The Los Angeles Clippers are currently the 7th seed in the West, with a 26-26 record. They are currently a play-in tier team even with Kawhi Leonard not playing a game yet this year, and Paul George being out with injury for a large portion of the season.
If their stars come back this year, the Los Angeles Clippers could potentially contend. And even if they aren’t contenders, it seems as though they could still make additions. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has recently revealed that the Los Angeles Clippers could potentially target a point guard in a trade, with players like John Wall and Kemba Walker mentioned as potential targets.
If the Clippers dip below .500 it should come as no big surprise. But this isn’t a lost season without Leonard and George. Not at all. In fact, the Clippers found their identity on defense by examining their roster and trying to find out who will fit with their stars in the years to come.
Despite all the good vibes on the court this season, no team is ever fully complete. Change is inevitable. And the next step for the Clippers is to find a new point guard.
While Reggie Jackson currently mans the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Kawhi in Toronto, or even like George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can both manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.
So, what kind of point guard can the Clippers reasonably obtain? Over the past few weeks, numerous reports have cited names like Jalen Brunson, Dennis Schröder, Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, Spencer Dinwiddie, and John Wall as targets.
It remains to be seen if the Los Angeles Clippers will indeed make a trade ahead of the trade deadline. There are certainly trade scenarios in which they can get a point guard like John Wall. Some of the other options from the list provided by O’Connor can also fit well next to their stars.
The Los Angeles Clippers made their first Western Conference Finals last season and were 2 games away from going to their first NBA Finals trip. While they may not reach those heights this season, perhaps they can regroup next year and try to win it all once Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are fully healthy.
