The Los Angeles Clippers have a major crisis on their hands.
“According to Shams Karania of The Athletic, the Clippers’ Mason Plumlee (forward-center, 208 cm, 115 kg) is out for an extended period of time.
He recently injured his left knee and was scheduled to be re-evaluated in Los Angeles. At the time of the injury, he was diagnosed with a sprained collateral ligament in his left knee. The injury is believed to be rather serious and will keep him out of the lineup for two months.
Losing Plumlee for a significant amount of time early in the season put a red flag on the Clippers’ progress this season. The Clippers, who hadn’t had the luxury of building height until last season, acquired Plumlee at the trade deadline last season. It quenched their thirst for interior depth. Expectations were high heading into this season, as he came into the season healthy.
But when he got hurt early in the season, it made it harder for the Clippers to find depth at center. Missing two months is one thing, but losing him for that time is another. The trade of James Harden at the beginning of the season changed the face of the team. For the Clippers, who have been on a losing streak since Harden’s arrival, Plumlee’s extended absence hurts in more ways than one.
The good news is that the Clippers also got P.J. Tucker when they acquired Harden. Tucker has the advantage of being able to play multiple positions. However, like Harden, Tucker has only been in a Clippers uniform for a short time, so it’s unclear how much he can contribute. Furthermore, now that he’s entering the veteran ranks, he may be forced into a role as a true backup center. 토토사이트
Bringing in another center isn’t easy either. The Clippers have already used up all of their recent first-round picks to build their current roster. Even if they do have one, it’s all trade rights, which makes it even harder to bring in another big man. Daniel Theis (Indiana) could be an option, but even if the Clippers were to add a second-round pick to Plumlee, it could be a tough deal.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have dropped their last two games with Harden on the floor. They’re in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Prior to the losing streak, they had won three of their last four games, but they haven’t really been a force since Harden started. The team’s lineups and combinations aren’t quite right yet. The team may have to take a breath and make some changes to the roster.