Clippers welcome new additions Patty Mills and Drew Eubanks
When newly acquired Patty Mills walked into the Clippers’ practice Tuesday the place felt strangely familiar. Not the building but the surroundings in a way.
There was Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who he won an NBA championship with in San Antonio.
“Just a couple of young bucks back in the day,” Mills said.
And Nicolas Batum, a former teammate in Portland and James Harden. Mills and Harden teamed up in Brooklyn for a season.
“I felt like we had a cohesive little stint there in Brooklyn,” the 6-foot-2 point guard said.
“So, there’s a lot of familiar faces around this team and locker room and staff that I think will give me the confidence to be the veteran leader that I am and be vocal in that standpoint as well,” Mills added. “But as I said, once I get a feel for how things work and how I can make an impact, that will be it.”
Mills was part of last week’s trade that sent Mo Bamba and P.J. Tucker to Utah and brought him and center Drew Eubanks to the Clippers. And now, the two veterans are looking to do more than renew old friendships.
Mills and Eubanks are hoping to contribute to the Clippers’ playoff push, bringing a wealth of experience to the bench.
Mills, a 16-year veteran, said at his introductory meeting with the media that his role with his new team is yet undefined.
“I have a role here and it’s about doing whatever it is the best that I can,” Mills said. “I’ve experienced this with many winning teams before in the NBA and on the (Australian) national team and succeeded and seen what it’s meant to look like. So, I think I’ll be able to slide in here quite well.”
Mills, who is playing for his sixth team, is expected to provide more outside scoring in addition to ball handling. He is a career 38.5% 3-point shooter and was averaging 4.4 points and 2.2 assists for the Jazz.
Eubanks will play a pivotal role as Ivica Zubac’s backup after the Clippers traded Bamba. The 6-10 power forward brings a sizable measure of athleticism, someone who can run the floor and protect the rim.
With the Jazz, he was averaging 5.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and nearly one blocked shot a game.
“(I can) get guys like James and Kawhi and Norm (Powell) open for 3’s or get going downhill, finish around the rim, be a physical presence for them,” Eubanks said. “I know Zu plays a lot of minutes, so just fill in the gaps when he is not out there.”
Eubanks said the Clippers present a challenge to opponents, a fact he experienced in two games earlier this season. The Clippers beat Utah by an average of 24 points in those two games.
“I think the sheer talent, two-way guys’ athleticism up and down, their IQ is another big one,” Eubanks said. “Obviously, when the ball is in certain guys’ hands, it’s the creative basketball IQ that separates a lot of them from other guys in the league.
“And you go down the line and you see who’s coming off the bench and how much professionalism and veteran players there are to continue to match the energy type of deal. So, being my second day here and getting to know everything, as I said, it’s very familiar to what I like and what I’m used to here.”