NBA Trade Rumors: 3 Under-The-Radar Clippers Trade Targets This Offseason

The Los Angeles Clippers battled the Denver Nuggets to a Game 7, but Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Co. were just too much for them to handle, and once again, the Clippers are going home early, the fourth straight year they have not won a playoff round. And the sixth straight failed season in the Kawhi Leonard era.

So where do the Clippers go now?

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report had a look at a few under-the-radar trade targets for the team to focus on this summer to bolster the roster.

Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic

For all that Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Norman Powell meant to the Clippers this season, Ivica Zubac was an indispensable force at center. The team suffered a 13-point drop in points-per-possession when Zubac was not on the floor (+9.4 to -3.4). This, as Buckley notes, illustrates the urgent need for LA to get themselves a legit backup at the five-spot.

Bitadze only received 20 minutes of floor time per night for the Magic, but it was very productive, as his per-36 minutes averages were 12.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 blocks. He'd be a tremendous target for the Clippers.

Saddiq Bey, Washington Wizards

He's been out of action for over a year with a torn ACL, so his trade value would be low, and he hasn't even suited up for the Wiz yet since they signed him to a three-year, $20 million free agent deal last summer. But his numbers, in four seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons, were sound, as he averaged 14 points and 5.2 rebounds in 30 minutes per night.

Ben Sheppard, Indiana Pacers

A recent first-round pick, Sheppard doesn't get a lot of run with the Pacers, given their serious depth on the wing. He's been a relative afterthought in the playoffs thus far. Perhaps the Clippers can convince Indiana to move on from the young 6-foot-6 guard/small forward, as he doesn't serve an impactful role on the team. As Buckley writes, "He's a recent first-round pick (No. 26 in 2023) with clear three-and-D potential."