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Random NBA Observations 2020 - 2021
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Lakers and Clippers sized up: Scouts, execs tell us which L.A. team got better
By Sam Amick Dec 11, 2020
69
Remember early last season, when the Clippers were winning the PR battle against the once-mighty Lakers with those bold billboards that were a not-so-subtle troll of their Staples Center roommates?
Just a few months after LeBron James’ Lakers were nowhere to be found in the 2019 postseason, L.A.’s “other” NBA team won the summer by landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a package deal and wasted little time leaning into the grit vs. glitz marketing angle.
“Streetlights over spotlights,“ the billboards that were known to infuriate Lakers officials read. “L.A. our way.”
Talk about a script getting flipped. The season that began with Clippers trash talking ended with a dumpster fire finish against Denver, and the champion Lakers would go on to have the biggest bubble bash of them all. It was well deserved, to be sure, but the fact that the Lakers never clashed with the Clips when it mattered most left us wondering where this would-be rivalry might go next.
Raise your hand if you saw both teams making major moves heading into this COVID-shortened 2020 campaign (mine are definitely down).
Yet as the Lakers and Clippers face off in this Friday-Sunday preseason set that will tip off the latest round of fun on this front and also face each other to begin the season on Dec. 22, I wanted to know what rival executives and scouts thought of all the roster movement. Who got better or worse, and why? Are there more moves yet to come? Which team is better?
The following is a detailed look at the perspective shared by five folks who shared their anonymous views (two front office executives and three scouts). But first, a refresher course on what went down before we get to all the fascinating insights below (h/t from our David Aldridge, who chronicled and ranked the offseason activity for all 30 teams in this piece).
Los Angeles Lakers
2019-20 record: 52-19; won NBA championship
Added: C Montrezl Harrell (two years, $18.9M); C Marc Gasol (two years, $5.2M); G Wes Matthews (one year, $3.6M); G Dennis Schröder (acquired from Oklahoma City); F Alfonzo McKinnie (acquired from Cleveland)
Lost: G Danny Green (traded to Oklahoma City); C JaVale McGee (traded to Cleveland); F Jaden McDaniels (draft rights traded to Oklahoma City); G Avery Bradley (signed with Miami); G Rajon Rondo (signed with Atlanta); C Dwight Howard (signed with Philadelphia)
Retained: F Anthony Davis (five years, $190M); LeBron James (two-year, $85 million extension that runs through 2022-23); G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39M); F Markieff Morris (one year, $2.3M), PG Quinn Cook (reportedly on a training camp deal that is nonguaranteed); F Kostas Antetokounmpo (on a two-way deal).
LA Clippers
2019-20 record: 49-23; lost in Western Conference semifinals
Added: hired coach Tyronn Lue, who was a lead Clippers assistant last season, after firing Doc Rivers in late September; C Serge Ibaka (two years, $18.9 million); G Luke Kennard (acquired from Detroit); SF Nicolas Batum (one-year veteran’s minimum deal); PG Reggie Jackson (one-year veteran’s minimum deal); C Daniel Oturu (drafted 33rd overall by the Knicks and traded to the Clippers); 2023-26 second-round picks (acquired from Detroit); G Ky Bowman; G Malik Fitts; G Jordan Ford; G Rayjon Tucker.
Lost: C Montrezl Harrell (signed with Lakers); F JaMychal Green (signed with Denver); G Landry Shamet (traded to Brooklyn); G Rodney McGruder (traded to Detroit); Rivers
Retained: F Marcus Morris (four years, $64M); F Patrick Patterson (one year, $3M)
By Sam Amick Dec 11, 2020
Remember early last season, when the Clippers were winning the PR battle against the once-mighty Lakers with those bold billboards that were a not-so-subtle troll of their Staples Center roommates?
Just a few months after LeBron James’ Lakers were nowhere to be found in the 2019 postseason, L.A.’s “other” NBA team won the summer by landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a package deal and wasted little time leaning into the grit vs. glitz marketing angle.
“Streetlights over spotlights,“ the billboards that were known to infuriate Lakers officials read. “L.A. our way.”
Talk about a script getting flipped. The season that began with Clippers trash talking ended with a dumpster fire finish against Denver, and the champion Lakers would go on to have the biggest bubble bash of them all. It was well deserved, to be sure, but the fact that the Lakers never clashed with the Clips when it mattered most left us wondering where this would-be rivalry might go next.
Raise your hand if you saw both teams making major moves heading into this COVID-shortened 2020 campaign (mine are definitely down).
Yet as the Lakers and Clippers face off in this Friday-Sunday preseason set that will tip off the latest round of fun on this front and also face each other to begin the season on Dec. 22, I wanted to know what rival executives and scouts thought of all the roster movement. Who got better or worse, and why? Are there more moves yet to come? Which team is better?
