The Los Angeles Clippers added more names to their roster in free agency, as Adrian Wojnarowski announced that they signed Mo Bamba to a one-year deal. The salary details haven't been revealed, but it could just be for the league minimum considering Bamba's value in the NBA.
The Clippers signed Bamba to replace outgoing bigs like Mason Plumlee, who joined the Suns, and Daniel Theis. They now have a full roster, with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden , Russell Westbrook, Ivica Zubac, Terrance Mann, Norman Powell, Kevin Porter Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, Mo Bamba, Cam Christie, Bones Hyland, Amir Coffey, and Kobe Brown.
Russell Westbrook expects to be traded soon after he opted into his $4 million player option. The Denver Nuggets have shown interest in Westbrook, and Westbrook would like to play with the Nuggets . So a deal should be struck for Westbrook soon, whether it be with the Nuggets or with another team.
The Clippers will hope that the duo of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden can stay healthy this year, especially now that they have lost Paul George, and expect to trade Russell Westbrook. Their two stars must stay fit if they want to compete for an NBA championship.
The Clippers paid James Harden in free agency, offering him a 2-year, $70 million contract . They chose not to re-sign Paul George as he wanted a 4-year deal, and the Clippers were not willing to offer him that without a significant pay cut. Losing George is a big blow, as he is one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
Can The Clippers Win A Championship This Year?
The Clippers are no longer one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Teams like the Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Thunder surpassed them last year. And one can argue that losing George has only made the team weaker. While they still have Kawhi Leonard , who is one of the best players in the league, his fitness is a big problem.
Leonard played 64 games last season, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. But he sustained an injury in the first round of the playoffs and didn't return to the court, leading to the Mavs knocking the Clippers out in the first round of the playoffs.
The Clippers have a problem because their best player has major fitness issues, and their second-best player underperforms in the playoffs. At least one of these issues must be fixed if they want to have any chance of competing for an NBA championship.
It will be a tough season for the Clippers in a strong Western Conference. What was once a championship contender is now a playoff team at best. Despite having one of the best coaches in the league, it is difficult to imagine the Clippers finding a lot of success this season, considering how stacked the West now is with at least four contending teams.
Unless the Clippers make a big trade to retool their roster, they will have to work with the players they have right now. And without being able to rely on Leonard regularly, the Clippers are unlikely to make any kind of championship run.
Related: 2024 NBA Free Agency Grades: The Best Signings From Day 1
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