A lot of the moves that the Los Angeles Clippers made this offseason were lauded around the basketball world. They looked to have put together the deepest roster in the NBA and were considered by many to be true title contenders in the Western Conference.
There were some risks involved, but the overall talent was hopefully going to outweigh that. But, just hours away from the trade deadline, it is clear that the Clippers need to make some changes.
Injuries have impacted the team’s performance on the court as they have failed to build much chemistry and cohesion. In the congested Western Conference standings, the Clippers are currently 6th with a record of 31-27. They are only 4.5 games ahead of the 13th-place Los Angeles Lakers, so one poor stretch can send you tumbling down the standings.
The one area the team is looking to shore up is their point guard spot. Terence Mann has been starting there recently, but he has always played a wing in his professional career previously. There was hope that John Wall would be able to shore things up in the backcourt, but that has not come to fruition.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: John Wall & LA Clippers Updates
Wall has struggled with his efficiency this season with a shooting split of .408/.303/.681. His -9.1 net differential is also the worst on the Clippers. He is also dealing with an abdominal injury that has kept him sidelined for a few weeks.
While his comeback story was one that many people were rooting for, the Clippers are about ready to pull the plug. According to Marc Stein, they are ready to cut ties with Wall whether that is via trade ahead of the deadline or a buyout after it.
The fact that has been reported speaks volumes to Wall’s value, or lack thereof, around the league. If the Clippers are already open to buying him out, it probably means there aren’t teams lining up to send out an asset to acquire him, which is understandable.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: John Wall & LA Clippers Updates
On the season Wall is averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 assists per game. Those numbers don’t seem bad, but when taking a deeper look, it is evident just how poorly he is performing. To compete with the upper-echelon teams in the Western Conference, the Clippers need to find an upgrade for their backcourt.
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