Clippers preparing to make a move?
The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the teams expected to be pursuing Josh Smith when he clears waivers later today, but even if the Clippers don’t get Smith, ESPN’s Arash Markazi says we should expect a move to be made in the coming weeks:
Whether or not the Los Angeles Clippers win the Josh Smith sweepstakes when he clears waivers Wednesday and sign him to a veteran’s minimum deal or he goes elsewhere, the team will most likely make a roster move within the next couple of weeks.
Guard Jared Cunningham is on a non-guaranteed salary, so if the Clippers waived him (as they are expected to do before his contract is guaranteed Jan. 10) they would save about $600,000 off their team salary cap. That would give them enough to offer Smith or someone else a minimum-salary contract. So whether it’s Smith this week or another player down the line, look for the Clippers to make a move at some point in the coming weeks.
Markazi’s report comes after the Clippers loss to the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and a 125-118 loss to the defending champion Spurs on Monday.
The Clippers’ wing struggles are paramount on their roster. Spencer Hawes, though currently hurt has brought some needed depth in the front court, but there’s no true presence at the small forward for LA. We’ll see how they pan out in the Josh Smith sweepstakes and if they might look to shake things up approaching the trade deadline.
