Clippers lose top assistant coach to East team

The Clippers logo shown on the jumbotron at Staples Center November 12, 2018. Photo Credit: Larry Brown/Larry Brown Sports

The exodus may have already begun for the LA Clippers.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Sunday that Clippers associate head coach Dan Craig is leaving the team to join the Chicago Bulls. Craig will now become one of the top assistants under Bulls head coach Billy Donovan.

Craig, who had been with the Clippers for the last four seasons, was the main man in charge of the team’s defense and also served as the No. 2 to head coach Tyronn Lue (stepping in as the acting HC whenever Lue was unavailable). He spent seven total seasons prior to that as an assistant on the Miami Heat and even coached the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, to the league title in 2016.

That is a nice get by the Bulls, who had the 19th-ranked unit in defensive efficiency this season (per ESPN). Craig becomes their latest big hire after the former NBA head coach they just hired to sit on Donovan’s staff.

As for the Clippers, the loss of Craig is a major one. They are already facing an uncertain offseason in which Paul George, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook can all leave as free agents. Lue only has one more guaranteed year on his contract at the moment as well. Fortunately though, there may be some good options out there for the Clippers as they look to fill Craig’s lead assistant role.