The Clippers have an extended break from games right at the 25-game mark, making this a great time to catch up on player grades. They are still covering the full season, but are more weighted to recent play (since the last grades at the 10-game point). Thus there aren’t massive changes to most grades, but there has been some movement up and down, as well as the addition of several players who weren’t in the rotation back in early November.
The Starters
James Harden: A- (Previously, B+)
It has been quite a season for James Harden, who has proven doubters wrong time and time again by being able to be the lead offensive engine on a decent NBA team even at age 35 and in year 16. His overall field goal percentage of 37.9% is awful, but his efficiency of 55.6% True Shooting is actually decent because he’s started making his threes (33.8% on 8.4 per game) and is still a legendary foul drawer (89.6% on 8.2 attempts per game). Harden’s turnovers are still high (4.4), but have ticked down significantly (they were at 5.1 at the 10 game mark and even higher earlier) while his assists remain at 8.5. Harden has also remained mostly ok on defense this year, and has contributed massively as a rebounder (6.8). In short, the Clippers would be absolutely cooked on offense without his scoring and playmaking, and if the Clippers can remain in the playoff race at the All Star break with Harden putting up similar numbers, he will be absolutely worthy of another All-Star berth.
Norm Powell: A (Previously, A+)
Norm’s numbers are down slightly from the last time I did these grades in early November, but he’s still averaging career highs across the board, logging 23.6 points per game on insane 64.2% True Shooting. He is shooting a preposterous 48.6% from deep on 7.9 attempts per game, and has seemingly been in the zone all season along (except when playing the Rockets). His defense has slipped somewhat from his strong play to start the year, and he still doesn’t provide much on the glass or as a playmaker, but as long as he’s scoring at this rate and efficiency he will get top marks.
Kris Dunn: A (Previously, A+)
Kris Dunn’s three-point shooting has fallen off (he’s down to 32% on 3 attempts per game), but everything else has been stellar. He remains the Clippers’ best defensive player, a demon on the ball who forces turnovers at an insane rate without overgambling and making bad rotations. The rebounding is solid, the playmaking is usually sound, and he brings out one or two floaters or drives per game to help keep defenses honest. If he was still shooting the lights out from three this would remain an A+, but it’s still nearly impossible to complain about Dunn, who rates as one of the most impactful defensive players in the entire NBA and still contributes elsewhere.
Derrick Jones Jr.: A- (Previously, A-)
It’s almost hard to write about DJJ, as he’s been perhaps the most consistent player on the team. He shows up every game (though a hamstring injury might throw that off), plays very good defense on guards and wings, contributes at least one lob dunk a night, and usually connects on a three or two for good measure. He has, in short, been a very solid starting wing for the Clippers, especially on the defensive end, and has more than lived up to his offseason contract. Jones has had few truly standout games, but also only a couple legitimately underwhelming performances as well. That steadiness at his paygrade and for his expectations earns him a very healthy grade.
Ivica Zubac: A- (Previously, A)
Zu has gotten off to a rough start in December. Through four games, he’s averaging 9.8 points and 10 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game while shooting just 47.2% from the field and 45.5% from the free throw line. His overall season remains quite strong (hence the grade), but he has definitely slowed over the past month after an incredibly dominant first eight games of the season or so. Some of Zu’s scoring being down has been on how the Clippers have used him, which has really puzzled me – he’s been operating a lot out near the three-point line on dribble hand-offs, which has taken him away from his comfort zone in the low post. Zu has still been an excellent rebounder and defender, but the Clippers have needed his scoring, and in some games haven’t gotten it due to poor offensive game planning. That might not be on Zu, but his production has taken a hit, and there have been a couple nights where the pouting and complaining has come back in force. Even at this level Zu is a very nice starting center, but he’s not playing at the All-Defense, All-Star level he was early in the year. And that’s fine!
The Reserves
Kevin Porter Jr.: D+ (Previously, D)
Even after a few weeks of better play, Kevin Porter Jr.’s season-long numbers remain dreadful. He’s scoring 9.3 points per game, but is doing so on a truly laughable 46.3% True Shooting. The NBA this season currently has a league average true shooting of 57.5%. Creators will usually have lower efficiency than play finishers, but that’s still terrible. In fact, of qualified players in Basketball Reference’s database this year, Kevin Porter Jr. ranks 190th out of 192 players in True Shooting, ahead of only two rookies on the dreadful Wizards (Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George). Porter Jr. has played well enough on defense, and is a decent rebounder, but his scoring efficiency has been so bad that he ranks as one of the worst players in the NBA by impact metrics. It’s been absolutely awful to watch him this season – his process is just as bad as his results, with the over dribbling and poor decision-making – and it hasn’t led to winning basketball. The Clippers should have cast him from the rotation weeks ago, but it seems like a demotion just isn’t going to happen. He gets a D+ because he’s still better than he was earlier this year, and defense and rebounding has been fine.
