NBA Trade Rumors: LA Clippers make Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley available in discussions
The LA Clippers are looking for upgrades at the point guard spot with NBA trade rumors suggesting that they're happy to move on from Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley. Ty Lue's men are amongst the top three teams in the West but they're still looking to improve their roster.
As reported by Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the LA Clippers are happy to put Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley on the chopping block. Fischer mentioned:
"Los Angeles has made it widely known that Lou Williams is available, sources said, and there's a cohort in that front office ready to move on from Patrick Beverley as well..."
The NBA trade deadline for this season is March 25th. The LA Clippers will definitely be assessing their squad and making moves to fill out the chinks in their armor. Their forwards take care of the job on most days but they can certainly upgrade in the backcourt.
NBA Trade Rumors: What does the future hold for LA Clippers, Lou Williams, and Patrick Beverley?
Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley have both played crucial roles for the LA Clippers over the past few seasons. Sweet Lou has had multiple Sixth Man of the Year campaigns while Pat Bev is still a vital cog in the team's defense. But given the kind of money they're paid, the front office will be looking to derive more value.
Lou Williams is owed $8 million this year and is on an expiring deal. His production has almost halved from last season and he's shooting below 40%. The fact that he's almost a liability on defense doesn't make him a good fit come the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Patrick Beverley is owed roughly $13.3 million this year and $27.6 million through 2022 on his current contract overall. That's a lot of money for a pure defensive specialist.
The LA Clippers are hard-capped so they don't enjoy any room above the combined salaries of the two players in case they want to get a deal done. Even then, over $21 million can fetch them some useful two-way guys.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors - Chicago Bulls a possible destination for Lonzo Ball