I'll never get the stance of "clip mage wasn't bad".
If you want a turret identity, look at BLM. That's turret identity done well. Clip mage wasn't and clipping by design isn't an identity for me. And there is absolutely no excuse to leave it a clipping mess that should just Glare because any semblance of fulfilling the healer role or moving is a dps loss for an entire expansion.
They have proven that they can do it well with BLM so I see even less excuse for it being "not bad" or an "identity" in the state it was in.