Harry How/Getty Images
The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly brought back
another key player from last season’s roster Friday by signing guard
Reggie Jackson to a two-year, $22 million contract.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported
details of Jackson’s deal, which represented the maximum allowable
by the collective bargaining agreement. ESPN’s Bobby Marks provided further details about
the agreement:
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Cap hit on Jackson signing:<br><br>2021/22: $10,384,500<br>2022/23: $11,215,260<br><br>They are signing him with the early bird exception that required a minimum of 2 seasons (not including an option).<br><br>LAC still has the $5.9M tax ML<br><br>13 guaranteed contracts (if you include Kawhi) <a href=”https://t.co/RtVXuHeVtx”>https://t.co/RtVXuHeVtx</a>
Including the reported re-signing of Nicolas Batum, the Clippers have 12 players under
contract for the 2021-22 NBA season, though Kawhi Leonard is expected
to eventually re-sign to join the list:
- Paul George
- Marcus Morris Sr.
- Patrick Beverley
- Luke Kennard
- Reggie Jackson
- Serge Ibaka
- Rajon Rondo
- Ivica Zubac
- Nicolas Batum
- Yogi Ferrell
- Terance Mann
- Daniel Oturu
Before the potential Leonard contract,
Los Angeles is $53.7 million over the NBA’s salary cap but remain $23.9
million under the luxury-tax threshold, per Spotrac.
Assuming Leonard returns, the Clippers
will be basically trying to run it back with a squad that posted a
47-25 record in the regular season to earn the No. 4 seed in the
Western Conference.
They reached the conference finals before getting knocked out in six games by the second-seeded Phoenix Suns.
Leonard’s availability for the 2021-22
campaign is unsettled after he underwent surgery in July on a
partially torn ACL in his right knee, which is why re-signing depth
players like Jackson was so important.
Jackson averaged 10.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds across 67 games for the Clippers last season and has proven capable of being an impact player either as a starter or off the bench during time with the Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The lingering question is whether L.A.
will try to scour the trade market for a potential move
to bring in a third star alongside Leonard and George, or whether
they’ll enter the season without any marquee moves and then reassess
their needs at the trade deadline.
One name that’s popped up in the rumor
mill is Houston Rockets point guard John Wall. Houston is still
working through a rebuilding phase, which doesn’t make the
30-year-old guard a perfect fit for its roster, and Wall would bring that
added star power to L.A.
Since the Clippers are so far over the
salary cap, however, they’d have to find a way to make the salaries
comparable in order to make that type of blockbuster deal.
Wall is
heading into the third season of a four-year, $171.1 million contract
that includes a $44.3 million cap hit for 2021-22.
For now, Los Angeles’ front office will
probably focus on the logistics of getting Leonard back under
contract, though with a lot of free-agent movement already complete, there aren’t any teams with the financial flexibility to attract the
two-time NBA Finals MVP, furthering the belief he’ll end up back with
the Clippers eventually.
Once that happens, then perhaps the
Clips can see whether there’s a trade that makes sense before they
tip off the new season in October.
