After a disappointing end to the season and the departure of Doc Rivers, the LA Clippers are hiring Ty Lue to be their next head coach, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
A year ago, the Clippers made an even bigger splash, acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a pair of bold moves.
Now Leonard and George are potentially a year away from free agency. This offseason, the Clippers can explore extension talks with George about a new contract.
How will the Clippers approach their big decisions this offseason on their own free agents?
Note: The financials here are based on the salary cap and luxury tax holding at the 2019-20 levels, as expected. Dates are subject to adjustment.
MORE: Biggest trade, free agency and draft decisions for every eliminated NBA team
Their free agents: Harrell, Morris and Green
There will be no major free-agent signings this offseason. The focus this year is on retaining the Clippers' own free agents.
LA has $114 million in committed salary, $18 million below the projected tax threshold. To bring all three free agents back, the Clippers will likely plunge into the luxury tax for the first time since 2016-17.
Allowing all three to walk would leave the Clippers with only the $9.3 million midlevel and $3.6 million biannual exception to use on an average-at-best free-agent class.
Considering the front office gave up three first-round picks and two pick swaps last offseason, and George and Leonard can be free agents in 2021, this is not the time for the Clippers to be conservative. The Clippers will certainly have a budget but also have the luxury of practically unlimited financial resources.
While other NBA teams are feeling the financial crunch because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that is not the case with the Clippers. Team owner Steve Ballmer has an estimated net worth of about $75 billion, and he recently bought The Forum for $400 million in cash. The site will be used to build an 18,000-seat arena, practice facility and corporate offices. The total cost projects to be $1.2 billion.
Here is a look at the Clippers' key free agents, starting with the 2020 Sixth Man of the Year.
In 2018, the Clippers leveraged Harrell's restricted free agency to sign him to a team-friendly, two-year, $12 million contract. In the past two seasons, Harrell averaged 17.5 points on 59.8% shooting from the field and played in every regular-season game except for one (missed because of the flu). Despite coming off the bench in all but seven games (of 145), Harrell averaged almost six minutes in the fourth quarter.
This time, though he's an unrestricted free agent, the financial state of the NBA, along with teams viewing him as a liability on the defensive end, will cloud his next contract.
Defensively, Harrell ranked No. 43 among power forwards (also No. 43 among centers) in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. Per Cleaning the Glass, he ranked in the 19th percentile in defensive rebounding. In the Game 6 loss to Denver, the Clippers were outscored by 19 points in Harrell's 15 minutes, and Harrell had only one rebound.
Creating a marketplace for the Clippers to bid against presents a challenge for Harrell's agent, Rich Paul; before the pandemic, Paul could have reasonably hoped for Harrell's new salary to hit $18 million to $20 million. With the cap projected to stagnate at $109.1 million, only the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat and New York Knicks are expected to have cap space. The remaining 24 teams will have either the $9.3 million or the $5.7 million exceptions.
The Hawks can be removed from the list with the trade deadline additions of Clint Capela and Dewayne Dedmon. The same with the Heat because of their desire to preserve flexibility in 2021 and also because of All-Star Bam Adebayo. As noted in the Hornets' offseason guide, general manager Mitch Kupchak will likely take a cautious approach to spending Charlotte's money. That would leave Detroit, New York (already with Mitchell Robinson) and the Clippers as the lone options.
Of course, there is the sign-and-trade option if the Clippers and Harrell cannot reach a deal. But because Harrell's next contract will likely be greater than $7.2 million (120% of his prior contract), the base-year compensation rule would apply. For example, if a Harrell contract starts at $14 million, only $7 million can be used for outgoing salary.
A fair contract for the Clippers and Harrell would be two years at $28 million total, with a player option in Year 2. The $14 million salary in Year 1 would nearly equal the amount Harrell has earned in his entire career, and the deal would give him the option of entering free agency again in 2021. The Clippers would have a trade asset -- although Harrell would have veto powers -- and they would avoid a long-term commitment.
Possible replacements if Harrell does not return are Nerlens Noel, Aron Baynes and Bismack Biyombo.
