The LA Clippers are one step closer to parting ways with the oldest player on their roster.
NBA writer Chris Haynes reported Thursday that the Clippers have granted forward PJ Tucker permission to seek a trade. Specifically, the Clippers are letting Tucker’s agent, Andre Buck, speak with other teams to facilitate a trade as the Clippers continue to work towards resolving Tucker’s future.
The combo forward Tucker started on the Milwaukee Bucks team that won the NBA championship in 2021 and has long been regarded as one of the better pure 3-and-D role players in the league as well as a very high-energy offensive rebounder. But Tucker is 39 years old now and averaged a dismal 1.6 points per game last season for the Clippers after being acquired from Philadelphia as part of the James Harden trade.
Tucker, who was almost entirely out of the rotation for the Clippers in 2023-24, has been angry with his lack of a role for some time now and was even sent home by the Clippers and fined by the NBA for a public trade demand last season. No trade materialized for Tucker during the season though, and he chose to keep the saga going by picking up his $11.5 million player option for 2024-25 (which was admittedly a no-brainer business move for him).
This season, the Clippers and Tucker mutually agreed that he would remain away from the team indefinitely while they worked to part ways. Though the Clippers may have to attach a young asset like guard Bones Hyland in order to dump Tucker, they appear to be inching closer to successfully doing so.