The following is a detailed look at the perspective shared by five folks who shared their anonymous views (two front office executives and three scouts). But first, a refresher course on what went down before we get to all the fascinating insights below (h/t from our David Aldridge, who chronicled and ranked the offseason activity for all 30 teams in this piece).
Los Angeles Lakers
2019-20 record: 52-19; won NBA championship
Added: C Montrezl Harrell (two years, $18.9M); C Marc Gasol (two years, $5.2M); G Wes Matthews (one year, $3.6M); G Dennis Schröder (acquired from Oklahoma City); F Alfonzo McKinnie (acquired from Cleveland)
Lost: G Danny Green (traded to Oklahoma City); C JaVale McGee (traded to Cleveland); F Jaden McDaniels (draft rights traded to Oklahoma City); G Avery Bradley (signed with Miami); G Rajon Rondo (signed with Atlanta); C Dwight Howard (signed with Philadelphia)
Retained: F Anthony Davis (five years, $190M); LeBron James (two-year, $85 million extension that runs through 2022-23); G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39M); F Markieff Morris (one year, $2.3M), PG Quinn Cook (reportedly on a training camp deal that is nonguaranteed); F Kostas Antetokounmpo (on a two-way deal).
LA Clippers
2019-20 record: 49-23; lost in Western Conference semifinals
Added: hired coach Tyronn Lue, who was a lead Clippers assistant last season, after firing Doc Rivers in late September; C Serge Ibaka (two years, $18.9 million); G Luke Kennard (acquired from Detroit); SF Nicolas Batum (one-year veteran’s minimum deal); PG Reggie Jackson (one-year veteran’s minimum deal); C Daniel Oturu (drafted 33rd overall by the Knicks and traded to the Clippers); 2023-26 second-round picks (acquired from Detroit); G Ky Bowman; G Malik Fitts; G Jordan Ford; G Rayjon Tucker.
Lost: C Montrezl Harrell (signed with Lakers); F JaMychal Green (signed with Denver); G Landry Shamet (traded to Brooklyn); G Rodney McGruder (traded to Detroit); Rivers
Retained: F Marcus Morris (four years, $64M); F Patrick Patterson (one year, $3M)
The Lakers
Front office executive No. 1
“The Lakers seemingly got better. I’m concerned they lost JaVale McGee, because I thought he was pretty good for them. Yeah, he didn’t play at all during the bubble, practically. I don’t think they’re going to miss Dwight as much as people might think. So getting Gasol — in the playoffs, that’s where he should really help them just because he’ll be able to stand out on the perimeter, open up space for LeBron and AD to attack the rim. And he can hit that 3. Defenses have to respect him. He can shoot. He can pass. So they got a lot better right there. But I still think they’re going to miss the live body that JaVale McGee was — just kind of the energy.
“I think Schröder was a really good pickup for them. I’m surprised (fourth-year forward Kyle) Kuzma is still on the roster. I thought they’d be moving him … because of chemistry stuff. But the Lakers got better. They’re one year older, LeBron is one year older, but I still think they got better. They got KCP back, who was good.
“Montrezl doesn’t fit (the Lakers). I don’t know how he fits with that team, but he’ll help them in the regular season for sure. But I don’t know. That remains to be seen. I think the biggest thing about getting Montrezl is that they took him from the Clippers, where he was productive. And he didn’t go somewhere else. But I’m not sure exactly how he fits with them. He needs somebody who spoon-feeds him, because he’s going to run the court and he’s going to be active on the glass. He’s going to do all that stuff — run the high pick-and-roll, dive to the basket and finish and get spoon-fed, so spacing is not great. The Lakers don’t have great spacing. So I don’t know where he fits, but he will give them a chance to rest AD and LeBron during the regular season. During the playoffs, he probably won’t be as much of a factor.”
Front office executive No. 2
“I think the Lakers got different. I don’t know if they got better, but I don’t think they got worse. … What I mean by that is (the Lakers) were really, really good last year defensively (third in the regular season; sixth among 16 playoffs teams in defensive rating). And they were big and physical. Dwight Howard had a large impact on that, even JaVale McGee at some level. And … all of their guys were really good defenders, and (Lakers coach) Frank (Vogel) really emphasized it. Danny Green (who signed with Philadelphia) is a good defender — he’s slowing up a little, but he’s a good defender. And Avery Bradley (who signed with Miami) and some of the other guys they had (were good), so I think it changed (them). They’re more offensive with Schröder and Harrell. Wes Matthews will give them a little bit of a toughness component. Marc (Gasol) — he knows how to play and is who he is. He’s slowing up, but he’s obviously very different than Dwight Howard. So I don’t think they’ll be as physical and tough or as good defensively, but I think they’ll be better offensively. And so it will be interesting to see how that impacts them. But they’re certainly going to be really good.”
