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Clippers 2021 Exit Interview: Daniel Oturu
We’re continuing our 213Hoops Exit Interview series, where we go player-by-player through the Clippers’ roster and break down how each player on the team performed relative to their pre-season expectations, and ponder their future with the team. Today, we’ll examine the rookie season of Clippers’ 2020 second-round pick Daniel Oturu.
Game Information
Height: 6’8
Weight: 240 pounds
Position: Center
Age: 21
Years in NBA: 1
Key Stats: 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists, and 0.2 blocks in 5.4 minutes per game across 30 games played on 42.3/20/75 shooting splits.
Contract Status: Guaranteed for a $1.517M deal for the 2021-2022 season
Expectations
There were virtually no expectations for Daniel Oturu in his rookie season with the Clippers. As a second round pick on a championship contender behind two established veterans in Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka, there was little chance he’d enter the rotation barring a severe injury to one of the main guys. Even then, he was supposed to be in competition with 2019 first round pick Mfiondu Kabengele for the 3rd center spot.
Reality
Well, Serge Ibaka did miss much of the year with an injury, but Oturu was not able to capitalize. Kabengele played over him in garbage time for most of the season, but when Ibaka was injured, Kabengele was traded to create a roster spot. The Clippers signed veteran DeMarcus Cousins to fill the backup center role rather than trusting Oturu with minutes, as he remained consigned to garbage time.
The only time Oturu did play a significant amount of minutes (37, around 25% of his total minutes for the season) was in the last game of the year, a game the Clippers were trying to lose. Embarrassingly, part of their strategy was to run offense through Oturu, as the young big got up 21 shots – but made just 5. He was blocked eight times (8!!!) by Thunder center Moses Brown, including on the deciding play of the game. It was rough to watch. Still, despite the downside, Oturu had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Very few players make the NBA, and only a small percentage of those get double-doubles. An interesting highlight and lowlight in one game.
Future with Clippers
Daniel Oturu has a second guaranteed year with the Clippers, but it’s a real question if he is back for 2022. The Clippers are short on roster spots, and while they need development for young guys, Oturu showed very little in his rookie season, and is not a prototype that is a great fit in the modern NBA. As seen with Kabengele, the Clippers are not afraid to cut bait on draft picks that they lose faith in, and while it’s unknown if they feel that way about Oturu, there’s little to think that they have much trust in him. It’s quite possible he’s on the roster next year, but even if he is, it’s unlikely he sees much action. It’s too bad the Clippers drafted him when there were clearly better prospects on the board, but hopefully he can turn his career around.
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