P.J. Tucker has not suited up for the Clippers since the Nov. 28 game against the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers — 25-5 over their last 30 games — have settled into a steady nine- or ten-man rotation where the 38-year-old Tucker simply doesn’t factor in.
While he’s unable to find playing time under coach Tye Lue,
Tucker can still produce quality minutes for a contender. Just last season, the
defensive stalwart started all 11 postseason games for the Sixers and played a
critical role in helping Philadelphia take a 3-2 lead over the Celtics in the
conference semifinal. Tucker similarly started all 18 postseason games for the
Miami Heat the year before.
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, Tucker is trying to
get himself traded to a contender, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“…They do have P.J. Tucker who wants to be traded, [and] has made no secret about that,” Youngmisuk said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast, via Sports Illustrated. “He
even told me that just last week in Toronto. I think his words were ‘actively
looking to get traded.'”
While the panel mentioned a possible reunion between Tucker and Heat, other contenders such as the Celtics, Bucks, Cavaliers and Knicks could emerge as potential suitors as well. Tucker’s expiring $11 million deal could also prove enticing enough for playoff-fringe teams across the league, who need a veteran presence to finish the season on a high.
Despite standing at 6’5″ tall, Tucker has repeatedly shown
the ability to guard taller forwards and bigs — an ability that’s highly coveted
in the playoffs. During the Bucks’ championship run in 2021, Tucker averaged nearly
30 minutes per game and excelled at the task of guarding the likes of Kevin
Durant, Devin Booker and Jimmy Butler.
