Los Angeles Clippers: Spencer Hawes or DeAndre Jordan Late in Games?

The Los Angeles Clippers addressed a long-standing void in the rotation by signing big man Spencer Hawes to a four-year contract worth $22.65 million. With a player option for 2017-18, Hawes is in Los Angeles for the long-haul.

The question is, what does that mean for DeAndre Jordan? More specifically, how will these players be incorporated into late-game situations?

Jordan, a pending free agent, is the higher-paid of the two centers and the established starter. Head coach Doc Rivers has molded Jordan into an excellent young player who led the league in rebounding and ranked No. 3 in blocks in 2013-14.

For the season, he posted averages of 10.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

Hawes isn’t quite the defender that Jordan is, but he’s become one of the best offensive centers in the NBA. With the positional versatility to play the 4, he’s a valuable asset to a team that’s flush with talent.

Hawes finished 2013-14 with averages of 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 41.6 percent from beyond the arc and sinking 128 3-point field goals.

With MVP candidate Blake Griffin starting at power forward, this beckons the question: will it be Hawes or Jordan on the floor in late-game situations?

Putting starting jobs and the finances aside, it’s not as easy a question to answer as you may think.

Offense

Free throw shooting is vital, but it rarely decides a debate. This is one of those instances where it may do that.

Much could change in 2014-15, but to date, DeAndre Jordan is a historically poor free throw shooter.

Jordan shot an astonishingly low 42.8 percent from the charity stripe during the 2013-14 NBA regular season and 43.4 percent during the playoffs. That’s an improvement from his career mark of 42.5 percent at the free throw line.

That’s very close to being Ben Wallace bad.

For Hawes, shooting the basketball isn’t an issue whatsoever. Not only does he have range beyond the arc, but he’s a reliable free throw shooter who can knock down the freebies as well as any center.

Hawes shot 78.3 percent from the free throw line in 2013-14. Amongst centers, only Robin Lopez was better.

Only Andre Drummond was worse than Jordan.

There are other factors involved here, including Jordan’s supreme athleticism and transition prowess. During late-game situations, when things slow down and every second of the shot clock counts, that doesn’t always have a place.

Hawes’ ability to go to the post, facilitate and shoot plays far better in said scenarios. He’s a lethal 3-point shooter whose ability to space the floor will open up the paint for slashers Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford, as well as dive man Blake Griffin.

With the game on the line and the Clippers in need of a bucket, the unbiased and obvious choice to go with is Hawes. Entering 2014-15, he’s the more skilled offensive player.

As for the other end, that’s where Jordan gains the edge.

Defense and Rebounding

Where Spencer Hawes is superior on the offensive end, it’s DeAndre Jordan who holds the edge on defense.

One of the most important aspects of a close game is being able to keep your opponent off of the offensive glass. Second-chance scoring opportunities are destructive to allow and massive to receive.

That’s why Jordan has such immense value.

Jordan led the NBA with 13.6 rebounds per game during the 2013-14 regular season. He was No. 2 in both defensive and offensive rebounds per game.

Hawes is no slouch on the glass, but Jordan is flat-out dominant in that regard.

Defensively, the gap grows substantially. Jordan was No. 3 in blocks per game and No. 7 in blocks per 48 minutes, while Hawes ranked No. 24 in blocks per contest and No. 43 in blocks per 48.

According to NBA.com, Jordan faced 10.2 shots per game at the rim. In those scenarios, he held opponents to 49.8 percent shooting and improved progressively as the season went on.

Per NBA.com, Hawes faced 7.8 attempts at the rim per contest. He allowed opponents to convert at an an underwhelming clip of 57.1 percent.

Thus, this comes down to a battle between relatively hole-less offensive prowess and an infectious defensive tenacity.

Can L.A. Utilize Both?

During the 2014 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Clippers lost five separate games by six points or less. DeAndre Jordan’s free throw shooting wasn’t the reason for Los Angeles’ losses, but there was something missing at the end of games.

A presence like Spencer Hawes was the missing key.

A presence like Jordan’s can’t be lost.

The Clippers’ go-to offense is the pick-and-roll. Chris Paul is an elite facilitator and a deadly mid-range jump shooter, while Blake Griffin has utilized his power and athleticism to master the screen-and-dive system.

Not only can Hawes contribute in setting screens and diving, but he can space the floor for that offense to function. He’ll convert the 3-ball at a high clip, thus pulling the center out and opening the lane for Paul and Griffin to do what they do best.

On the other end, it’s as simple as this: a 7’1″ and 245-pound center can be taught to be a respectable defensive presence. It’s a lot easier to do that than to help a player how to overhaul their offensive skill set.

That makes Hawes the safest selection in a late-game scenario. It doesn’t mean he’s the only one who should be utilized.

It’s hard to imagine the Clippers going to a 2-3 zone to play Griffin at the 3, Hawes at the 4 and Jordan at the 5. It’s also not unthinkable given Griffin’s level of athleticism, but that’s neither here nor there.

What coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers can do with their current situation is create a balance based on the scenario. With timeouts seemingly happening after every dribble in a late-game situation, the opportunity for a substitution is abundant.

Los Angeles has a classic case of swapping specialists.

Hawes is strong enough defensively where Los Angeles doesn’t need to panic if he’s on the floor for a defensive possession. Inconsistent at the line, Jordan is still an athletic monster who holds value on the offensive glass and in the pick-and-roll game.

Thus, the on-paper solution exists: Hawes is the safer bet due to his vastly superior efficiency at the free throw line. Jordan is the athletically-gifted risk worth taking if a defensive stop is what’s necessary.

One way or another, both players will be competing for late-game minutes in a Clippers front court that finally has depth.

That’s a great problem to have.