Los Angeles Clippers: 2018-19 NBA season preview
By Luke Swiatek
2018-19 roster
Key additions: Marcin Gortat (trade), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (draft), Jerome Robinson (draft), Luc Mbah a Moute (free agency), Mike Scott (free agency)
Key subtractions: Austin Rivers (trade), DeAndre Jordan (free agency), Sam Dekker (trade)
The Los Angeles Clippers haven’t made some changes to their roster over the offseason, but it doesn’t feel that much different. Marcin Gortat is here to replace DeAndre Jordan, but while he’s not a super similar player, Montrezl Harrell is. He should get more playing time now as Gortat is on the decline and might end up starting full time.
The only other notable loss is Austin Rivers, but on a team featuring Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic, Avery Bradley and Lou Williams, a fifth solid-but-not-incredible guard wasn’t really necessary.
Considering the Clippers had just drafted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson too, they were pretty set in the backcourt.
Sam Dekker also left in free agency, but the Clippers picked up sweet-shooting big Mike Scott and versatile veteran forward Luc Mbah a Moute to take his minutes. They won’t miss Dekker.
Apart from the young players like SGA, Robinson and Harrell, it seems unlikely that there will be a ton of improvement from any of the players on the roster.
Teodosic, Bradley, Beverley, Danilo Gallinari, Mbah a Moute, Scott, Gortat and Boban Marjanovic are all either in their late 20s or early 30s, and many of them have proven to be injury-prone.
The one guy on the roster with the highest upside is Tobias Harris. If he can stay healthy and show out in a contract year, he could end up being the team’s best player by a wide margin.