If we were ranking the Clippers' free agents in terms of the team's priorities, Morris (and Green) would likely leapfrog Harrell, based on these factors:
Versatility on the offensive end, with the capability to fill either forward position;
Ability to guard three or more positions;
3-point shooting (50.9% in the playoffs and 40.8% in the regular season).
Morris is coming off a one-year, $15 million contract that he signed with New York. The balloon payment in salary would allow the Clippers to offer a starting salary of $18 million despite his having only non-Bird rights.
Expect the market for the forward to start at the $9.3 million midlevel exception and expand to $14 million to $15 million, but for only one year. In theory, a team like Atlanta or possibly Detroit (again) would be a good fit on a one-year, $15 million to $17 million contract. However, with leaguewide revenue taking a significant hit, expect teams, even the ones with cap space, to take a conservative approach.
As for the Clippers, the starting point should not be $18 million (the maximum allowed) but in the range of $12 million to $13 million per year on a two-year contract. That length would align with what is remaining on the contracts of Leonard and George.
Despite the uncertain financial landscape of the NBA, the Clippers should be prepared for Green potentially to opt out of his $5 million contract.
Green has value on both ends of the court because of his versatility to guard multiple positions. On offense, he is an ideal bench option, averaging 6.8 points on 38.7% from 3. Don't be surprised if Green sees offers for all or most of the $9.3 million midlevel exception. He would be a good fit in Portland, especially if Carmelo Anthony does not return.
Despite having his rights renounced last summer, Green will have Bird rights, allowing the Clippers to exceed the cap to bring him back.
The potential Paul George extension
It was only two years ago that George signed a four-year, $136.9 million contract in Oklahoma City. Because the contract was for four years (not the maximum five), George is now extension eligible.
He could become a free agent next year because of his player option in 2021-22 -- as can Kawhi Leonard.
But the true precedents might be CJ McCollum and Bradley Beal, both of whom added years and new money to their existing contracts. McCollum got an additional three years at $100 million; for Beal, it was two years at $72 million.
For George, the Clippers can add an additional three seasons (if his player option is amended) for a total of $128.9 million in new money. That said, it's not clear the Clippers would commit that kind of money to a wing who will be 32 before the extension begins and has an injury history that includes surgery on both shoulders, a hamstring injury this season and a compound fracture of his right leg in 2014.
George could certainly bet on himself by opting out in 2021 and looking to secure a five-year, $220 million contract with the Clippers or four years, $140 million with another team. Expect discussions on an extension this offseason, with no indication yet if the two sides will find a deal that works.
Offseason cap breakdown
The Clippers have $114 million in guaranteed contracts for 10 players. They will be right at the $109.1 million salary cap if Green opts out and does not return.
What Los Angeles has in a cap exception will be based on the free agency of Morris and Harrell. If both players return, the Clippers will likely have the $5.7 million tax midlevel exception.
The Clippers have $3.6 million and $1.5 million trade exceptions.
The resources available to build the roster
Their own free agents: Morris, Green and Harrell
Expiring contract of Lou Williams
Cash to send out and receive in a trade
Exceptions: up to $5.7 million tax midlevel
Dates to watch
Green has until the day before free agency begins to opt into his contract.
Joakim Noah has a $2.7 million non-guaranteed contract. The salary becomes protected if he is not waived by the first regular-season game.
Restrictions
Because of the George trade, the Clippers are not allowed to trade a first-round pick in any year.
Leonard has a 15% trade bonus in his contract. The bonus would be voided in the unlikely scenario Leonard is traded.
Green cannot be traded until he opts into his contract.
The $2.7 million Noah contract would count as zero outgoing salary because it is non-guaranteed.
Draft assets
The George trade depleted the Clippers' draft assets. LA will send Oklahoma City an unprotected first in 2022, 2024 and 2026. In addition, the Thunder have the right to swap firsts in 2023 and 2025.
From the Morris trade, the Clippers sent New York their own first this year, and the Knicks have the right to swap firsts in 2021 (top-four protected).
Here is how Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have the Clippers selecting in the draft:
• No. 57 (own): Nate Richards | Kentucky | C
The Clippers have their own second-round pick in every year except 2021. They also have a second from Detroit in 2023.