Los Angeles Clippers: Remaining Areas Of Concern
By Micky Shaked
May 7, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) handles the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22) during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
All-NBA first team point guard? Check. All-NBA second team power forward? Check. NBA’s leading rebounder at center? Check. Forty percent three-point shooter at 2-guard? Check.
Lethal two-way wing scorer/defender? Not so check. When fully healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers have one legitimate weak link in the starting five. There’s no room for that in the West.
Rivers thought he was on to something last summer by bringing in Jared Dudley from Phoenix and re-signing Matt Barnes. With Dudley’s outside range and Barnes’ tenacity as a defender/energy guy combined they could be Captain Planet the perfect situational platoon.
But Dudley succumbed to knee tendinitis and was removed from the starting lineup halfway through the season. He played 16.5 minutes per game the rest of the way, and put together the worst outside shooting performance since his rookie year.
Barnes followed up a solid contract year in 2012-13 with his own dud-ley. The journeyman’s 12.0 PER dropped to its lowest level since 2005-06, six teams ago when Barnes got 10 garbage minutes a night in Philadelphia. To be fair, the tattoo-laden wing was more effective when he took over Dudley’s starting spot, averaging 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists after January 20, per NBA.com.
Barnes’ role as team enforcer adds value, but the two wings will combine to make just over $7.5 million on a team with space for just two veteran’s minimum contracts. And, surprisingly, no executives around the league have jumped at the chance to take them off the Clippers’ hand in exchange for a singular upgrade.
Someone has to guard the Kevin Durants and Kawhi Leonards of the West. But who…