Scout No. 1
“The Lakers definitely get better. The Clippers’ moves strike me as reactionary. The Lakers’ moves strike me as, ‘This is our plan. If we can get this done, this is what we want to do.’ And they went out and executed it. … And to their credit, they went and took a guy away from the Clippers (in Harrell).
“(The Clippers) had let it be known (with other teams) that they did not want to sign (Harrell) to a $70 million or $80 million deal, and they were more than happy to do a sign-and-trade if someone was interested (in free agency). They had put that out. That was out there. And the Lakers swooped in and said, ‘You know what? We’ll save you the trouble.’ For him to take that (two-year, $18.9 million; player option in the second season) contract, to me, you talk about not only your gain but taking him away from your biggest competitor. I mean, that was huge, in my opinion.
“To be able to go get Harrell at the number they got him (was impressive). All year long, I’m watching him (heading into free agency) and (thinking), ‘I could see him getting what (Domantas) Sabonis got (the Indiana forward landed a four-year, $77 million deal in October 2019).’ And my assumption, up until the All-Star break (in February), was that the Clippers would probably give it to him, because I figured they could not afford to lose him for nothing and obviously they were in win-now mode.
“So right away, I think the Lakers got better from a team that had just gone and won it. They only got better. I love the Schröder addition. Schröder was so good in Oklahoma City last year — much better than I think a lot of people realize. I think Chris Paul did him a lot of good. … And I would think that LeBron would have a similar effect on him than Chris Paul did. Because of LeBron, I think it will be fine. He was so good last year that I have optimism. I love the move. He really gives them an alternative (playmaker), and unlike Rondo … is going to play most nights during the regular season. … He’s a lot more dependable during the regular season.
“(Gasol) is a much more reliable, cerebral option than the two (bigs) they had at center last year who, admittedly, served a purpose. (Howard and McGee) gave them size, athletic ability, rim protection. But now they’ve got a guy who just plays his balls off every night (in Harrell), and then another guy who is as cerebral and as vet of a guy — as winning of a guy as there is in the league. And he’s a much better shooter than any of the others. So I look at it and I go, ‘You know, to me, they’re better than they were.’”
On the specific matchup against Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who struggled against Howard in the West finals in the bubble after dominating Harrell in the second round against the Clippers…
“I would personally say Gasol — while not having Dwight or JaVale’s rim protection and the athletic part — I would give Gasol as good a chance of giving a Jokic trouble as anyone just because he’s so heady and so smart and generally has been a good defender. I don’t put too much into the bubble (takeaways). You can’t act like it didn’t happen, but that’s — to me — a small sample.”
Scout No. 2
“With the Lakers, the rich get richer, I think. They certainly didn’t get worse. They add centers — Gasol and Harrell. They lose McGee and Howard. So you know, maybe they give up a little defense there. I mean, Gasol was Defensive Player of the Year (in 2012-13). But you’re talking about a guy off the bench in Harrell who was a factor (for the Clippers) — very explosive. I think Gasol will fit in great on a LeBron James team, with his IQ and passing — even though he’s long in the tooth. So in terms of positionally, I don’t think they’ve lost anything there. It’s a different look for sure — Howard and McGee vs. Harrell and Gasol — but they certainly haven’t hurt themselves and probably have helped.
“Matthews may not be as good (as Bradley defensively) on the point guards, but he’s certainly a guy who you can put on a wing. (And) Bradley never shows up — he wasn’t even in the bubble. Matthews is losing something step-wise, for sure, but he was a starting player on the best (regular season) team in the league (with Milwaukee). At worst, it’s a wash. And probably I’d give the edge to (Matthews) — a little more durable, probably a better shooter and gives you the same, comparable defensive effort and so that’s fine there. That was an excellent replacement. Danny Green — meh, he’s fading. … He’s just not the same player. Matthews can pick up the slack there a bit.
“And then of course Schröder vs. Rondo. I mean, Rondo was fantastic. Would they have won the championship but for him? Maybe not, but he played, what, 40 games, 45 games (in the regular season)? LeBron, at his age, needs a break, and I think Schröder will be much more of a guy who can relieve his playmaking load on a longer term, more consistent basis. He’s a terrific player, had a terrific year.”
On Davis’ deal…
“Davis showed he’s a winner. The knock on him was that he wasn’t a winner. Well, he is a winner, you know? So I think they got better, and they were damn good to begin with. I mean, Frank Vogel doesn’t get any credit from anybody. Jesus. Yeah, LeBron is coaching the team — blah, blah, blah. But come on, you’ve got to give Frank Vogel a lot of credit.”
