretically be concerned about, but Nico has had relatively low usage over the past couple of seasons (especially last year). I don’t really worry about his game falling off of a cliff, being that it is largely dependent on IQ. And his ideal basketball size, to go along with those aforementioned basketball smarts, make him positionally versatile enough to fit well with mostly any other configuration of four players he takes the court with. Assuming the Clippers retain their depth going forward, Batum should be able to make good on that contract throughout the next two regular seasons without having to overdo it out there — leaving him in an ideal role for this point in his career.

David Mendez-Yapkowitz: A
Re-signing Nic Batum was another no-brainer for the Clippers. When the Clippers first signed Batum two years ago, he was coming off of the most disappointing season of his career with Charlotte. It wasn’t always certain what kind of player they were getting, but he’s become one of the team’s most dependable role players. Perhaps the biggest way he’s helped the Clippers is his newfound ability to play some small ball center. He’s returned to his Portland levels of defending and he’s a consistent three-point shooter. A lot of the Clippers most effective lineups include Batum. For a team looking to contend for its first championship, keeping Batum goes a long way towards that.

What do you all think of the Nic Batum signing by the Clippers? Leave your comments below!

213 Hoops 2022 Offseason Roundtable: Nic Batum Signing
Robert Flom

Our look at the Clippers’ 2022 offseason continues with an examination of the extension given to starting center Ivica Zubac.

Erik Olsgaard: A
I am a Zu apologist through and through. As rim-rolling, anchor-defense centers go, he’s one of the better ones in the league. He sets good screens, defends the pick-and-roll well, and he’s a solid rim deterrent. Is he Rudy Gobert? No, but he’s being paid a small fraction of the salary, and he’s way more than a small fraction of Gobert. His passing is coming along, as is his general awareness on the court. He won’t always close games, but his attitude has never, ever wavered. Oh, and he’s always healthy, which matters a lot for a team with a lot of guys with questionable injury history. I don’t care what the internet goofballs say—he’s a H-O-O-P-E-R.

Lucas Hann: A
I really like the Zubac extension.  The Clippers get a little extra credit from me for long-term smarts here: they paid above-market on Zubac’s last contract to get a fourth-year team option in exchange, and then were able to leverage declining that option (and thus giving him a substantial raise next season vs what he would have made had he not signed an extension) into getting a good deal on this contract as well.  The result is a three-year, below-market extension for Zubac worth a total of $32.8M.  A few market comps on deals given to big men this summer: Chris Boucher, 3/35.25; Marvin Bagley, 3/37.5; Bobby Portis, 4/48.6 with a player option; Mo Bamba, 2/20.6.  Richaul Holmes got 4/48.5 with a player option last summer.  His starting salary is a shade below the mid-level exception, and at 25 now, he’ll be a free agent again at age 28, meaning this contract could easily cover his three best seasons.  That all adds up to a good value and a great long game.

Randi Geffner: A
A solid A grade for big Zu.  I like the overall vibe of confidence in pretty much running this team back (with a healthy dynamic duo in George and Leonard, knock on wood).  I also like the confidence invested individually in Zu, who averaged a solid 10+ points, 8+ rebounds and 1 block in only 24 minutes of the 76 games in which he started last season.   Solid numbers that we can reasonably expect to stay the same, or get better.  With this extension, the 25-year-old Zu in all likelihood remains a Clipper until he is 28, years that we can expect to be his best in the NBA.  He is consistent, physical, and seems willing to take one for the team.  The Clippers were smart to lock Zubac down before another team had the opportunity to do so.  Not to mention, keeping Zu opens up the possibility of seeing Pat Beverley cheering for him courtside in a “40” jersey again, which is just icing on the cake.

Ralston Dacanay: A
Though retaining Ivica Zubac on a $7.5 million team option was a no-brainer, declining that and getting him to agree on a three-year, $33 million contract extension is even better work from the front office. For what the Clippers’ brain trust envisions and values from the traditional center position — as well as what he himself has brought from the health, age and sheer chemistry perspectives in his four years with LAC — Zu is a seamless fit to be the starting five for this team. To have him sign an extension at below-market value is just awesome stuff.

Shapan Debnath: A-
Big fan of the Zu deal. Center is an interesting spot in a modern NBA that is increasingly going small aside from a couple of exceptionally dominant bigs, but it’s the kind of position where a solid role player like Zu can do a ton of heavy lifting. This 3 year, roughly 33 million dollar deal is a classic slight bargain bin for a player that means more to the Clippers than he would any other team. Like Kevon Looney on the Warriors, Zu is an underrated defensive anchor that takes pressure off the whole roster and absolutely preserves small ball until it is truly needed, while having an underrated post game and an improving ability rolling to the rim. He’s also accepted his role with whatever minute allotment depending on the matchup. That sort of selfless starter is a crucial cog to this Clipper team, and locking him up long term now was very, very wise. Sure, Zu might not be the surefire minutes guy you’d want in every playoff matchup, but his minutes, however you get them, not only keep the team fresh when particular matchups arise, but undoubtedly lifts their floor defensively during a marathon of a regular season.

