The movements in Los Angeles Clippers are expected to continue and the hiring of Tyronn Lue as the new head coach will not be the last big news from the club this offseason. The team is seen to make more changes that will see new signings and departures from the current roster.
For the latter, NBA insiders are saying the Clippers will need to do some lineup tweaks in light of the rumors that a group of players has expressed disappointment that Kawhi Leonard has gained too much power with the organization.
Among the players mentioned were Patrick Beverly, Montrezl Harrell, and Lou Williams, and according to Fox Sports, these stars disapproved of the "preferential treatment" accorded by the team management to Leonard, who joined in last summer.
Citing the information shared by an unnamed NBA executive with The Athletic, the report added that the negative vibe among the Clippers stars will force the front office to take drastic action. That is, the Clippers roster will be broken up but it's still unknown who will remain in LA and who will be on the way out soon.
The speculation came out as several members of the roster are set to become free agents in the offseason, including Harrell.
Leonard has the option during the break to opt out of his contract but the former Finals MVP is believed to be untouchable. That means the chance is slim he will leave the team unless he makes a transfer request.
Also, Paul George is the subject of persistent trade rumors due to his unimpressive showing during the bubble games. The New York Knicks are thought to be the most interested to make a deal on PG but for the Clippers, the likely scenario is to keep George for at least one more season and find a third star to support the Leonard-George tandem.
That new acquisition has to be a point guard, "a playmaker that can carry the load and pull the strings of the offense," Fadeaway World suggested.
With the new hire, the two Clippers superstars will be freed up from the setting up duties and focus on working the ball. The team will stand to get better efficiency with a full-time point guard and the same report floated a few names.
Two familiar names should catch the eye easily and they are Derrick Rose and Chris Paul. These are NBA veterans and for the Clippers, having them on board could translate to an immediate impact, which is what the team needs these days.
Rose and Paul campaigned in the last season with the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder respectively and the two proved that their gas tanks can still supply the expected boost. The pair was so impressive that speculations are rife the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to recruit anyone of them.
The interest generated by the two vets should convince the Clippers to take a second hard look but the team can also consider relatively younger candidates such as John Wall, Mike Conley, and Jrue Holiday.
