2016 Los Angeles Clippers

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, David Kay and Peter Christian of the The Sports Bank. Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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Los Angeles Clippers (Last Year: 53-29)

2016-17 Projected Depth Chart:

C: DeAndre Jordan

PF: Blake Griffin

SF: Paul Pierce/Branden Dawson

SG: J.J. Redick/C.J. Wilcox

PG: Chris Paul

NBA Free Agents:

SF-Jeff Green (UFA)

G-Austin Rivers (UFA)

F-Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (UFA)

SF-Welsey Johnson (UFA)

PG-Pablo Prigioni (UFA)

PF-Jeff Ayres (UFA)

C-Cole Aldrich (PO)

2016-17 Team Salary: Approximately $78.3 million

NBA Offseason Team Needs:

1. Wing Scorer: With Jeff Green, Jamal Crawford, and Austin Rivers all free agents this summer, the Clippers have some holes to fill on the wing. Paul Pierce is no longer a starting-caliber player in the NBA, so the team needs an upgrade at the starting small forward spot as well as a bench scorer.

2. Frontcourt Depth: The Clippers have been looking for frontcourt depth behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin for the past couple of seasons, but have yet to find consistency at that spot. Cole Aldrich was serviceable as a backup big last season, but is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. L.A. doesn’t have a ton of money to spend here so must take the affordable route or look to the draft to find options up-front.

3. Backup Point Guard: L.A. used a few different players at the point when Chris Paul was off the floor, but all three of them; Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford, and Pablo Prigioni are free agents. The Clippers will have to pinch their pennies here, and this could be another position they address through the 2016 NBA Draft.