Clippers' Trade Deadline Need Made Obvious Once Again in Loss to Nuggets

The Los Angeles Clippers can't continue to rely so heavily on James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Despite the Los Angeles Clippers righting the ship and looking much better in recent weeks, they still failed to break their losing streak against the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers lost their fourth straight regular-season game by double digits to the Nuggets. Add in the fact that Denver eliminated LA in the first round of the playoffs last season, and it's obvious that the Clippers aren't at the Nuggets' level.

There can be plenty of reasons for this, but one was made particularly obvious on Friday, and the Clippers can't waste any more time before addressing it by the February 5 trade deadline.

The Clippers simply don't have offensive firepower next to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. There is a clear lack of shooting, which results in cramped spacing for their two stars and not enough shot creation outside of Harden and Leonard.

This ends up putting a ton on Harden and Leonard's shoulders. Harden and Leonard had 31.5% and 32.8% usage rates, respectively, against the Nuggets. No other Clipper in the rotation had over 20% usage rate. In contrast, Denver had four players who had above-average (20%) usage rates for the game.

This has been a concerning trend all season. Harden's 31.3% usage rate for the season is his highest mark since his final full season with the Rockets. Leonard's 32.4% is the second-highest usage rate of his career. With both players in their mid-30s, this is not a sustainable winning formula for the Clippers.

Clippers Have a Desperate Need for More Offense Around Harden & Leonard

Before the season, the Clippers had Bogdan Bogdanovic, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul on the roster, all players who can create shots for themselves and others. Bogdanovic has been dealing with injuries all season, Beal is out for the year, and Paul is no longer with the team. The Clippers didn't add any players to replace these three veterans, leaving them short-handed.

Harden and Leonard have performed admirably, shouldering the massive workload they have been given. Kawhi is in the midst of the most efficient season of his career, and Harden is averaging his most points since the 2019-20 campaign.

Yet, it would be a mistake if the Clippers front office ignored the problem on offense and continued to put so much on their stars' plates. Harden and Leonard will continue to be the focal point of the offense, but a third reliable shot creator and shot maker is needed.

The Clippers don't need to break the bank for this type of player, but a trade package built around Bogdanovic's expiring $16 million salary and some draft capital could net the Clippers another offensive engine. Otherwise, the Clippers may end up being too predictable offensively in the final stretch of the season and the postseason, while risking running Harden and Leonard into the ground.