Trade deadline moves further solidify L.A. Clippers' position as title contenders

The L.A. Clippers made several moves just before the NBA's trade period came to a close, adding to the overall strength of the roster.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The L.A. Clippers were dealt two aces over the summer. Now, the franchise is officially going all-in on 2020.

Already one of the top teams in the NBA, the Clippers solidified their position as title contenders Thursday afternoon. Not only was the team able to clear multiple roster spots in hopes of adding talent via the buyout market, but L.A. managed to pull in one of the top trade targets as well — all without overpaying.

Let's begin with L.A.'s first move of the day.

(Note: For the sake of this article, L.A.'s three-team deal will be treated as two separate transactions)

Derrick Walton Jr. goes South

The Clippers were dead silent in the hours leading up to the trade deadline, which left some thinking the franchise would stand pat with its current roster. After all, the team has been playing its best basketball of the season lately, and health finally seems to be on L.A.'s side. 

The silence was broken when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski announced the Clippers would be sending backup guard Derrick Walton Jr. to the Atlanta Hawks. In exchange, L.A. received cash considerations and a future, conditional second-round pick. 

Walton was having a solid season with the Clippers, appearing in 23 games and making one start. He became an important piece in December when he averaged just over 12 minutes per game and logged 30 in a contest with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As a third point guard, Walton did what he needed to. He stepped up when called upon, played well on both ends of the floor and moved the ball around. 

However, it was clear that he wasn't ready to get regular minutes with the second unit, and the Clippers needed to find an upgrade there. Ultimately, Walton's contract had to be moved.

The cash and draft compensation are not the top prizes here — rather, it's the open roster spot. By trading Walton, the Clippers have the freedom to pursue another player (presumably another guard) on the buyout market. Among those players available, Darren Collison appears to be the best fit, though the Lakers are hot on his trail as well.

The Morris the merrier

In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, one of the few players that were continuously linked to the Clippers was Marcus Morris Sr. The 30-year-old forward had been enjoying a career-year with the New York Knicks, averaging 19.6 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting from three-point range.

Along with the Clippers, the Lakers were rumored to be interested in adding Morris as well. His scoring prowess and size at the position made sense for both franchises, though his fit would be more seamless with the Clippers.

Both teams made offers to the Knicks, but ultimately it was the Clippers' offer of Moe Harkless and a 2020 first-round pick that got the job done.

That wasn't the way the deal was initially reported to be structured, though. At first, rookies Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele were rumored to be involved in the deal along with Harkless and the draft compensation.

Ultimately, the deal would become a three-team trade, looping in the Washington Wizards (more on that later), and the Knicks would settle on just two assets. 

Morris should raise the Clippers' ceiling by a significant amount. He isn't up to par with Harkless defensively, and he doesn't offer the same versatility on that end either. But Morris has proven to be a capable scoring option, and he should help the team work through some of the issues the starters have had.

That said, Morris might not unlock the Clippers' offense right away. Going from being the top guy in New York to this L.A. team means he'll need to be a little less "sticky" with the ball and be able to settle into a lesser role. Once that happens, we'll be able to get a better sense of what his impact will be. 

Schematically, Morris should work wonders for the Clippers. Opposing teams would consistently sag off of Harkless when he was out beyond the three-point line, which would often lead to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George being forced to take more difficult shots. Morris' inclusion should have the opposite effect, as he'll punish teams if they leave him open.

Morris will become a free agent this summer, but if things go well with the Clippers, L.A. could offer him a similar contract to the one he agreed to with New York last summer.

Clips swap Jerome Robinson for Isaiah Thomas

If one thing stands out from Jerome Robinson's time with the L.A. Clippers, it's that he would greatly benefit from a change of scenery.

Fortunately for both sides, he's going to get that.

Robinson was shipped to the nation's capital as part of the three-team deal that delivered Morris to L.A. In addition, the Washington Wizards sent guard Isaiah Thomas to the Clippers.

Thomas wouldn't be known as a Clipper for long, though. Soon after the trade was announced on Twitter, The Athletic's David Aldridge reported that L.A. would not be keeping Thomas — meaning he would be waived upon completion of the deal.

Doing so makes sense for the Clippers. Thomas might have been a solid option for the Wizards, but his fit in L.A. would be disastrous. Defensively, Thomas is one of the worst players in the league. Playing him alongside Lou Williams and Landry Shamet with the second unit is far from ideal, especially when the defense has been an area of concern for the bench this season.

Waiving Thomas opens up another roster spot for the Clippers, which they'll presumably fill with another guard or center. 

Until then, the Clippers appear to be in good shape. At 36-15, the franchise currently sits 2.5 games behind the Lakers for the top spot in the Western Conference. They'll play four more games before the All-Star break and then look to make a late-season push to remain atop the conference standings.