INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Lawrence Frank thought that the Los Angeles Clippers' biggest move near the NBA’s trade deadline was going to be return of Kawhi Leonard.
The more Frank looked at his roster though, he realized that Leonard's addition wasn't going to be enough. So, Frank, the Clippers president of basketball operations, began looking at how to shore up his bench going into the last two months of the regular season.
Over the past week, the Clippers have added Bogdan Bogdanovic, Patty Mills, Drew Eubanks and MarJon Beauchamp, with another move or two still to be made.
“We feel really good that we improved our team on the margins, which is very important,” Frank said before Saturday night's game against the Utah Jazz. “We had to address some different positions and skillset needs and we feel good about the guys that we added.”
The Clippers acquired Bogdanovic and three second-round draft picks from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Terance Mann and Bones Hyland.
Bogdanovic is a player that Frank has liked for a long time, even though he has struggled shooting this season.
The 32-year old Serbian guard averaged 10 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists in 24 games for the Hawks this season. He hasn't played since Jan. 25 due to personal reasons but could make his Clippers debut on Wednesday against Memphis.
“We’re a little light on shooting and Bogdan gives us not just shooting but good size at the position. He’s a quick processor of the game," Frank said of the 6-foot-5 Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic, who helped Serbia win a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, is shooting only 37.1% from the field this season, which is down from his career average of 43.5%. Frank attributed the struggles to just bad shooting luck after examining his possessions.
“We're well versed in his game. With the way that (coach Tyronn) Lue plays and Bogdanovic's game, it is going to be a good fit. He is a tough competitor,” Frank said. “We're very confident that as long as he stays healthy he will be a positive contributor for us.”
Beauchamp, acquired from Milwaukee on Friday for guard/forward Kevin Porter Jr., gives the Clippers a young 6-foot-7 forward with some size at forward. Frank said Beauchamp didn't have many opportunities with the Bucks and that he was eager to see how he might develop.
Beauchamp averaged 2 points and 1.2 rebounds in 26 games this season for the Bucks.
Mills and Eubanks, both acquired from Utah on Feb. 1 for P.J. Tucker and Mo Bamba, also provide some flexibility off the bench.
The Clippers had lost three straight going into Saturday night's game against the Jazz, but were in seventh place in the Western Conference with a 28-23 record.
Some expected the Clippers not to contend for a playoff spot this season after Paul George signed with Philadelphia and Leonard missed the first 34 games as he recovered from a right knee injury.
“We know what our long-term strategy is, but also our short-term strategy is to be as competitive as we can possibly be and give ourselves a chance to go as far as we possibly can,” Frank said.
One player that Frank did not mention is Ben Simmons, who was waived by the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday after the team agreed to a buyout. ESPN reported that Simmons intends to sign with the Clippers once he clears waivers.
“We’ve been fortunate in the buyout market. You look at Nico (Batum), Reggie Jackson and Russ (Russell Westbrook), those guys had a huge impact,” Frank said. “We’re fortunate that we’ve always been a destination for buyout guys. Guys love playing for (coach Tyronn Lue), they’ve fallen in love with the franchise. So we’ll look at the buyout market and see how we can address some additional needs that we have.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