Scout No. 3
“The Lakers had the better offseason with the acquisitions they made, so they are definitely better on paper. They basically reloaded with more fire power by adding Schröder and Harrell. Matthews will make them better on the perimeter defensively, while also being a spot shooter. Gasol gives them a better scorer and passer at the center position, not to mention his basketball IQ.”
Front office executive No. 1
“The Lakers seemingly got better. I’m concerned they lost JaVale McGee, because I thought he was pretty good for them. Yeah, he didn’t play at all during the bubble, practically. I don’t think they’re going to miss Dwight as much as people might think. So getting Gasol — in the playoffs, that’s where he should really help them just because he’ll be able to stand out on the perimeter, open up space for LeBron and AD to attack the rim. And he can hit that 3. Defenses have to respect him. He can shoot. He can pass. So they got a lot better right there. But I still think they’re going to miss the live body that JaVale McGee was — just kind of the energy.
“I think Schröder was a really good pickup for them. I’m surprised (fourth-year forward Kyle) Kuzma is still on the roster. I thought they’d be moving him … because of chemistry stuff. But the Lakers got better. They’re one year older, LeBron is one year older, but I still think they got better. They got KCP back, who was good.
“Montrezl doesn’t fit (the Lakers). I don’t know how he fits with that team, but he’ll help them in the regular season for sure. But I don’t know. That remains to be seen. I think the biggest thing about getting Montrezl is that they took him from the Clippers, where he was productive. And he didn’t go somewhere else. But I’m not sure exactly how he fits with them. He needs somebody who spoon-feeds him, because he’s going to run the court and he’s going to be active on the glass. He’s going to do all that stuff — run the high pick-and-roll, dive to the basket and finish and get spoon-fed, so spacing is not great. The Lakers don’t have great spacing. So I don’t know where he fits, but he will give them a chance to rest AD and LeBron during the regular season. During the playoffs, he probably won’t be as much of a factor.”
Front office executive No. 2
“I think the Lakers got different. I don’t know if they got better, but I don’t think they got worse. … What I mean by that is (the Lakers) were really, really good last year defensively (third in the regular season; sixth among 16 playoffs teams in defensive rating). And they were big and physical. Dwight Howard had a large impact on that, even JaVale McGee at some level. And … all of their guys were really good defenders, and (Lakers coach) Frank (Vogel) really emphasized it. Danny Green (who signed with Philadelphia) is a good defender — he’s slowing up a little, but he’s a good defender. And Avery Bradley (who signed with Miami) and some of the other guys they had (were good), so I think it changed (them). They’re more offensive with Schröder and Harrell. Wes Matthews will give them a little bit of a toughness component. Marc (Gasol) — he knows how to play and is who he is. He’s slowing up, but he’s obviously very different than Dwight Howard. So I don’t think they’ll be as physical and tough or as good defensively, but I think they’ll be better offensively. And so it will be interesting to see how that impacts them. But they’re certainly going to be really good.”
Scout No. 1
“The Lakers definitely get better. The Clippers’ moves strike me as reactionary. The Lakers’ moves strike me as, ‘This is our plan. If we can get this done, this is what we want to do.’ And they went out and executed it. … And to their credit, they went and took a guy away from the Clippers (in Harrell).
“(The Clippers) had let it be known (with other teams) that they did not want to sign (Harrell) to a $70 million or $80 million deal, and they were more than happy to do a sign-and-trade if someone was interested (in free agency). They had put that out. That was out there. And the Lakers swooped in and said, ‘You know what? We’ll save you the trouble.’ For him to take that (two-year, $18.9 million; player option in the second season) contract, to me, you talk about not only your gain but taking him away from your biggest competitor. I mean, that was huge, in my opinion.
“To be able to go get Harrell at the number they got him (was impressive). All year long, I’m watching him (heading into free agency) and (thinking), ‘I could see him getting what (Domantas) Sabonis got (the Indiana forward landed a four-year, $77 million deal in October 2019).’ And my assumption, up until the All-Star break (in February), was that the Clippers would probably give it to him, because I figured they could not afford to lose him for nothing and obviously they were in win-now mode.
“So right away, I think the Lakers got better from a team that had just gone and won it. They only got better. I love the Schröder addition. Schröder was so good in Oklahoma City last year — much better than I think a lot of people realize. I think Chris Paul did him a lot of good. … And I would think that LeBron would have a similar effect on him than Chris Paul did. Because of LeBron, I think it will be fine. He was so good last year that I have optimism. I love the move. He really gives them an alternative (playmaker), and unlike Rondo … is going to play most nights during the regular season. … He’s a lot more dependable during the regular season.
