Day: January 30, 2023

The LA Clippers have been linked to several high-profile point guards on the trade market. This is reportedly after Kawhi Leonard told the Clippers he’d welcome an addition at the lead guard spot.

LA has reportedly expressed interest in trading for Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz, Kyle Lowry of the Miami Heat and Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors. Leonard won the 2019 NBA Finals while teammates with Lowry and VanVleet in Toronto.

The Clippers can put together the necessary contracts to add the large salaries of any of the veteran point guards. They can also offer win-now veteran talent to teams looking to remain in the playoff hunt, or looking to reset quickly for next season. In addition, the Clippers haven’t shied away from taking on additional salary in recent years.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is “nowhere close” to returning, per Bulls coach Billy Donovan. Ball still hasn’t progressed to consistent running a year after having meniscus surgery.

“He’s made some progress, but I’d be the first one to tell you he’s nowhere near playing,” Donovan said. “He’s just not. Because he’s not running on a consistent basis. When he can get to that place where he can do that consistently and be able to come back the next day and do it again, do it again and do it again – I think you’ll feel a little bit more optimistic.”

Ball last played in a game on January 14, 2022. Ball still can’t run at full speed and do more than light jumping to shoot or dunk. Donovan said Bulls leadership would need to see significant improvement before the All-Star Break, or it’s time for some difficult conversations.

“If you start to get to that point, I think there will probably end up being some conversations: ‘OK, what if he’s still not close to playing? What’s the plan going forward?'” Donovan said.