As the long-anticipated blockbuster trade bringing Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors rapidly approaches its final hurdle, the spotlight has inevitably shifted toward the fallout in Los Angeles. With the Clippers officially staring down a massive rebuild following unprecedented league penalties, immense uncertainty surrounds the incoming players tasked with carrying the torch—particularly Brandon Ingram and former lottery pick Gradey Dick.
While whispers initially suggested Ingram might be immediately rerouted in a secondary deal orchestrated by Masai Ujiri, latest reports indicate the two-time All-Star is slated to remain in Los Angeles, at least for the foreseeable future.
For Dick, however, the outlook has been considerably murkier. The former 13th overall pick is coming off a turbulent, underwhelming campaign that saw his overall stock dip significantly. Originally included in the mega-deal primarily as financial salary filler to match exorbitant contract obligations, Dick finds himself fighting for survival. With the Clippers facing a strict roster crunch and needing to make at least two cuts before opening night, Dick’s name has frequently surfaced among analysts as a prime candidate to be shown the door.
Analyzing the Roster Crunch: Dick vs. Broome
Discussing the Clippers’ precarious roster dynamics on a recent episode of the Third Apron Podcast, salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan and ClutchPoints NBA writer Tomer Azarly examined Dick’s precarious standing. Gozlan noted that Dick finds himself in direct competition with players like Johni Broome—whom Los Angeles absorbed earlier in the offseason to clear financial flexibility—as training camp battles loom large.
Though neither player is guaranteed a prominent spot in the rotation, Azarly highlighted a subtle yet crucial financial nuance that could ultimately throw Dick a vital lifeline: his contract structure.
”Gradey Dick would be easier to include in any kind of trade if he needed to for additional salary than maybe a guy like Johni Broome at $7 million,” Azarly explained. “So if he keeps a spot, it could be used for that down the line. Maybe not necessarily to play. So that’s another reason why I think it could be Broome [getting cut instead].”
A Lifeline Rooted in Salary Matching
Strip away the on-court struggles, and the underlying arithmetic of Dick’s current deal suddenly becomes his greatest asset. Set to earn an expiring $7.1 million salary this season, Dick represents a clean, movable financial figure on the books.
Following the severe forfeiture of five years’ worth of draft capital resulting from the league’s investigation into the Kawhi Leonard tampering scandal, the Clippers’ path forward relies heavily on aggressive maneuvering in the trade market. Stripped of traditional draft picks, Los Angeles will need to weaponize its remaining veteran assets—from Rui Hachimura and Max Strus to Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr.—to extract value from rival front offices.
To pull off future trades, front offices frequently need matching salary ballast to absorb incoming players or facilitate complex multi-team swaps. This is where Dick’s expiring contract suddenly shines. Paired alongside other pieces, his manageable mid-tier salary gives the Clippers a flexible tool to take on slightly less desirable contracts or bad money attached to valuable draft compensation coming back the other way. Broome, by contrast, doesn’t offer quite the same clean trade compatibility.
It may not be the glamorous, star-studded future Dick envisioned when he first heard his name called on draft night, but financial utility can buy time in the NBA. While he might not carve out an immediate, heavy-minute role under the bright lights of L.A., his expiring deal could serve as his ultimate ticket off the chopping block—keeping him in the league and ready when his next true opportunity arrives.