Robert Flom: A-
This deal is a bit on the low side for Zu, who’s as solid a starting center as there is in the NBA. He’s no star, but he’s steady, available, and fits the Clippers like a glove. Keeping the most tenured Clipper around for most of the rest of his prime on an affordable deal is simply a no-brainer. The only reason this isn’t a full A is because the contract isn’t *that much* lower than what I think he’d get on the open market. Still, it’s a great deal for a good player. Nice piece of business.

Cole Huff: A
Although Zu is still relatively young, he is what he is going to be for as long as he’s on this championship-contending Clippers team. And that is fine! He’s consistently been one of the anchors of a very good defense and is particularly needed being that he offers size, rebounding, and the ultra-rare Clipper trait – good health and availability. For all of that to come in a 3yr/$33mil deal is incredible value. Heck of a job by the front office to get this done.

Give your thoughts on the Ivica Zubac extension below!

213 Hoops 2022 Offseason Roundtable: Ivica Zubac Extension
Robert Flom

With the Clippers’ 2022 offseason more or less over, it’s time to start reviewing their summer and handing out grades. First up, an assessment of the Clippers’ extension of forward Robert Covington.

Lucas Hann: B
I like the Robert Covington extension, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself giving out A after A to all of these new deals.  Let’s look at it from a pessimistic perspective: RoCo was having a down year in Portland, and the word “washed” was even thrown around.  Then, he got traded to LAC and had a renaissance… while shooting 45% from three, a massive outlier based on his career numbers.  Defensively, while his back-line rotations were elite, he struggled to stay in front of anyone when guarding the ball.  If he’s shooting 34% from three, as he did in his 48 games with Portland last year, or 36%, as he has over 537 career games, his value drops quite a bit from what he gave the Clippers in those 23 games last season. 

There’s also the element that this contract–keeping long-term a third veteran PF over the age of 30–represents a commitment to heavy doses of smallball next season, opening up an element of downside if that gamble doesn’t pay off, even if Covington is individually solid.  I think that the 2/24 is still a fine number for that gamble though.  It’s probably more than Covington could have gotten on the open market (where he would have almost certainly been capped at the non-taxpayer mid-level exception), but it’s the smallest number the Clippers could give him under extension rules, and locking him in without worrying about his free agency was a prudent move.  So, it’s solid-but-not-great value on a good player who is probably being a bit overrated due to unsustainable shooting numbers in a small sample with LAC last year… a B feels right.

Shapan Debnath: B+
Covington was sort of found money in the Norm Powell deal: there was an idea of what RoCo was but sort of concern for his possible decline. Well, what he was was a damn steal last year, going 50/45/85 as a Clipper with incredible help defense and looking like a definitive wingstop member. Now, could RoCo slip more to his career 36% from three and make you wish Marcus Morris was the one catching passes in the corner at times? Will he sometimes get targeted off switches because while his backline instincts are great, his footspeed isn’t the best? I do think there are some quiet concerns paying like that for a guy that just fit like a glove for an injury plagued team, but on the surface it’s hard to complain about nailing down another asset and possible cog to the team out of what initially seemed like a throw in. If RoCo can continue to make his threes close to last year’s rate, he might be an invaluable piece of Ty Lue’s small ball heavy playoff rotation.

Ralston Dacanay: A-
Back on May 5, my instant reaction to seeing the RoCo-Woj bomb was that the 2/24 extension was A+-level business from the front office. However, as Lucas alluded to, seeing how dry free agency has ended up turning out does feel like there wasn’t really much of a threat of him leaving. Additionally, I didn’t foresee Lawrence Frank and co. seemingly being content riding it out with Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, and Covington all handling reserve-five duties with regularity. As such, how RoCo plays into the “wingstop” small-ball equation with Mook and Batum, as well as how he continues to shoot from three, will be more important themes to keep track of than I once thought. Nonetheless, keeping Covington and his lightning-fast hands from ultimately going to a rival contender, as well as the sheer prospect of the potential lineups that Ty Lue could cook up with him, still makes this a great move in my book.

