LA Story: How the Lakers and Clippers improved at the 2023 trade deadline
That was some sort of NBA trade deadline!
With close to 15% of the league moving in the final 24 hours before the trade deadline, many teams made efforts to reshape their fortunes.
The Utah Jazz looked to move on from some of the players that had spurred their feel-good season. The Brooklyn Nets decided to disband their three-ring circus in preference of a quieter, less volatile existence. The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks took over the risk that had previously been Brooklyn’s in attempts to push themselves over the top in their championship chase.
Two teams that chose to make moves around the edges were the Los Angeles clubs, the Lakers and Clippers. Both teams, despite not making the seismic shifts that some expected – No Kyrie Irving or Fred Vanvleet to be found – improved markedly on the final day of wheeling and dealing.
Let’s start with the Clippers and their trade deadline moves.
Ins: Bones Hyland, Mason Plumlee, Eric Gordon
Outs: Luke Kennard, Reggie Jackson, John Wall
Coming into this campaign, the Clippers were considered by many (this writer included) to be amongst the elite in the West, should superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George remain relatively healthy. Whilst Paul and Leonard have, as expected, been sporadic members of the playing team, the Clippers have been excellent when they’ve been whole.
That said, this season has exposed some major holes in the Clips’ rotation. Playmaking backup big man Isaiah Hartenstein has been missed perhaps more than the front office may have anticipated. His bleated replacement is veteran centre, Mason Plumlee. The 32 year old is playing career best basketball this season, albeit for the moribund Charlotte Hornets, posting near enough to a nightly double/double with 12.2 points and 9.7 rebounds alongside 3.7 assists – all career highs.
Plumlee will certainly play a lesser role as a Clipper than he did as a Hornet. He’ll still provide solid defense and some excellent playmaking from the pivot for Los Angeles, just as Hartenstein did last season. Importantly, he will also afford starting centre Ivica Zubac a much needed break. Zubac started the season in rare form but has understandably worn down as the only legitimate big man in the rotation.
Whilst trading away the sharp shooting Kennard will hurt, losing the point guard pairing of Wall and Jackson won’t cause any consternation to the Clippers. After playing well last season, Jackson has regressed back into the inefficient, shoot first player that inspired the always brilliant Ben Golliver to dub him ‘Root Canal Reggie’. Soon to turn 33, Jackson won’t be missed.
Wall provided a nice change of pace and playmaking punch early in the season as his re-emergence became one of the feel-good stories of the league. His play, though, fell away as the season went on as his body yet again betrayed him.
In an interesting twist of fate, Wall has been traded back to the Houston Rockets, who just a few weeks ago he described as ‘beyond trash’. A buyout might be best for all concerned.
Replacing those two are a pair of dynamic offensive forces in youngster Bones Hyland and veteran Eric Gordon. Both are considerable improvements on their predecessors.
Getting Hyland for a pair of 2nd round picks could prove a steal for the Clippers. Bones is a shoot first, second and third point guard. He’s not there to set you up; he’s there to finish. On a team where so much ball handling and shot creation comes from their superstar forwards, he should be a seamless fit on these Clippers.
As I alluded to in the latest edition of The Point, Gordon looked utterly miserable playing out the tail end of his prime on the rebuilding, perhaps broken, Rockets. Gordon, returning to the team that drafted him back in 2008, gives LA the shooting to replace Kennard, though he also provides stout, relatively switchable defense and a modicum of playmaking.
This new roster gives coach Ty Lue all sorts of options to mix and match depending on form and the matchup. Assuming good health, Kawhi and PG are locks for the wings. At centre, Lue could go with the bulk of Zubac, the guile of Plumlee or play stretch ball with Marcus Morris, Robert Covington or Nicolas Batum at the four and five.
At lead guard, the team could run with the speed of Terance Mann, the fearless shot making of Hyland or the balanced play and experience of Gordon.
An aside….Russell Westbrook.
His widely reported potential addition to the team (post an expected buyout from the Utah Jazz) muddies the waters, here. Russ simply doesn’t gel with other superstars at this point of his career. Buyer beware.
Let’s turn our attention now to the Lakers.
Ins: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jared Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba
Outs: Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Juan Toscano-Anderson
Whilst Westbrook was – somewhat inexplicably – garnering some Sixth Man of the Year attention earlier this season, it was apparent to Blind Freddie and his deaf dog that, from the very moment the trade dropped, Russell Westbrook would be a poor fit around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
So, in getting out of the Westbrook business the Lakers markedly improved at the trade deadline. (Jarrod proceeds to pack up his laptop and head home)…what’s that? You want deeper analysis? Well, OK then.
In contrast to Westbrook, the additions at guard of D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley fit seamlessly around James. Beasley is one of the best high volume, movement shooters in the Association. He’s a constant off ball threat who needs to be accounted for and will open up driving lanes for James, Davis and even the Lonnie Walker’s of the Lakers world.
Russell is somewhat unfairly maligned due to his massive overpay of a contract. He remains, however, a very good offensive player. No longer as ball dominant as he was, thanks to the emergence of Anthony Edwards, Russell has enjoyed by far his most efficient season as a scorer this year. He’s painfully slow in turning the corner on a pick and roll but is a crafty passer who should develop a nice chemistry with Davis, and an excellent shooter off the catch or bounce. Given he’ll have mostly secondary playmaking duties (he may take over as the lead ball handler on bench heavy units) his lack of speed shouldn’t matter as he’ll often be attacking a shifting defense.
Neither Beasley nor Russell will provide all that much defensive resistance (Russell is underrated as a team defender), though it’s not as if Russ was the second coming of Gary Payton.
Rather, the defensive upgrades come in the form of Mo Bamba and Jarred Vanderbilt, the effervescent ball of energy who will be able to play next to Davis at the four or alongside James as an undersized centre. Vanderbilt has flashed enough of a jump shot from the corners to keep defences somewhat honest.
Losing Thomas Bryant, a good player and excellent locker room presence who helped keep the team afloat when Davis was injured, will hurt. It’s reported, though, that he wanted a trade in order to continue to rebuild his value as he comes back from a torn ACL and didn’t see himself getting enough court time behind Davis to do so. Good luck getting that burn in Denver, my man.
Replacing Bryant with Bamba is quietly one of the best pieces of work that general manager Rob Pelinka has produced in a long time.
Still only 24 years old, the fifth-year centre blocks two shots per 36 minutes over his career and is shooting at a hair under 40% from beyond the arc this season. He legitimately could play the five on defense whilst spacing out for Davis at the other end. Acquiring Bamba could prove grand larceny.
So where does this leave our heroes/villains (delete as to your preference)?
The Clippers remain frighteningly deep and talented, though they’re now a far more balanced line-up with increased optionality.
Of course, there is an argument that giving a coach too many options can lead to paralysis. It’s a condition that I call Docriversitis. Still, you’d rather give your coach more tools than less, especially when your stars are not exactly beacons of reliability.
The Clippers have fixed their flaws this trade deadline and remain a threat to take out the Western Conference.
The Lakers’ efforts at the trade deadline demonstrate an attempt to return to the past somewhat. In acquiring players that provide shooting and defense, though admittedly not always in the same package, the Lakers are at long last trying to replicate the formula that worked so well for them in their 2020 championship season.
They’re still defensively deficient at the point of attack, but with multiple shot blocking options, as well as bigger bodies (step forward Mr. Hachimura) to throw at the opposition, they’re surely hoping that won’t prove a fatal flaw.
Are the Lakers genuine contenders, now? Probably not. They do, though, have a punchers chance. Nobody will want to face LeBron and Davis with this supporting cast, come playoff time.
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