HeвЂ™s on an expiring $9.7 million contract, had to work his way back after back surgery, and had his playing time reduced in something of an inconsistent platoon with fellow reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein вЂ“ an arrangement that hasnвЂ™t seemed to help either manвЂ™s play.ДЄlthough Frank insists вЂњyou can never have enough wings,вЂќ the Clippers do have a surplus of players who fit that description, including Marcus Morris Sr. The pressing question: Will the Clippers make a move to add another point guard/вЂќplay-starterвЂќ capable of playing off the ball when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are back doing most of the ball-handling?ДЄnd how might they go about acquiring one? Serge Ibaka, the veteran big man, remains a candidate to be traded. ThatвЂ™s on me, I canвЂ™t have six turnovers, especially a team like this.вЂќ вЂњBut IвЂ™ve got to be better at organizing the team, getting us into our spots and then just protecting the ball and being aggressive trying to get downhill and make plays for others. When we get into sets, we got guys who can attack and get downhill вЂ¦ (IвЂ™m) maybe the only guy whoвЂ™s necessarily handled the ball primarily in his career, but we got a bunch of guys who can bring it up. вЂњIt is what we have right now,вЂќ an uncharacteristically stone-faced Jackson said Tuesday night, on Zoom. Jackson had games of 12 and nine assists last month, but for the season, heвЂ™s averaging just 4.1 assists per game вЂ“ and 2.2 turnovers, including six costly giveaways in TuesdayвЂ™s 135-109 loss in Memphis. Or, as Frank said he thinks of the position: вЂњInstead of saying point guard, I really look at play-starter, play-finisher, connector вЂ¦вЂќ which might not exactly define Reggie Jackson, the ClippersвЂ™ current de facto play-starter whoвЂ™s probably best as a play-finisher. The roster вЂ“ as it was constructed Wednesday morning, with ThursdayвЂ™s noon PT trade deadline bearing down вЂ“ was down to one point guard after last weekвЂ™s trade, which dealt Eric Bledsoe to Portland along with Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick. вЂњSo weвЂ™re hopeful,вЂќ West said, with a nod to the work the ClippersвЂ™ front office hopes to accomplish between now and the start of 2022-23, вЂњthat our general manager (Michael Winger) and (president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank will be able to go in there and find a way to get another player that will really make a difference going into next year.вЂќ

Clippers roster