After he fell out of the rotation during the 2025-26 season, it became obvious that Gradey Dick didn’t have a long-term future with the Raptors. They were able to include him in the trade to bring Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto. Going to the LA Clippers promised to be a fresh start for the 22-year-old—a fresh start that he desperately needed to revive his career.
Then, the Clippers’ depth chart took shape, and Dick suddenly seemed to be in the same position he was in with the Raptors: stuck at the end of the bench and fighting for minutes. Then, injuries hit. Brandon Ingram, Max Strus, and Bradley Beal all dealt with injuries going into the season.
So far, Dick has gotten rather steady minutes, playing at least 12 minutes in all but two games. His performance in a 113-112 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder stood out especially, prompting our sister site Clipperholics to argue that Gradey Dick should be part of the Clippers rotation, even when everyone is healthy.
Eleven games into his Clippers tenure, it looks like being traded from the Raptors really gave him the fresh start he needed.
Gradey Dick’s first season with the Clippers is off to a solid start
The biggest knock on Dick during his time with the Raptors was that he didn’t make 3-pointers at the level he was expected to. He never shot more than 36.5% for a whole season. While average, it wasn’t enough to fill the Raptors’ needs, and his percentage dropped to 30.1% last season. When he wasn’t knocking down shots, the question quickly became: What else does he offer? He certainly didn’t live up to the Raptors’ defensive standards.
He’s not taking a ton of 3-pointers for the Clippers, averaging just 1.9 attempts per game, but he’s making 47.6% of them so far. He went 5-of-7 over the last three games, including two made 3-pointers in that big win against the Thunder. He scored in double figures in each of those games.
Eleven games is a small sample size, but Dick is also currently shooting a career-high 53.3% from the field. He has also contributed on the boards, finishing only three games with fewer than three rebounds.
If he continues to play well this season and sticks in the Clippers’ rotation when the veterans are back, he may secure his NBA future for the next few years. Dick’s contract is up after this season, and he will be a restricted free agent. Playing well this season will be his ticket to a new deal with the Clippers or any other team looking to add a young wing.
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