Los Angeles Clippers 2024 Offseason Update

The Los Angeles Clippers have made several key moves this offseason.

James Harden is back with the Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal. Derrick Jones also joined the team for three years at $30 million, while Kris Dunn signed a three-year contract worth over $16 million.

Nicolas Batum got a two-year contract, and Kevin Porter Jr. and Mohamed Bamba both signed one-year deals. Kai Jones re-signed for another year as well.

Trades:

Kris Dunn came to the Clippers in a sign-and-trade deal involving Russell Westbrook, who moved to the Jazz along with some cash and draft rights.

Fans might be excited about these changes but also curious about how they will impact the team’s performance.

Draft Picks:

Cam Christie was picked 46th in the draft and signed a four-year contract with guaranteed money for the first two years.

Two-Way Signings:

Trentyn Flowers was signed on a two-way contract.

Departed/Unsigned Free Agents:

Several players left or were not re-signed including Brandon Boston (Spurs), Moussa Diabate (Hornets), Xavier Moon (Zenit St. Petersburg), Mason Plumlee (Suns), and Daniel Theis (Hornets).

Salary Cap Situation:

The Clippers are over the cap at $140.6M, above the luxury tax line of $170.8M but below the first tax apron of $178.1M, carrying approximately $173.3M in salary.

The Offseason So Far:

On June 30, before news broke about Paul George’s agreement with another team, it was confirmed that he wouldn’t return to Los Angeles due to “the new CBA.” The decision likely considered both financial constraints and recent playoff performances.

Not having George allows more flexibility for future moves and puts James Harden in a better position to shine offensively. Harden re-signed on a short-term deal which could be beneficial if he bounces back this season despite being 35 years old now.

Russell Westbrook opted into his player option but immediately started working on finding a new team, leading to his trade away from L.A., making room for new role players like Derrick Jones, Kris Dunn, and Nicolas Batum who are expected to complement stars like Harden and Kawhi Leonard well defensively.

Kevin Porter Jr.’s signing raised eyebrows due to past issues but offers potential upside if he stays out of trouble and performs well once eligible again after possible suspension related to past incidents.

The Clippers’ ceiling may not be as high without George; however running it back wouldn’t have inspired much confidence given previous results during Kawhi-PG13 era either way—creating opportunities for pivoting directions easier now under shorter less expensive contracts if needed later down line instead!

What do you think about these changes?