The Clippers traded forward P.J. Tucker and center Mo Bamba to the Utah Jazz, along with a future second-round pick and cash, for guard Patty Mills and forward-center Drew Eubanks, the team announced Saturday.
The impetus for the deal appears to be the Clippers now being $4 million below the luxury tax and gaining potential flexibility at the trade deadline or for a potential buyout candidate.
The trade also ends a yearlong dilemma for the Clippers.
Tucker, who was originally acquired in the deal with the Philadelphia 76ers that brought James Harden to the Clippers, played only 28 games in 2023-24.
Tucker had become unhappy with this playing time after not being traded before last season’s trade deadline and was sent home from a road trip just before last season’s All-Star Game. At the time, Tucker had a player option worth $11.5 million, and the team couldn’t find any team to take the veteran.
A year ago, the 6-foot-5 Tucker publicly said he was trying to get traded after not playing for nearly three months, resulting in him being fined $75,000 by the NBA.
The 39-year-old opted in for this season, the final year of a $33 million, three-year deal he signed with the 76ers in 2022, but his locker has stayed empty after the team told him to stay away.
Bamba, 26, served as backup to starter Ivica Zubac, appearing in 28 games for the Clippers this season. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 4.6 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Tucker and Bamba are on expiring contracts, as is Mills. Eubanks has a $5 million non-guaranteed salary next year.
The 6-foot-2 Mills, who has played for five teams in his 16 years, has career averages of 8.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 rebounds. In 17 games this season for the Jazz, he averaged 4.4 points and 1.5 assists.
Eubanks, a 6-10 big man, averaged 15.4 minutes, 5.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists off the bench in 37 games for the Jazz in his eighth NBA season.