No team in the NBA is deeper with talent than the L.A. Clippers. Their starting five (which includes Kahwi, PG, Patrick Beverley, and Marcus Morris) is already among the best in the league and when you consider who they have coming off the bench (Reggie Jackson, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell), it’s clear that their roster is primed for success.
Still, there’s always room for improvement and, in a piece by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, he describes a way in which the Clippers could gain another and solve their biggest problem in one trade: Patrick Beverley, Ivica Zubac, Landry Shamet, and multiple future picks for defensive superstar Rudy Gobert.
On the surface, the Clippers seemingly have zero need to rock the boat. They’ve only had Kawhi Leonard and Paul George together in 32 games this season, and they still have the league’s fourth-most wins and third-highest net rating (plus-6.4).
But they still seem vulnerable on the interior, which could prove a fatal flaw in a postseason matchup with Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid.
If L.A. makes a bold move for Rudy Gobert, it could be looking at a historically dominant defense with an offense that still features two perimeter superstars.
With little depth at the center position, the Clippers desperately need a rebounding/shot-blocking big man to patrol the paint and add size to the lineup.
In those categories, you can’t really do better than Gobert, who is a 2x Defensive Player of the Year. With Kawhi and PG (who are also dominant defensively), there is no question L.A. would be one of the best defensive teams in the league, and maybe even All-Time.
Unfortunately for them, Gobert’s availability is not guaranteed. Despite the reports of a rift between him and his teammates (that stemmed from his handling of COVID-19), there has been no indication that he, or his current team, desire a breakup.
We’ll have to see how things play out in the weeks and months to come.
