Sports
NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers' P.J. Tucker Monitored by Multiple Teams amid Latest Buzz – Bleacher Report
With P.J. Tucker confirming his frustration regarding his role on the Los Angeles Lakers, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that “multiple teams are monitoring” the situation.
Tucker hasn’t suited up since the Clippers’ 113-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 27. He made it clear to ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly he’d like to play more.
“I feel like I still got a lot to contribute to a team to be able to win, whether that’s here or somewhere else,” he said. “I know myself, my worth. I know what I bring. I know what I’ve brought. I know what I can continue to bring. And with that, I want to be able to go to a good team that I can be able to help that.”
Charania reported Monday the 38-year-old and Los Angeles “are discussing ways to resolve a role for him there or elsewhere.”
Tucker was included in the James Harden trade. At the time of his arrival, the assumption was that he’d provide some nice frontcourt depth, helping to space the floor and protect the rim when head coach Tyronn Lue wanted to go small.
Instead, the 6’5″ forward was averaging just 14.4 minutes per game through his first 14 appearances in L.A., his lowest usage since his rookie season in 2006-07.
Accommodating Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook requires sacrifices elsewhere on the roster.
Tucker himself admitted to The Athletic’s Sam Amick that “there’s not enough basketballs on the planet for this team, really.” He probably wasn’t counting on losing his spot to Kobe Brown, though.
The 2023 first-round pick has played in each of the Clippers’ last six games after Tucker fell out of the rotation, averaging 1.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.7 minutes on the floor.
It’s tough to see a way back for the Clippers at this point unless somebody gets injured to open a spot in Lue’s regular lineup.
And while Tucker appears to have a trade market, the appetite for prospective suitors to give up much of value could be minimal thanks to his age and contract. He has an $11.5 million player option for 2024-25.
A buyout might be the most logical conclusion to the situation. Tucker would have to forfeit some money, but he’d gain the ability to find a team on which he’d return to the role he prefers.