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After a hugely disappointing end to their 2019-20 campaign, the Los Angeles Clippers have made some dramatic changes to their roster. The Clippers lost the sixth reigning man of the year Montrezl Harrell to rival Los Angeles Lakers, but replaced him with veteran forward Serge Ibaka. They also traded reserve guard Landry Shamet and landed Luke Kennard to fill his void. The Clippers might not be done making moves either. Rival teams also expect Los Angeles to trade veteran guard Lou Williams, according to New York Times’ Marc Stein. Williams currently has a year left on the three-year, $ 24 million deal he signed with the Clippers in 2018, and he will be an unrestricted free agent in the next offseason.
From Stein:
The Clippers, however, did not fold. They entered the offseason determined to make dramatic chemical changes after a humiliating second-round playoff exit in Denver. They went from Harrell – which team officials quietly decided to leave – drawing Serge Ibaka away from Toronto. The additions of Ibaka and Luke Kennard (via trade with Detroit) are just the beginning; Many rival teams also expect the Clippers to trade Lou Williams in their quest to create a fresh start environment after losing a 3-1 lead to the Nuggets.
Regarding the Clippers’ issues last season, Williams said he believes a lack of chemistry is a major issue.
“I think a lot of the problems we encountered, the talent saved us; chemistry not, ”Lou Williams said after the Clippers were bounced back in the Western Conference semifinals by the Denver Nuggets, via Sports Illustrated. “In this series it has failed us. We know this is our first year together. We are a very talented group and we have failed.
“You know, we had expectations for the championship,” added Williams. “We had the talent to do it. I don’t think we had the chemistry to do it and it showed. We had gaps in defense and attack where I think guys who played in systems where they were supposed to be in certain places. offensively, a lot of different guys made adjustments. You know, it shows. ”
Williams is a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year award winner, and even though he’s rising up there in age (he’s 34) he’s still a hugely effective scorer. He’s averaged over 18 points per game in each of the past three seasons, while shooting over 41 percent from the ground. If he’s made available in trade talks by the Clippers, he’s likely not to be short of suitors. Virtually any contender could use their instant attack off the bench. The fact that he only has one year left on his current contract will also be appealing to the teams, as it allows them to add veteran custody for a single season without compromising long-term financial flexibility. As such, Williams’ situation in Los Angeles is definitely one to watch as the 2020-21 season approaches.
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