P.J. Tucker of the Los Angeles Clippers is the second-oldest active player in the NBA. He will turn 40 years old next May. The only active player born before Tucker is LeBron James, who will be 40 years old at the end of December.
To the surprise of no one, Tucker decided to pick up his 2024-25 player option for around $11.5 million with the Clippers. It is unlikely that he would received anything other than the veteran’s minimum if he entered the open market. That led to speculation about the Clippers looking to move on from him. That seems less likely the closer we get to the 2024-25 season beginning.
Former NBA Champion Likely To Remain With Clippers
Tucker To Be In Clippers Uniform Opening Night?
The Clippers regular season opener takes place on October 23 against the Phoenix Suns. It will be the first regular season game to take place in the Clippers new home arena, the Intuit Dome. There is a good chance that Tucker will be in attendance.
Law Murray is a writer for The Athletic who covers the Clippers. On Thursday, he wrote about the official ribbon cutting for the Intuit Dome. In the article, he also brought up Tucker.
Per league sources, the Clippers are preparing for the possibility that forward PJ Tucker will be with the team to begin the season as well. Tucker opted into the final year of his contract and though the Clippers explored trading him, roster spots around the league are accounted for, making a deal unlikely before training camp.
There are very few teams that have open roster spots this deep into the offseason. Many teams are intentionally keeping a spot open due to second apron concerns. Also, Tucker clearly isn’t an $11.5 million player at this point in his career.
Previously Wanted Trade From Team
In the 2022 offseason, Tucker agreed on a three-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (third year being a player option). Early into last season, Tucker was involved in a three-team deal that saw him and James Harden shipped to the Clippers. After Tucker played in the first 12 games after the trade, he went a lengthy period of time without leaving the bench. From November 29, 2023 until February 22, 2024, Tucker did not play a single second. That was 38 straight games where Tucker didn’t have to take off his warmups, nearly half a season.
A key member of the Milwaukee Bucks championship team in 2021, Tucker was displeased with his situation of not playing. He was fined $75,000 by the NBA for his public trade request, which included these comments he made to Andscape.
“I want to be somewhere where I’m needed, wanted and can do it all,” Tucker said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen but I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping to go somewhere else, whether I get bought out and choose where I go or where I can play.”
A trade never went down and Tucker remained with the Clippers for the rest of the 2023-24 season. It’s beginning to look like a trade won’t occur before the opening of the 2024-25 regular season either.