“(Gasol) is a much more reliable, cerebral option than the two (bigs) they had at center last year who, admittedly, served a purpose. (Howard and McGee) gave them size, athletic ability, rim protection. But now they’ve got a guy who just plays his balls off every night (in Harrell), and then another guy who is as cerebral and as vet of a guy — as winning of a guy as there is in the league. And he’s a much better shooter than any of the others. So I look at it and I go, ‘You know, to me, they’re better than they were.’”
On the specific matchup against Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who struggled against Howard in the West finals in the bubble after dominating Harrell in the second round against the Clippers…
“I would personally say Gasol — while not having Dwight or JaVale’s rim protection and the athletic part — I would give Gasol as good a chance of giving a Jokic trouble as anyone just because he’s so heady and so smart and generally has been a good defender. I don’t put too much into the bubble (takeaways). You can’t act like it didn’t happen, but that’s — to me — a small sample.”
Scout No. 2
“With the Lakers, the rich get richer, I think. They certainly didn’t get worse. They add centers — Gasol and Harrell. They lose McGee and Howard. So you know, maybe they give up a little defense there. I mean, Gasol was Defensive Player of the Year (in 2012-13). But you’re talking about a guy off the bench in Harrell who was a factor (for the Clippers) — very explosive. I think Gasol will fit in great on a LeBron James team, with his IQ and passing — even though he’s long in the tooth. So in terms of positionally, I don’t think they’ve lost anything there. It’s a different look for sure — Howard and McGee vs. Harrell and Gasol — but they certainly haven’t hurt themselves and probably have helped.
“Matthews may not be as good (as Bradley defensively) on the point guards, but he’s certainly a guy who you can put on a wing. (And) Bradley never shows up — he wasn’t even in the bubble. Matthews is losing something step-wise, for sure, but he was a starting player on the best (regular season) team in the league (with Milwaukee). At worst, it’s a wash. And probably I’d give the edge to (Matthews) — a little more durable, probably a better shooter and gives you the same, comparable defensive effort and so that’s fine there. That was an excellent replacement. Danny Green — meh, he’s fading. … He’s just not the same player. Matthews can pick up the slack there a bit.
“And then of course Schröder vs. Rondo. I mean, Rondo was fantastic. Would they have won the championship but for him? Maybe not, but he played, what, 40 games, 45 games (in the regular season)? LeBron, at his age, needs a break, and I think Schröder will be much more of a guy who can relieve his playmaking load on a longer term, more consistent basis. He’s a terrific player, had a terrific year.”
On Davis’ deal…
“Davis showed he’s a winner. The knock on him was that he wasn’t a winner. Well, he is a winner, you know? So I think they got better, and they were damn good to begin with. I mean, Frank Vogel doesn’t get any credit from anybody. Jesus. Yeah, LeBron is coaching the team — blah, blah, blah. But come on, you’ve got to give Frank Vogel a lot of credit.”
Scout No. 3
“The Lakers had the better offseason with the acquisitions they made, so they are definitely better on paper. They basically reloaded with more fire power by adding Schröder and Harrell. Matthews will make them better on the perimeter defensively, while also being a spot shooter. Gasol gives them a better scorer and passer at the center position, not to mention his basketball IQ.”
The Clippers
Front office executive No. 1
“The Clippers have to get rid of Lou Williams (who is on an expiring deal worth $8 million). They’ve ultimately talked about chemistry issues, so I’m shocked that Lou Williams is still there. I’m kind of shocked that Pat Beverley is still there. … They’ll make those changes, I think. I can’t imagine (Lou and Pat Beverley, who has two seasons and a combined $27.6 million remaining) being on the team much longer. I think (heading into the draft and free agency) they were just trying to get the best deal, and they couldn’t close any deals.
“I don’t think they really addressed their problems, because if you look at it, their problems were at point guard, right? They needed playmakers and point guards. I kind of expected them to go after a D.J. Augustin, for example, who is really underrated and solid, and Milwaukee got him. I thought the Clippers would have got Schröder. … I would look for (the Clippers to keep making moves). And if they don’t do it before camp, then maybe they do it early (in the season). They don’t have any flexibility. They have to shed some salary, but they also need a point guard. I don’t know if Reggie Jackson can be that for them.
“I will say this about the Clippers. They might have gotten better (because of) addition by subtraction, because (fifth-year Clippers big man Ivica) Zubac will get more minutes, so I think that’s a plus. And then they’ve got a healthy Paul George, and then they’ve got Kawhi Leonard. They’re going to be motivated now. They’ll get more playing time. I think Kennard could be really good. I think Kennard could make a difference on that team. I don’t think they did as well as everybody (said). They could be better. They’re not finished. They still have some moves to make.
