With the return of the 2019-20 NBA season, teams around the league are preparing for a postseason run. In L.A., the Clippers have everything they need to contend for a title and it’s likely that they will be among one of the last teams in contention for the title this year.
As for what comes after, that much is still unclear. While there’s not much they can do in the way of roster moves now, they can maximize their chances next season if they make the right moves in these next few months.
In an article by Bleacher Report, they note one deal that could be especially beneficial for the Clippers.
“If there’s one area where the Los Angeles Clippers could stand to upgrade, it’s with the man in the middle. To compete with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz who still use their size to overwhelm opponents, the Clippers need a big body like Steven Adams. The Kiwi is already familiar playing next to Paul George and would provide a massive pick-and-roll screener for Kawhi Leonard. His defensive rebounding and soft touch at the rim would shore up any weaknesses the Clippers might have against rival West contenders.”
From their bench to their starting lineup, the center position may be their only weak spot. Ivica Zubac is not going to be enough to compete with guys like Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Jokic. Even if they make the Finals win the title this summer, they’d be better of with a guy like Adams patrolling the middle.
In exchange, they can offer the Thunder several bright young pieces like Zubac and Shamet and a hard-nosed veteran in Harrell who will help instill a winning culture for the franchise.
It’s a swap that benefits both sides but, obviously, whether or not it will actually happen is still up in the air. Truthfully, nobody really knows what to expect in the weeks and months to come.
