What Clippers' Surprise Trade With the Sixers Means for LA

While Los Angeles Clippers fans were expecting news on Bennedict Mathurin, Peyton Watson, or Jonathan Kuminga with the hopes of filling their final roster spot, the front office made an unexpected move. On Tuesday night, the Clippers acquired Johni Broome and a second-round pick, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Clippers Finally Add More Center Depth

Even though this trade came out of nowhere, it was a much-needed move for the Clippers. The big man rotation in LA was in desperate need of more quality and depth. Broome is not a well-established name, but he is young and has an intriguing upside, making him a worthy flier.

The fact that the Clippers were able to acquire Broome and got compensated for it in the form of a second-round pick is savvy work by the front office. The Clippers took advantage of the Sixers' desperation. Philadelphia had to cut salary to stay under the first apron after signing LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Broome and his $2.1 million salary became a cap casualty once the Sixers decided to go all-in this offseason.

The Sixers may not have room for Broome in their plans, but he is an ideal low-risk, high-reward player who makes sense for the Clippers.

Broome has been extremely productive in college and the G League on both ends of the floor. He was one of the best players in the country in his final season at Auburn before becoming the 35th-overall pick a year ago.

The reason he wasn't a high draft pick was his lack of elite athleticism. He neither has the lateral speed and mobility nor the vertical athleticism to be a true difference-maker defensively. Offensively, he has been taking and making more threes, but his jump shot is a work in progress.

If he starts hitting shots more consistently, Broome can become a solid offensive big man because he has the post skills and scoring inside the paint. An extended playing time with the Clippers could help the 24-year-old get there.

Broome should be able to earn minutes right away in the center rotation. Yanic Konan Niederhauser will miss the start of the season as he is recovering from foot surgery. The only other big men on the roster are Brook Lopez and Isaiah Jackson.

What Does This Mean for the Rest of the Team?

After taking Broome in, the Clippers don't have another roster spot, assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through. This means that if the Clippers want to re-sign Mathurin or trade for Peyton Watson, they have to part ways with a player under contract.

That could be someone like Cam Christie, who would be easy to cut because he is on a non-guaranteed deal next season.

Or it could be one of Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr., who are considered to be veterans with decent trade value. The Clippers could choose to get some future assets for either player on the trade market to open up space for another addition.

The Clippers now have four centers on their roster. Lopez, Konan Niederhauser, Jackson, and Broome should be sufficient in terms of quantity. Whether they are good enough to be competitive in the stacked Western Conference night in and night out, however, remains to be seen. More moves involving Jackson or Lopez may be needed to further upgrade the rotation.

Add us as a preferred source on Google