The LA Clippers improved both their backcourt and frontcourt depth in a flurry of moves in the hours before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Denver Nuggets point guard Bones Hyland and Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon are both heading to LA in separate deals, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Clippers are also adding center Mason Plumlee from the Charlotte Hornets, sources said.
Denver is receiving second-round picks in 2024 and 2025 for Hyland, sources said. The Clippers and Nuggets announced the Hyland deal on Thursday night.
Gordon is involved in a three-team trade that has the Grizzlies receiving Luke Kennard for three second-round picks to the Clippers, while Danny Green is heading from Memphis to Houston.
John Wall is headed back to Houston as well with the Rockets also acquiring the rights to swap the Bucks’ first-round pick they own with the Clippers’ first-round pick in the upcoming draft, sources said.
Plumlee was traded for point guard Reggie Jackson, sources said.
Hyland, 22, made an immediate impact off the Nuggets’ bench after Denver drafted him with the No. 26 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, playing 19 minutes per game in his rookie campaign and making the All-Rookie team.
He continued to progress as a scorer and playmaker, increasing his points and assist averages in his second season. An elite pull-up 3-point shooter, Hyland boasts a range past 30 feet. However, tensions over consistent minutes appeared to boil over in the past few weeks with Hyland dropping out of coach Michael Malone’s rotation in the days ahead of the trade deadline.
“Bones is an explosive young guard we’ve admired since the draft two years ago,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “He is an excellent shooter, attacker and passer with deep range and boundless energy. We are excited to welcome Bones to the Clippers.”
The last holdover from the James Harden era in Houston, Gordon’s name was featured prominently in trade rumors during the two previous deadlines without any deal coming to fruition. But with him now in the last guaranteed year of the extension he signed before the 2020-21 season, the veteran shooting guard is finally on the move.
Gordon, 34, is averaging just over 13 points while shooting 34% on 5.3 3s per game for the Rockets this season. He provides playoff experience having played in 55 career postseason games while averaging 16 points per game.
Plumlee, 32, is having a career year in his 10th season, averaging career highs in points (12.3), rebounds (9.7) and field goal percentage (67.2%). He is a strong finisher and paint protector, but his best quality is his playmaking ability. Plumlee is averaging 3.7 assists this season for the Hornets and has had success throughout his career as a center teams can run offense through from time to time. He projects to fit into the role Isaiah Hartenstein thrived in for the Clippers last season.
Plumlee has seen a major improvement in his free throw shooting as well after switching to his left hand. He’s making 67% of his free throws this season after shooting below 40% at the line last year and 59% for his career.
Wall, 32, sat out all of last season while he was with the Rockets before a buyout landed him in LA. He signed a two-year extension with the Clippers and has one year left on his deal.
Wall has played in 34 games for the Clippers and is averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 assists this season.