Rationale for Clippers
There’s a real chance the Clippers’ superstar duo doesn’t stick around long-term when considering the type of contract they each signed. They could opt out after the upcoming season and if Kawhi Leonard were to exercise that option, Los Angeles would be left depleted of its future.
There aren’t many teams that can offer a direct replacement on the wing for Paul George while also having intriguing draft capital. Andrew Wiggins may have not reached superstar status, but he’s 25-years-old and would give the Clippers a brighter long-term future.
Being able to bring in the No. 2 pick in this year’s NBA Draft would help the Clippers to bring in a prospect to pair with Wiggins for the long haul. Being able to bring in James Wiseman would be an intriguing possibility to bring a more athletic presence at the five spot.
The Clippers would also add another intriguing prospect with the Timberwolves’ 2021 first-round selection next offseason— assuming they don’t finish within the top three of the NBA Draft Lottery. If that were to occur, they’d still add a prospect, it would just be unprotected in 2022.
Some additional context to consider, the Clippers would trim their salary cap spending by about $5.9 million. While that’s not a massive difference, it’s still helpful when trying to reconfigure the reset of the roster.