Amir Coffey: A (Previously, A-)
What a season Amir Coffey is having. Amir is now the Clippers’ fourth-leading scorer at 10.2 points per game, and is doing his damage in just 24 minutes a night. Amir’s resurgence has been driven by his career-best three-point shooting on both attempts (3.9 a contest) and efficiency (43%). He’s been the team’s second-best shooter behind Norm Powell, and it feels like he is making just about all of his wide open catch-and-shoot jumpers. The defense is still just fine and the playmaking lacking, but Amir’s scoring and shooting has been very valuable, and well above his expectations. I was thinking he might be out of the rotation early in the year, and that looks quite foolish now.
Jordan Miller: B (Previously, NA)
Jordan now has around a dozen games of rotation-level minutes under his belt, and has, for the most part, acquitted himself well. Jordan is being graded on more-or-less a rookie-grade scale, as he played zero rotation minutes in his actual rookie season last year and only a handful of garbage time minutes. Considering that, Jordan has certainly looked like he’s belonged, averaging 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 16.3 minutes per game. He gets to the line more frequently (per shot) than anyone on the team but Harden, Norm, and Zu, and his ability to get downhill and draw contact is valuable. The three-point shooting hasn’t quite been there (7-23 for the season, 30.4%), but he’s a willing enough shooter and the shot looks fine. The defense has been a bit disappointing for a defense-first prospect, as Jordan has gotten lost in rotations a number of times, but those are rookie type mistakes I’m sure will get ironed out. He should be in the rotation for the rest of the season barring a drastic slippage in play.
Terance Mann: C- (Previously, D+)
After an awful start to the season, Terance was just beginning to play better when he hurt his finger last week. The shooting has improved (up to 34% from deep), the defense has remained solid, and Terance was just more active and forceful in the games leading up to his injury. The Clippers will continue to miss his defense and size on the perimeter, but hopefully when he comes back he will be able to hit the ground running.
Nic Batum: B- (Previously, B)
Nico’s three-point shooting has ticked up over the course of the season, and now sits at 35.9% after a slow start. Still below his averages, but the sample size is so small two consecutive makes would put him back in his normal range. And that’s honestly the issue. Nico is frequently invisible (at least on offense) and is playing the fewest minutes per game of his career (18). The defense remains excellent, and he’s the team’s smartest post passer, but he feels wasted playing on the Clippers’ discombobulated second unit. I like the Clippers’ starting five, but I wish Nico would play more with guys like Harden and Zu, since he fits in better around stronger teammates. Considering his age and veteran smarts, its hard to drop Nico too far in grades even with his minimal contributions on offense.
Mo Bamba: C+ (Previously, NA)
Mo gets a just-passing grade in my book. In the 10 games he’s played, he’s been thoroughly and utterly unremarkable, averaging 4.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 13.2 minutes on very poor efficiency while playing passable defense. For a backup center, he’s been serviceable. Compared to Kai Jones, he’s looked like Hakeem Olajuwon. It would be nice if he made more of an impact on games, but for backup centers, just not screwing up and sinking the team is a passing mark. Hopefully Mo continues to improve as he gets into the swing of things, but for a minimum signing he’s been fine.
Deep Bench Players
Bones Hyland: B (Previously, NA)
Bones has recently played extensive minutes in two games, which just barely gets him up into the range of “worthy of a grade” (Kobe Brown, Cam Christie, and Trentyn Flowers missed this arbitrary cut-off). Bones has done Bones things this season: take a lot of threes, make bad rotations on defense, flash advanced playmaking in the midst of poor decisions, and pound the ball. Ultimately, the good, specifically the three-point shooting, has outweighed the bad. Somehow, in just 104 minutes, Bones Hyland has made 18 three pointers – two more than Terance Mann (484 minutes) and seven more than Kevin Porter Jr. (429 minutes). He has flaws, but his ability to shoot the ball still makes him a better (and more fun) option than Porter Jr. to me as the backup point guard. Alas, the Clippers’ coaching staff does not feel that way, and Bones remains on the outs when the team is healthy.
Kai Jones: F (Previously, F)
Kai Jones is very bad at playing NBA-level basketball. He’s barely played since Mo Bamba returned a month ago, but each game he has played he’s been an on-court negative. Going forward, if the Clippers are even close to healthy on the wing, they should just play small when one of Zu or Bamba is out instead of playing Kai. He just offers nothing that traditional big men do – rebounding, screens, or rim protection – while also not providing small-guy skills. It’s hard being so harsh on someone who plays hard and with energy but he’s simply not an NBA caliber player.
Bonus, The Coaching Staff: A (Previously, A-)
As always, there are quibbles one could make about rotations, or specific decisions in certain games. But the Clippers’ defense has held up as very good through nearly one-third of the season, and there have been just a couple of games where the Clippers did not look ready for gametime. It’s hard to imagine this team being much better than it has been considering injuries and talent, which means this roster is close to being maximized, and the coaching staff is doing its job excellently.