P.J. Tucker was openly frustrated that he was not moved ahead of the NBA trade deadline, and the Los Angeles Clippers have decided to give the veteran some time to cool off.
The Clippers sent Tucker home before their road game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Tucker is expected to take some time to “reset” before rejoining the Clippers after the All-Star break. L.A.’s first game after the break is on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 22.
Tucker landed with the Clippers via a trade at the start of the season, and he has not played since Nov. 27. The 38-year-old been completely removed from head coach Ty Lue’s rotation, which is why Tucker reportedly tried to force a trade last week. Tucker took to social media with a vulgar message after he was not traded.
Charania reports that there is unlikely to be a buyout agreement between the Clippers and Tucker, who has an $11.5 million player option for next season. Instead, the two sides have had “productive discussions” about Tucker staying ready so he can potentially be inserted back into the rotation down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Tucker is averaging just 1.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game this season. He has predominantly been known for his quality defense, but his play has declined in recent years. It will be interesting to see if the Clippers actually give him a role when he rejoins the team.
More must-reads: