Clippers Trade Rumors: LAC Expected to Deal a Center at 2022 Deadline
The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly planning to part ways with one of their big men before Thursday's trade deadline.
Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Clippers are willing to deal one of their three centers to help open up the rotation.
"Serge Ibaka's the most likely candidate because of his expiring salary, but there are scenarios, team president Lawrence Frank has said, where he returns," Greif wrote (h/t HoopsHype). "Some around the league take that to mean that there are scenarios where potentially Ivica Zubac could be packaged and sent elsewhere as part of a bigger move."
Isaiah Hartenstein is the third center on the team. Greif noted that the Clippers' three-man rotation at the position "has not truly worked all that well for anyone involved."
Zubac has been the team's regular starter when healthy and he leads Los Angeles with eight rebounds per game and 65.1 percent shooting to go with an average of 9.6 points in 24.1 minutes.
Hartenstein has appeared in 41 games and averages 7.3 points on 62.4 percent from the field. Ibaka, a 12-year veteran, is averaging career-lows of 4.3 rebounds and 15.4 minutes per game.
The Clippers already made a splash by acquiring wing players Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers Friday. The Blazers received Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick in the deal.
Both Powell and Covington made their team debuts for Los Angeles on Sunday and came off the bench. Powell displayed the offensive potency that is expected of him, scoring 28 points in a 137-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Covington, who is known for his defense, added 13 points.
At 27-28, the Clippers are trying to keep pace in the playoff race in the Western Conference. The team has been without star forward Paul George (elbow) since December and his running mate Kawhi Leonard (knee) for the entire year.
Los Angeles has shown that it is not giving up on the season, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team make another move before the deadline to improve its roster.