“Ibaka is actually a pretty decent pickup for them. He’s going to make it easier for those guys on offense. He’s going to be better for them offensively, just because he’ll step out and open up things. He’s a better fit than (Harrell), probably, as far as when you’re playing playoff basketball and all that. And especially if Lou Williams is not there and the way they were playing before, that (Ibaka move) did help them. Serge probably has another year or two left at a pretty high level. So they’re still going to be good.
“There’s going to be a lot of pressure on them. They have to win. Those guys have to win. If they don’t win, it could all unravel really quick. So we’ll see. (A quick note: This conversation took place before the Clippers gave George a massive five-year extension, so there’s more stability now than before; Leonard, meanwhile, still has a player option worth $36 million for next season and could become a free agent in the offseason.)
“It’s still debatable who’s the better team. The Lakers are the better team, just because of recency bias and we’ve seen them win it. But the Clippers aren’t far. They aren’t that far away, and they’re going to be able to beat the Lakers on some nights.”
Front office executive No. 2
“People have written about it, but (the Clippers) obviously had something wrong in the bubble, and so they had to make some moves. I think the biggest thing was they wanted to make sure Zubac was on the floor more, and then they wanted the ability to size up also, a little bit more effectively. So Ibaka helps with that. I don’t know if they’ve necessarily gotten better either. They might get better by having a second year together and have a little bit more continuity. Luke Kennard, I think, is a nice player, but I like Landry Shamet as well. They’re a little different. … So I certainly don’t think either team got worse to a large extent, (but) I just don’t know how much better they are. They’re different.
“Obviously there was a feeling that things were a little too loose there with Doc. … The one thing with Ty is he has proven in his career, not only with LeBron but when he was an assistant coach, that he can build really strong relationships with the star players. And he’s a good dude, so I suspect that will help, but if they’re going to allow Paul and Kawhi to get away with a lot of shyt, and you still have Beverley and Lou Williams who, I think, have a problem with it, it will be interesting to see.”
On Clippers trade chatter…
“Lou and Pat — I think with both those guys, there has been some chatter. I think they’d move them because I think there’s still some conflict there. But Pat’s contract is not that easy to move. And No. 2, I suspect they want to be really careful if they’re going to move Lou because obviously, on the court, he presents problems for teams. But yeah, I don’t think they’re done. Just knowing their group and (Clippers owner Steve) Ballmer, yeah, I think he’s going to try to be aggressive — really aggressive — and try to make another move with those guys.”
Scout No. 1
“To me, the Clippers kind of treaded water. I can’t say it any other way. I think they got worse. To me, I don’t think they’re better. There was a clear winner in L.A.
“Now if you were going to lose Harrell, Ibaka is a pretty nice save. At least with Ibaka, you can make the argument that you got better defensively. While I give Ibaka the edge in defensive IQ and just defense all around, I’ve just always been worried: At some point, does he start declining physically? Whereas, to me, Montrezl is in his prime. And while he may not be an all-defense guy, he plays his balls off. … I will concede that the Clippers probably got a little better defensively, Harrell to Ibaka. But they also lost JaMychal Green, who’s a pretty good defender.”
“Now Shamet, I’m having a hard time understanding that one. Moving Shamet, and basically ending up with Kennard, that almost seemed like a shell game to me. Kennard played really well in Detroit. He finally showed some life last year for the first time. I was about to the point of thinking he was a bust. (But) that almost seemed like a lateral move to me.”
Scout No. 2
“Obviously Harrell was a disaster in the playoffs for them. That’s why they were willing (to let him go). … He really compromised them against Denver defensively. It was embarrassing. So these teams always make moves to correct what happened the year before, and so Ibaka is a perfect (replacement). He’s a much better defender, is a better shooter, is coming off a good year. I think they certainly recouped their loss of Harrell with Ibaka.
“They added Kennard, which was — to me — one of the most unheralded steals of the draft night activity. That was a joke, in my mind. I mean, Shamet disappeared in the playoffs. Kennard is a much better player. He’s a better handler, so they really came out well with that. There are still underlying problems, though. Name a team that has won without an actual point guard. I mean, Beverley is obviously not it. Kennard can play some one. He’s not a point guard, though. I think they were looking for a point guard in free agency, and so they’re still short there. But exchanging Kennard for Shamet was big.
“They lose JaMychal Green, so I would give them a slight debit there. Patrick Patterson had good minutes periodically, but I don’t think he’s JaMychal Green. He’s a serviceable replacement. He had moments. So maybe they lost a little there with losing Green. I don’t think it’s a huge difference maker.
“Signing Marcus Morris to a zillion bucks (four years, $64 million) — that was a strange contract. But he’s there from the beginning, and that’s a plus. That mitigates the loss of Green a bit, with Patterson as the backup. I mean, they did fine. They shored up their defense — probably, somewhat — with Ibaka. Kennard’s not great defensively. He’s OK. Morris is OK defensively.
