The Clippers are big buyers and the people of the NBA are “scared”
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports has claimed that people in the NBA are “scared” by the Los Angeles Clippers be buyers in the commercial market, due to the resources they have and the fact that they quietly go about their business.
The team is currently riding a five-game losing streak sitting on the playing field, but the mood created by a couple of tough performances on the court doesn’t seem to translate to the boardroom level across the league.
During an appearance on Seth Partnow’s podcast ‘Callin Shots’the host asked Fischer what he thinks of the current state of the franchise and what they might do with the trading pieces they own, noting them as a potential “hub of activity” for trades.
Fisher replied:
“People are scared of the Clippers, man. People are scared. You think you’re turning out to be the big, bad contender that a lot of people predicted to win the championship this year, right? So I definitely think they will, acting as that sleeping giant, who is not so asleep with what Steve Ballmer has, they will definitely be buyers.”
The franchise still has a roster spot to play with, having entered the middle of the season with Ivica Zubac as the only recognized big man on the main roster, and some poor performances this season have left fans calling for reinforcements. shouting. position five.
With little to no noise coming out of the franchise about what future moves they might make, fans have been left to try and fill in the gaps about possible trades and free agent pick-ups. Fischer confirmed that the franchise was in the market looking for a big endorsement and even revealed the type of player they would likely be looking for.
He said:
“The obvious thing, and what I’ve heard pretty consistently, is that they’re looking for a big switchable backup, so they don’t necessarily have to go straight small if Zubac isn’t the answer at center. I don’t know who it would be right now.
“If you remember, Isaiah Hartenstein played a lot of reserve minutes for them last year. I don’t think it’s the exact archetype, but I’m saying you don’t necessarily have to have a super athletic, jumping, moody guy. If you’re just a big guy who can do well and handle his own change and still bring size to the rim, I think he’s someone they’re looking at.”
Hartenstein left for New York in the offseason after the Clippers decided to give John Wall their midlevel taxpayer exception, and the German confirmed he needed to go somewhere where he felt valued. Although he has struggled during his time with the knicks causing some fans on this side of Los Angeles to spew rumors of a return, it’s unlikely a win-win move can be made.
So who else does that leave? Partnow noted that the dallas mavericksDwight Powell would be the type of player they’d be looking for in terms of on-court ability, but he was quickly written off due to his salary and his ability to be a key player on a championship roster. Gorgui Dieng is another name that has sprung up after being recently sacked by the san antonio spurs and given his ability to stretch on offense, though he doesn’t necessarily match Fischer’s description of a tradeable big on the defensive side of the ball.
The Clippers likely have a number of goals in mind given that they signed Moses Brown to a two-way contract, a move surely designed to give them the flexibility to bring someone in or simply guarantee him or rookie Moussa Diabate. depending on who stands out more.
Who is that player? Well, as Fischer said, that remains to be seen. Perhaps as the trade deadline approaches, teams may be more willing to talk to Lawrence Frank about getting a piece of the resources their employers own.