2018-2019 Clippers Player Previews: Mike Scott, playoff tested, Doc Rivers approved

Basic Information:

Age: 30

Years in the NBA: 6

Position: Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 237 lbs.

Key Stats: Scored 8.8 points per game with 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and nearly one 3-pointer per game (0.9) over 18.5 minutes in 76 games. Also, averaged 10.8 points per game in six playoff games with the Wizards last season. Shooting splits: 52.7/40.5/65.8.

Contract Status: Signed 1-year, $4,320,500 contract with the Clippers in July. He is trade-eligible on Dec. 15, 2018.

Expectations:

The elusive search for a stretchy big man during the Doc Rivers era has led the Clippers astray. They’ve landed on Spencer Hawes, Byron Mullens, Mo Speights and even Jamil Wilson, but haven’t necessarily nailed any of them. That might have changed with the offseason addition of Mike Scott.

The so-called “Threegional Manager” knocked down a career-best 40.5 percent of his 163 3-pointers last year in Washington. It’s the second time in his career his 3-point percentage has hovered around 40 percent. He’s taken at least 150 shots from distance in four of his last five NBA seasons and has burgeoning confidence and a quick release.

He was an excellent rotation player in the playoffs for the Wizards, scoring 10.8 points per game and going 7-for-11 from 3-point range in three more minutes per game than he averaged in the regular season. Considering the Clippers view themselves as playoff contenders, acquiring a playoff-tested veteran (38 career games) who can serve as a plus-ish defender and truly stretch the floor as one of two bigs certainly seems appealing.

It probably didn’t hurt that Scott destroyed the Clippers in two games. He scored 22 points in both meetings and missed three total shots.

Overall, Scott had a bounce back year after a troublesome left knee limited him to 18 games during his final season in Atlanta. Asked what he expects to bring the Clippers in 2018-19, Scott said, “Kind of the same stuff I did last season, finally got to play a full season healthy, that’s my game - to bring a lot of energy off the bench, scoring, being versatile, running, dunking, being a competitor, whatever it takes to win.”

For the Clippers to win, the balance that they appear to possess must become a reality. Scott will be a big part of that, especially as one of the lone frontcourt scoring options off the bench. The concern, of course is: will Scott suffer the same fate as the aforementioned stretch bigs the Clippers have acquired in the recent past? He’s 1-for-11 in preseason from 3-point range, so it’s been a bit of an ominous start. But if we learned anything about Scott in the last two seasons, it’s that he’s at his best when adversity sets in and the lights get brighter.