The Clippers have been trying to find a trade exit for both Marcus Morris Sr. and Norm Powell, league sources say. They found neither before Wednesday at midnight and thus felt forced to waive Eric Gordon, because shedding Gordon’s $21 million salary for next season saved $110 million in luxury tax. You read right: $110 million. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer can afford that — more so than pretty much any owner in the league — but the team-building restrictions on teams that stray more than $17.5 million past the luxury tax line are so onerous that even Team Ballmer has to avoid the dreaded second apron if it can. The Clippers are still in that zone even after parting company with Gordon, who appeared in only 27 games as a Clippers (including the playoffs) after LA traded away Luke Kennard, John Wall and a pick swap in a three-team deal with Houston and Memphis to get him. -via marcstein.substack.com / June 29, 2023
