Projecting the Clippers' Starting Lineup & Depth Chart After Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Clippers had a much more eventful trade deadline than many had expected. The team was signaling a quiet transaction period for weeks, but things didn't go according to the plan. Once James Harden asked to be traded, the Clippers had to pivot. They followed the Harden trade by moving Ivica Zubac to the Pacers.

Trading two of your three best players obviously means significant changes to the rotation. The Clippers brought back Darius Garland, Ben Mathurin, and Isaiah Jackson in the two trades. Head coach Ty Lue has to quickly integrate the three players into the lineup in the next two months before the postseason. What will the Clippers' starting lineup and rotation look like for the final 32 games of the season?

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
Darius Garland	Kris Dunn	Kawhi Leonard	John Collins	Brook Lopez
Kobe Sanders	Ben Mathurin	Derrick Jones Jr.	Nicolas Batum	Isaiah Jackson
Bogdan Bogdanovic	Cam Christie	Jordan Miller		Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Garland and Leonard have to be considered the only surefire starters at this point. Garland is nearing a return from his toe sprain and will be the starting point guard. Besides the two All-Stars, however, the rest of the rotation can go in different ways.

John Collins will likely get the nod to start at power forward. There is a chance Lue would move Derrick Jones Jr. into the starting lineup to get more defense, but Jones has to play himself into form after missing significant time with a knee sprain. Batum will continue in his role as a competent bench veteran.

Brook Lopez has the leg up over rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser and newcomer Isaiah Jackson. Lopez has been disappointing for most of the season, but he brings shooting and rim protection. Jackson could eventually usurp Lopez in the starting lineup thanks to his superior mobility and athleticism. All three centers, however, should see some minutes.

The fifth spot in the starting lineup will be a fascinating decision. Kris Dunn has had that role this season and he is a reliable defender who fits nicely next to Darius Garland in the backcourt. Mathurin has previously thrived in a sixth man role in Indiana, so Lue could easily keep Dunn as a starter. Mathurin should see heavy minutes as a secondary scorer and can expect to close games for the Clippers.

Kobe Sanders will likely be signed to a guaranteed deal in the coming days and will have a role off the bench as a combo guard. This gives Lue 10-11 players he can trust on any given night.

Cam Christie and Bogdanovic will be emergency backup options. Unless there are injuries in the backcourt, they will rarely see the floor. Given their performances this season, that shouldn't be too surprising to either player or Clippers fans.

Read More About the LA Clippers: