Report: Luc Mbah a Moute Agrees to Clippers Contract After 1 Year with Rockets
July 9, 2018
Swingman Luc Mbah a Moute helped lead the Houston Rockets to the best record in the NBA during the 2017-18 season, and the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly rewarded him with a new contract offer.
On Monday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Mbah a Moute has agreed to a one-year deal with Los Angeles.
The UCLA product played the first five seasons of his career for the Milwaukee Bucks after they selected him in the second round of the 2008 draft, but he has been something of a journeyman in recent years. He has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Rockets over the course of the last five campaigns.
The 31-year-old has never averaged double-figure scoring totals in his career, but he can be a solid piece of a rotation with the ability to extend his game beyond the three-point line (36.4 percent in 2017-18) or attack in the lane if openings present themselves.
Mbah a Moute averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals a night in 61 games for Houston last season, 15 of which were starts.
While he can contribute on the offensive side, he is also an impressive defender. According to NBA.com, opponents shot 1.2 percent worse than their normal averages when he defended them last season. What's more, Houston's defensive rating was 101.2 when he was on the floor and 105.5 when he was off it.
Mbah a Moute isn't a franchise-altering signing, but the veteran provides a playoff-tested presence who can help anchor Los Angeles' wing defense while also adding shooting on the outside.