The Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz completed a minor yet significant trade today. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Bobby Marks, the Clippers acquired veterans Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills from the Jazz. In return, the Clippers are sending back P.J. Tucker, Mo Bamba, a future second-round pick, and cash.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the second-round draft pick that Jazz acquired will be for the 2030 draft. Scotto added that Utah previously had the right to swap picks with the Clippers; now, they own LA’s selection.
NBA Trade Grades: Clippers Pick Up Important Veteran Depth While Jazz Continue To Build For Future
Los Angeles has been one of the bigger surprises in the NBA. After trading Paul George in the offseason and not having Kawhi Leonard for the first two-and-one-half months, it is arguably the healthiest it has been all season. As a result, the Clippers are one of the hottest teams heading into their Sunday afternoon clash in Toronto. Since having two games canceled because of the awful wildfires, the Clippers have gone an NBA-best 8-3, including winning two straight.
LA sits in sixth place in the West with a 28-2o record. The Clippers are one game ahead of seventh-place Minnesota and four ahead of 11th-place Golden State. They are also just one game behind fourth-place Denver (29-19) and four-and-one-half games within second-place Memphis (32-16).
While Leonard’s return is a big reason the Clippers have been playing well—they are a season-high eight games above .500—they have also stepped up their defensive effort. Over the last 11 games, the Clippers, who have the NBA’s No. 2 ranked defense, posted an NBA-best 102.9 defensive rating—which is nearly six points better than Oklahoma City.
Jazz and Clippers Trade Details
Los Angeles Clippers Receive:
Drew Eubanks
Patty Mills
Utah Jazz Receive
P.J. Tucker
Mo Bamba
2030 Second Round Pick
Cash
What Does The Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz Trade Mean For Each Squad?
The Clippers are 8-2 in the 10 contests Leonard, who has a + 11.5 plus/minus rating, has played and just 1-3 without him since the 33-year-old made his season debut. Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr., and James Harden have also played exceptionally well during this 11-game stretch.
Zubac and Jones have played extremely well this entire season. However, the Clippers’ frontcourt depth has been a weakness. Obviously, with Leonard relatively healthy, it has allowed coach Ty Lue to do a few different things. Nic Batum is undersized at the five, and Amir Coffey is undersized at the four—both have spent over 20% of their minutes at those positions. Plus, Bamba and Kai Jones don’t provide any offense, and Kobe Brown has struggled this season.
Meanwhile, Tucker has been away from the Clippers since the team acquired him from Philadelphia as part of the George trade in October. The 39-year-old forward is making $11.5 million this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season.
NBA Insider Kevin Pelton believes that this trade gives the Clippers added flexibility to make another trade before the trade deadline. But we will have to wait and see what else comes up.
“This particular construction saves the Clippers enough that there could be additional moves to come before the deadline, Pelton said. “They cut $6.5 million in salary, moving them $4 million below the tax line while creating a trade exception of that same amount to go along with the expiring $4.1 million salary of little-used guard Bones Hyland as potential options for another deal before Thursday.”
Clippers Trade Grade: A
I like the trade from the Clippers’ perspective. Los Angeles did precisely what Scotto reported that the Clippers wanted to do: upgrade their frontcourt while saving money. On January 28, Scotto said that the “Clippers would like to upgrade the roster on the margins by adding a backup big man while ducking the tax.”
LA currently has 15 players on standard deals who are over $11.3 million under the league’s first tax apron, where they are hard-capped.
Eubanks immediately becomes Zubac’s primary backup. While the 28-year-old center has averaged 13 minutes for his career as a reserve, he could see around 20 minutes a game as Zubac plays around 32 minutes a game. He also has a vast amount of starting experience.
Therefore, Eubanks’ arrival should prevent Lue from having to play Batum or Leonard many minutes at center. Also, if Lue chooses to tighten his rotation, he could play a few minutes at the four.
Eubanks is not great offensively, but the 6-9 big thrives around the rim on both ends of the court. He is an excellent finisher and screener who does okay in pick-n-rolls and draws fouls. However, he is at his best hitting the glass and being an active physical defender. In addition, Eubanks is slated to make only $4.7 million next season, and that doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10.
So, besides size, Eubanks gives the Clippers some much-needed help with the backboards. While the Clippers are an excellent defensive rebounding team, they are only average on offensive glass.
What About Patty Mills
Mills doesn’t figure to have much of a role with the Clippers. The 36-year-old guard hasn’t had much of a role over the last three seasons and has struggled shooting the ball recently. He is mainly a 3-point shooter these days, averaging 4.4 points and 1.2 assists while shooting 34.2% from the field and 29.8% from the 3-point line in 15 minutes over 17 appearances with the Jazz.
According to Law Murphy of The Athletic, Mills is expected to remain on the Clippers for now. However, Murphy added with Mills making the minimum, he may be bought out later.
Jazz Trade Grade: C
Utah has really struggled this year. The Jazz sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 11-36. The Jazz, who could be sellers at the trade deadline, are on pace to set a franchise record for fewest wins. The Jazz’s worst season was their first in the NBA in 1974-75 when they finished with a 23-59 record.
With the trade, Utah has 15 players on standard contracts. Despite adding some money with the trade, the Jazz are $20 million below the luxury tax. So, Tucker will certainly be bought out.
Bamba likely won’t see much time with the Jazz, depending on what else they do at the trade deadline. Bamba, who is strictly a center, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Kyle Fillipowski is expected to take over the backup center full-time, though the 21-year-old can also play the four. Two-way players Micah Potter and Oscar Tshiebwe, who can also power forward, figure to see more time as well.
Basically, Utah made the trade to add a second second-round pick in 2030. The Jazz also created a small trade exception by including Mills.
Photo by © D. Ross Cameron of Imagn Images
