Jerry West believes in stacking a roster with players who can either fill one role incredibly well or fill multiple roles on a basketball court at a competent level. His drafting of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was reminiscent of the Warriors acquisition of Shaun Livingston in 2014. West loved Livingston, calling him the best player on the Nets when the Warriors acquired him. While he enjoyed his play-making ability, West really loved his size and ability to fill in multiple spots on the defensive end. Shai has impressed fans with his strong Summer League performances and have some already claiming he is the best point guard in the draft. He can play with two other guards defensively as a wing, yet act as the second point guard on offense. Having two great guard defenders like Beverley and Bradley, and a ball facilitator in SGA will allow the Clippers to move the ball efficiently while somewhat keeping up size wise.

Everyone on the Clippers functions as a chess piece who has a use of sorts. Tobias Harris and Lou Williams are two of the most underrated isolation scorers in the NBA; Marcin Gortat is still a legitimate NBA starting center who sets hard screens, rolls to the rim, and rebounds well; Avery Bradley is one of the best point guard defenders in the NBA; Luc Mbah a Moute and Patrick Beverley are both elite NBA defenders who can knock down 3’s, and Danillo Gallinari gets to the free throw line like a madman (when healthy). The Clippers are filled to the brim with men who can contribute to winning basketball and be in the eight man rotation for a championship contender.

However, despite the massive collection of rooks, knights, and bishops the Clippers have collected, they are still missing a Queen and King to assemble them. Therefore, the Clippers will have to wheel and deal their existing pieces in order to get a Queen or King. Expect the Clippers to be star hunting in both the 2019 offseason and during the trade deadline this season. Superstars Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving will all find themselves as Free Agents in 2019. Khris Middleton and Kemba Walker are also intriguing second tier Free Agents who could complement a #1 star well.

Trading for a Star

If the Clippers consider themselves a legitimate threat to nab two star players, trading for Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard is not a bad move looking to 2019. The easiest way to attract a star player is by already possessing one. By attaining the Bird Rights of Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have the power to offer them more than any other team while playing in Los Angeles, potentially with another star on a team with players who can support their strengths. To get Leonard, the Clippers would have to package Tobias Harris, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a pick, and maybe another rotation piece (Beverley). This sounds threatening to Clippers fans, though the boon of an MVP level player like Kawhi Leonard could far outweigh the risk.

Winning the lottery and drafting Blake Griffin was the luckiest moment in Clippers history. His sensational rookie year led to Caron Butler being willing to sign with the team, Chauncy Billups did not ask for a trade (as some expected after the Clippers claimed him), and Chris Paul decided he was cool with going to the Clippers instead of the Lakers when the original trade fell through. Great players attract other great players. If the Clippers have Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler and a litany of other role players, it becomes a top tier free agent destination.

A fun potential star on the market is CJ McCollum. The Blazers are unhappy with their lack of playoff success; the Clippers could move Tobias Harris and two role players in exchange for McCollum, who has been an All Star contributor the past three seasons and could fill in at either guard role. McCollum is not Kawhi — but he is better than any player currently on the Clippers by a good margin.

Trading to Tank

The West is stacked. The difference between the Warriors and every team in the NBA is about the same as the difference between the middle class of the West and East. Going into 2019, a team like the Timberwolves with two superstars (Butler and Towns) might not make the playoffs due to the fit of players surrounding them, along with internal team strife. The Nuggets with offensive wunderkind Nikola Jokic are still trying to break into the playoffs, the Lakers added LeBron, Dallas added DeAndre Jordan and Euroleague MVP Luka Doncic. Wins in the West will not come easy for the Clippers, especially considering they have lost their defensive anchor and the talent around them has simply gotten better.

If the season goes south for the Clippers, expect key players to be traded. The draft is another way to find a star player. Long term, the Clippers’ front office does not want to settle on whether to sell their players for picks and focus on the future, yet is it the easiest one choice to default to if all goes wrong. Likewise, the Clippers are not afraid to pull the trigger if a player outplays their expected stock value. Blake Griffin was having one of his best stretches of the season when the Clippers chose to ship him to Detroit.

The Danillo Gallinari contract is viewed as “untradeable”. If Gallinari can stay healthy for a few months and resume the production from his final year with the Nuggets (19 ppg on 39% from 3), there are teams who would be willing to take on the stretch four if they are trying to make a push in the playoffs. If a Carmelo trade cannot materialize, a Gallinari plus a second round pick for Anthony’s expiring would be a win-win for both sides. OKC gets a scorer who can play the stretch four role (OKC is already locked in financially for 2019) and the Clippers get out of a bad contract. Worst case scenario, the Clippers could flip Gallo’s bad contract for a worse player on a slightly better contract.

Viewing the team

The Clippers in 2018 were a gritty and fun team to watch. As fun as Lob City was, by the end of the BG/CP era, the Clippers had become increasingly predictable and boring. After the loss to the Rockets in 2015, they never truly had the same zest. However, their culture is becoming reinvigorated — the Clippers had a gap year of sorts and are ready to move on. If the Clippers roster remains the same this season, the fans will have a fun team that goes 13 deep worth of players who deserve minutes.

But…

It may relieve fans to know nobody, except maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is untouchable.

Marcin Gorat is a 2nd round pick (maybe a 1st from a desperate team)

Tobias Harris is a 1st round pick (and superstar bait)

Lou Williams is a 1st round + 2nd round pick (and superstar bait)

Avery Bradley is a late 1st round pick (if he hits his 3’s, if not, probably a 2nd order)

Patrick Beverly is a late 1st round pick

Luc Mbah a Moute is a 2nd round pick

…everyone is available for the right price.