Comfortable Clippers happy to avoid midseason roster changes
For the first time since taking over as the Clippers' head coach, Tyronn Lue doesn't have to juggle his rotations after the trade deadline. He doesn't have to incorporate new faces into the locker room or learn new names.
He did all of that on Oct. 31 after the Clippers added 10-time All-Star James Harden in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, adding the former league MVP to a veteran-laden lineup. So far, the addition of Harden has produced overwhelmingly positive results.
After losing five games after landing Harden, the Clippers (34-16) have lost just nine of 31 games, including Wednesday's 117-106 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. They sit in fourth place in the Western Conference, but are only one game behind the leaders. The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are tied for first with 36-16 records.
“It's good,” Lue said of having a set roster this late in the season. “I think what we've done since acquiring James and the different rotations, different combinations
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and finally getting it down to where it works for our team is really good. Just having familiarity with each other on the floor, I think guys are feeling comfortable in their roles, their minutes, and how we're playing.
“So, to break that up, I'm glad that didn't happen. I'm happy for the team we have, the guys we have in the locker room, and we'll see what we have going forward.”
The Clippers made one minor move before Thursday's trade deadline, acquiring Frenchman Israel Kamagate from the Nuggets for cash considerations in a trade-and-stash situation. Kamagate currently plays for Bertram Derthona Tortona in Italy's LBA league.
The lone move means the Clippers will continue with the same lineup as try to lock down a high playoff seed over the final 32 games of the regular season.
Standing pat also means that power forward P.J. Tucker, who came to the Clippers as part of the Harden deal, remains a part of the team. The 16-year NBA veteran had been vocal about his desire for playing time, either with the Clippers or elsewhere, in the days leading to Thursday's trade deadline. He has not played since Nov. 27.
Then late Thursday, Tucker expressed his feelings on his Instagram account, calling the lack of a trade “a (frigging) joke.”
“We like P.J. here and he'll get an opportunity,” Lue said. “If you're a competitor you're going to get frustrated because everybody wants to play,” Lue said. “Like I said, P.J. will be OK.”
Lue added that Tucker's presence in the locker room will not be a problem. Tucker was on the court shooting earlier than usual Friday before the Clippers practiced. They play the Detroit Pistons in a matinee game today.
Terance Mann's locker sits next to Tucker's, and he said he hasn't noticed any discontentment.
“P.J.'s been great. He's been great, he's always vocal on the bench, you know, telling us what we need to be doing, what we don't need to be doing,” Mann said. “He's a great guy. He's not going to be selfish and take away from the team at all.”