Clippers acquire Drew Eubanks, Patty Mills from Jazz, duck under luxury tax

The team is now $4 million under the luxury tax line.

(Photo credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images)

The LA Clippers have made a trade as the franchise will receive veteran guard Patty Mills and backup center Drew Eubanks from the Utah Jazz. The move was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Clippers are sending P.J. Tucker, Mo Bamba, a 2030 second-round pick, and cash to Utah to complete the deal.

Eubanks is in the first year of a two-year, $9.75 million contract that he signed this past summer. The second year of Eubanks’ contract is non-guaranteed. Mills is on a one-year minimum deal.

As a result of the trade, the Clippers dipped below the luxury tax line by a shade over $4 million. It marks the organization’s first time under the luxury tax since 2019-20.

The move to get under the luxury tax line allows the Clippers to be better positioned for the buyout market and gives them a greater avenue to make more moves in the coming days and weeks.

Presently, the Clippers have $3.3 million remaining from their non-taxpayer mid-level exception that they can use to spend on a player in the buyout market should an intriguing option present themselves.

The Clippers also created two trade exceptions: one for $6.5 million and another for $2.1 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.