“(Jackson) had moments, so he’s a nice occasional piece. I don’t think they’re any worse. So much of their success was Harrell and Williams off the bench, but they were totally screwed up in the bubble. The bubble did them in. Psychologically, Lou Williams and the (Magic City) incident —blah, blah, blah. So the combination of Harrell and Williams didn’t pan out. Look at the scoreboard — it didn’t work when it really counted.”
So … which team is better?
“I’ll go Lakers, because of LeBron. His track record, their cohesion, mostly their continuity of the key guys. There’s a fair amount of continuity with the Clippers too, but (Lakers vs. Clippers) is a bet I’d never make. Both teams are so talented.”
Scout No. 3
“The Clippers needed a true point guard bad, but that didn’t happen. … I really don’t think (Ibaka) makes that much of a difference. Harrell’s versatility and energy (were) impactful. Ibaka can stretch the floor, but he’s not a great rebounder.
“The Clippers did lack chemistry last season, so having everyone together to start will help. Now it comes down to personnel and principles. The Lakers have the better personnel, so Lue has to decide what his offensive and defensive principles will be, and how they will differ from Doc.”
(Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)
Front office executive No. 1
“The Clippers have to get rid of Lou Williams (who is on an expiring deal worth $8 million). They’ve ultimately talked about chemistry issues, so I’m shocked that Lou Williams is still there. I’m kind of shocked that Pat Beverley is still there. … They’ll make those changes, I think. I can’t imagine (Lou and Pat Beverley, who has two seasons and a combined $27.6 million remaining) being on the team much longer. I think (heading into the draft and free agency) they were just trying to get the best deal, and they couldn’t close any deals.
“I don’t think they really addressed their problems, because if you look at it, their problems were at point guard, right? They needed playmakers and point guards. I kind of expected them to go after a D.J. Augustin, for example, who is really underrated and solid, and Milwaukee got him. I thought the Clippers would have got Schröder. … I would look for (the Clippers to keep making moves). And if they don’t do it before camp, then maybe they do it early (in the season). They don’t have any flexibility. They have to shed some salary, but they also need a point guard. I don’t know if Reggie Jackson can be that for them.
“I will say this about the Clippers. They might have gotten better (because of) addition by subtraction, because (fifth-year Clippers big man Ivica) Zubac will get more minutes, so I think that’s a plus. And then they’ve got a healthy Paul George, and then they’ve got Kawhi Leonard. They’re going to be motivated now. They’ll get more playing time. I think Kennard could be really good. I think Kennard could make a difference on that team. I don’t think they did as well as everybody (said). They could be better. They’re not finished. They still have some moves to make.
“Ibaka is actually a pretty decent pickup for them. He’s going to make it easier for those guys on offense. He’s going to be better for them offensively, just because he’ll step out and open up things. He’s a better fit than (Harrell), probably, as far as when you’re playing playoff basketball and all that. And especially if Lou Williams is not there and the way they were playing before, that (Ibaka move) did help them. Serge probably has another year or two left at a pretty high level. So they’re still going to be good.
“There’s going to be a lot of pressure on them. They have to win. Those guys have to win. If they don’t win, it could all unravel really quick. So we’ll see. (A quick note: This conversation took place before the Clippers gave George a massive five-year extension, so there’s more stability now than before; Leonard, meanwhile, still has a player option worth $36 million for next season and could become a free agent in the offseason.)
“It’s still debatable who’s the better team. The Lakers are the better team, just because of recency bias and we’ve seen them win it. But the Clippers aren’t far. They aren’t that far away, and they’re going to be able to beat the Lakers on some nights.”
Front office executive No. 2
“People have written about it, but (the Clippers) obviously had something wrong in the bubble, and so they had to make some moves. I think the biggest thing was they wanted to make sure Zubac was on the floor more, and then they wanted the ability to size up also, a little bit more effectively. So Ibaka helps with that. I don’t know if they’ve necessarily gotten better either. They might get better by having a second year together and have a little bit more continuity. Luke Kennard, I think, is a nice player, but I like Landry Shamet as well. They’re a little different. … So I certainly don’t think either team got worse to a large extent, (but) I just don’t know how much better they are. They’re different.
“Obviously there was a feeling that things were a little too loose there with Doc. … The one thing with Ty is he has proven in his career, not only with LeBron but when he was an assistant coach, that he can build really strong relationships with the star players. And he’s a good dude, so I suspect that will help, but if they’re going to allow Paul and Kawhi to get away with a lot of shyt, and you still have Beverley and Lou Williams who, I think, have a problem with it, it will be interesting to see.”