David Mendez-Yapkowitz: A-
Keeping Covington was a no-brainer. He’s a big reason why the Clippers are able to have so much lineup versatility. He fit in well after the trade with Portland and he played both forward positions and even a little small ball center. He’s been known as a 3&D player and for the most part he filled that role with the Clippers. Sure, there may have been some concerns due to his numbers taking a hit in Portland, and his play with the Clippers was a small sample size. But if he can keep up his numbers anywhere close to last season, he makes the Clippers that much better.

Robert Flom: A-
I’m under no allusions that RoCo will shoot 45% from three next year. I also don’t care. His career average of 36%, especially on the volume with which he takes threes, is plenty valuable for a player as excellent as he is defensively. He’s not a stopper, but individual defense is always overrated in the NBA. Additionally, he’s a much better rebounder than Nic Batum or Marcus Morris, which helps with small-ball lineups. He’s a great fit and a good player at a position of need.

I don’t agree with the Clippers’ seeming decision to play small-ball with their reserves. I think that it will wear down their forwards, who are all past 30, and that big men are plenty valuable. That said, I won’t grade this deal on the Clippers’ bigger picture decision. And, maybe RoCo doesn’t get 2/24 on the open market, but Bruce Brown got a 2/13, and RoCo is a much, much better shooter and bigger defender than Brown. It’s perhaps a slight overpay, but if anyone in the NBA can afford it, it’s Steve Ballmer.

Erik Olsgaard: B+
Coming into last season, I had no idea who Robert Covington really was. I mean, I obviously knew who he was, but I thought he was a tweener big that could play small ball C because he was long enough to sort of protect the rim, and an okay but not great three point shooter. I had no idea he was a deflection GOD, with the best hands on the passing lane since Andre Iguodala. Maybe his previous teams weren’t built in a way that let him gamble defensively, or maybe I just didn’t notice. Either way, Robert Covington is going to have a direct impact as soon as he steps on the court with the fully realized and healthy 2022-23 squad, and on a pretty reasonable contract extension, I can’t complain one bit.

Leave your thoughts on the Robert Covington extension below!

213 Hoops 2022 Offseason Roundtable: Robert Covington Extension
Robert Flom

Our staff roundtable grades continue with a look at Ivica Zubac, the longest tenured player on the 2022 Clippers team.

Shapan Debnath: B+

Zu made some quiet strides in his game this year, featuring career highs in PPG/RPG at 10.3/8.5, and he improved in both those categories in his per36s as well this year compared to last year. Zu also had more double doubles this year than in the last 2 years combined. He was featured more on offense, punished some smaller lineups, had a career game against the league MVP, maybe slightly improved in his short roll game, and has continued to be an impact player on the glass and on defense. Zu is improving about as well as you could expect him to improve and he’s going to have contract discussions this summer, but a major question will remain where his price tag will be for a guy who often may be on the bench in big moments in the playoffs as the league, with some exceptions, moves away from traditional 7 footers.

Ralston Dacanay: A-

Back in September, I wrote in our ’21-’22 player season preview series that Ivica Zubac was the Clipper starter with the least amount of adjustments needed to be made with his role. Individually, Zubac mostly needed to just pick up right where he left off, cover up more of the common slip-ups on defense that occur nightly, and up the traditional big man stats that come with taking care of the dirty work. With the added usage and minutes, Zubac had a career-best year in all of his stats besides field goal and free throw percentage. At just 25 years old with one of the best bargain veteran contracts in the league, Zubac continues to be an excellent starting center for the Clippers. Zubac just plays with great activity on both ends, covering up plenty of mistakes with his rim protection, as well as making the right reads whether it’s hitting a cutter or finishing around/above the rim.

If we really want to nitpick about Zu’s game, it has to be the question marks surrounding his playability in the postseason compared to the Robert Williams IIIs and Al Horfords of the NBA landscape. With the way that the Clippers’ roster is currently constructed, however, in a world where Kawhi Leonard is back at full strength, this isn’t all that much of a concern to me considering the expected personnel options and coaching adjustments LAC could turn to.

Robert Flom: B

Ivica Zubac had a steady, workmanlike year for the 2022 Clippers, playing in 76 games (second most on the team) and logging over 24 minutes per game for the first time in his career. He maintained his sturdiness on defense, upped his rebounding and passing, and remained an efficient play-finisher around the rim. In a year where the frequently undermanned Clippers needed production, Zu stepped up the plate often. He rarely blew you away, but his reliability was notable in a Clippers’ season where that quality was at a premium. He might not be elite, or close to it, but he’s a solid starting center on a good deal that fits well with the team’s elite talent. There’s not much more you can want from a role player.

So, what grades would you all give Zu for his 2022 campaign? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

213 Hoops 2022 Clippers Player Grade Roundtable: Ivica Zubac
Robert Flom