NBA Free Agency: Grading all 30 teams on trades and signings

NBA Free Agency Grades: LA Clippers

Signings: Nicolas Batum (2 years, $22.55 million); John Wall (2 years, $13.28 million); Amir Coffey (3 years, $11 million); Moses Brown (1 year, $1.9 million); Jay Scrubb (1 year, $1.84 million)

Trades: None

The LA Clippers have a luxury few other teams have, which is to build a team knowing that their owner is comfortable with a hefty bill heading his way. That has given them the necessary flexibility to add salary in a number of ways, and their current projections are to set a new record for total payroll next season (eclipsing Golden State’s record last season).

That’s in part why they were able to bring back swingman Nic Batum on a substantial raise up to $11 million a year, a player who isn’t necessarily “needed” on their team next year but gives them another wing option. Amir Coffey is also back on a modest three-year deal, a guard with good size and plenty of potential who came off of a two-way last year.

The big addition was John Wall, the onetime All-Star point guard who took last season off with the Houston Rockets. After agreeing to a buyout he came to the Clippers on a two-year deal at $6.6 million annually, a number that could be a bargain if Wall plays anything like his former self. If he wavers, the Clippers still have Reggie Jackson, Coffey and last year’s second-round pick Jason Preston, so it’s a worthy gamble.

Grade: B