On Clippers trade chatter…
“Lou and Pat — I think with both those guys, there has been some chatter. I think they’d move them because I think there’s still some conflict there. But Pat’s contract is not that easy to move. And No. 2, I suspect they want to be really careful if they’re going to move Lou because obviously, on the court, he presents problems for teams. But yeah, I don’t think they’re done. Just knowing their group and (Clippers owner Steve) Ballmer, yeah, I think he’s going to try to be aggressive — really aggressive — and try to make another move with those guys.”
Scout No. 1
“To me, the Clippers kind of treaded water. I can’t say it any other way. I think they got worse. To me, I don’t think they’re better. There was a clear winner in L.A.
“Now if you were going to lose Harrell, Ibaka is a pretty nice save. At least with Ibaka, you can make the argument that you got better defensively. While I give Ibaka the edge in defensive IQ and just defense all around, I’ve just always been worried: At some point, does he start declining physically? Whereas, to me, Montrezl is in his prime. And while he may not be an all-defense guy, he plays his balls off. … I will concede that the Clippers probably got a little better defensively, Harrell to Ibaka. But they also lost JaMychal Green, who’s a pretty good defender.”
“Now Shamet, I’m having a hard time understanding that one. Moving Shamet, and basically ending up with Kennard, that almost seemed like a shell game to me. Kennard played really well in Detroit. He finally showed some life last year for the first time. I was about to the point of thinking he was a bust. (But) that almost seemed like a lateral move to me.”
Scout No. 2
“Obviously Harrell was a disaster in the playoffs for them. That’s why they were willing (to let him go). … He really compromised them against Denver defensively. It was embarrassing. So these teams always make moves to correct what happened the year before, and so Ibaka is a perfect (replacement). He’s a much better defender, is a better shooter, is coming off a good year. I think they certainly recouped their loss of Harrell with Ibaka.
“They added Kennard, which was — to me — one of the most unheralded steals of the draft night activity. That was a joke, in my mind. I mean, Shamet disappeared in the playoffs. Kennard is a much better player. He’s a better handler, so they really came out well with that. There are still underlying problems, though. Name a team that has won without an actual point guard. I mean, Beverley is obviously not it. Kennard can play some one. He’s not a point guard, though. I think they were looking for a point guard in free agency, and so they’re still short there. But exchanging Kennard for Shamet was big.
“They lose JaMychal Green, so I would give them a slight debit there. Patrick Patterson had good minutes periodically, but I don’t think he’s JaMychal Green. He’s a serviceable replacement. He had moments. So maybe they lost a little there with losing Green. I don’t think it’s a huge difference maker.
“Signing Marcus Morris to a zillion bucks (four years, $64 million) — that was a strange contract. But he’s there from the beginning, and that’s a plus. That mitigates the loss of Green a bit, with Patterson as the backup. I mean, they did fine. They shored up their defense — probably, somewhat — with Ibaka. Kennard’s not great defensively. He’s OK. Morris is OK defensively.
“(Jackson) had moments, so he’s a nice occasional piece. I don’t think they’re any worse. So much of their success was Harrell and Williams off the bench, but they were totally screwed up in the bubble. The bubble did them in. Psychologically, Lou Williams and the (Magic City) incident —blah, blah, blah. So the combination of Harrell and Williams didn’t pan out. Look at the scoreboard — it didn’t work when it really counted.”
So … which team is better?
“I’ll go Lakers, because of LeBron. His track record, their cohesion, mostly their continuity of the key guys. There’s a fair amount of continuity with the Clippers too, but (Lakers vs. Clippers) is a bet I’d never make. Both teams are so talented.”
Scout No. 3
“The Clippers needed a true point guard bad, but that didn’t happen. … I really don’t think (Ibaka) makes that much of a difference. Harrell’s versatility and energy (were) impactful. Ibaka can stretch the floor, but he’s not a great rebounder.
“The Clippers did lack chemistry last season, so having everyone together to start will help. Now it comes down to personnel and principles. The Lakers have the better personnel, so Lue has to decide what his offensive and defensive principles will be, and how they will differ from Doc.”
(Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)
T.he I.nformant
1st Ballot HOF Teller
Pistons brehs, I swear it’s an anomaly and Jerami Grant ain’t gonna go 1-11 and miss all his 3-point attempts. But gaaaaaaaaadamn. I know that don’t feel great when you just spent $20Ms per year for him to open like that.
Wargames
One Of The Last Real Ones To Do It
KP looking strange these days.
Nero Christ
Sniper out now on all digital platforms brev
I swear Doc talks more about the Clippers than the Sixers 
no more Yoker assisted looks
no more Yoker assisted looks
There’s games today
we back beloved