Before facing the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, the LA Clippers announced that P.J. Tucker and Bones Hyland were not with the team. Clippers head coach Ty Lue addressed this at shoot-around, saying, "The trade didn't happen, they're gonna be here, so we're just giving them a little time off to get their minds right and come back in Oklahoma City and be ready to go."
Lue added that it's good to have competitors who want to play, but the Clippers decided it was best to send Hyland and Tucker home to allow them to refocus before the All-Star break.
Clippers star Paul George was asked about this situation in the locker room following LA's win over Golden State, and said, "Those guys are still a part of us, regardless of where we're at and where they're at. They're still a part of us. That's the part of business. I thought they handled it like men. Grown men came together, spoke their piece, and we moved on. Everything is positive here."
Not allowing this situation to become a distraction, the Clippers were able to focus solely on the task at hand against Golden State, and picked up a huge road win entering the break.
For Tucker and Hyland, the two players are expected to rejoin the team after the All-Star break.
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