For years, one of the storylines surrounding the Clippers has been what they might be able to accomplish if their stars were ever healthy for the playoffs, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. It finally happened this season, but L.A. was ousted in the first round for the third straight year after losing Game 7 Saturday night in Denver.
The Clippers are coming off a 50-win season, surprising many observers who expected them to take a step back after losing Paul George in free agency. James Harden proved he’s still among the league’s most durable and versatile guards, playing 79 games and averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists per night. Kawhi Leonard was brought along slowly, but was eventually able to overcome last season’s knee inflammation, putting up 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 37 games and playing vintage-level defense.
Although there might be limits to the Clippers’ future with their two best players well into their 30s, coach Tyronn Lue is encouraged by the way the season played out.
“I think James having to carry such a heavy load with Kawhi missing 45 games and just having to carry that load all season long, he did a great job with that,” Lue said. “And I think Kawhi, coming back and having the confidence in his knee that he can play more minutes, he can get through these games. And those two together for a whole season, I think, would be tremendous. So when you have your best player missing (45 games), it’s kind of hard to really jell the way we wanted to. But I thought we did a good job of just sticking with it. And whatever we needed to do to win that night, they did it.”
There’s more on the Clippers:
- Harden, who has a $36.4MM player option for next season, is expected to remain with the team and the details of a potential new contract will be worked out this summer, Murray adds. That will ensure stability moving forward, as Leonard just finished the first season of a contract extension that runs through 2026/27, and Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones, Kris Dunn and Bogdan Bogdanović are all under contract for next season.
- Lue is also expected to be back despite the early exit. He signed an extension last spring that runs through 2029, and Murray states that he still has a strong relationship with owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. Law notes that one of Lue’s best decisions from the past year was hiring veteran coach Jeff Van Gundy to run the team’s defense.
- Mark Deeks of HoopsHype examines the financial decisions the Clippers will face this summer, including a potential extension for Norman Powell. The 31-year-old guard is coming off the best scoring season of his career, averaging 21.8 PPG in 60 games, and he’s eligible for a three-year extension worth about $92MM.
- Nicolas Batum, who has a $4.9MM player option for next season, will also be worth monitoring, Bobby Marks of ESPN states in his overview of the Clippers’ offseason (subscription required). Marks notes that the team’s bench will suffer if Batum opts to retire or test free agency.
At least we don’t have to hear anymore soapboxing and “preaching to the kids” from Kawhi this year.
What Harden proved is he will never win a championship – meaning no team he’s on ever will. He also proved we can always count on him to vanish in a game 7.
“Steve Ballmer is a liar, I will never play for a team that is associated with Steve Ballmer”
“Hey Big D… those things I said, that’s the old me, I’m not that guy anymore. I’ve changed. I’m also flexible on the strip clubs, like 2x a week instead of 3. Let’s just hang out see where it goes.”
Great hire, getting Van Gundy to make the defensive calls this season, as they had went out in the first round the previous two years.
This year, with his addition, they…
Blow the team up. Harden doesn’t have the legs to carry a team offensively anymore and Kawhi just doesn’t care about winning.
But Ballmer is one of those owners who doesn’t want to do a full rebuild. So, he will just continue patching bullet holes with band aids.
It’s factually time to stop crowning this team! Factually on a paper the roster is fine and competitive but it’s not loaded it’s not a juggernaut it’s not a potential juggernaut!
Their fate is to be a second tier competitive team forever and that’s fine for them and should be fine for eveyone else!
It’s a win they no longer a bottom feeder or a joke they don’t need a championship it’s ok if thry never win one it really is
They cant trade Kawhi, I think they should keep him for as long as Kawhi wants to be around. It will be good for the fan base to have him finish his career with them. Obviously, if he demands too much money then thats out of the window.
Regarding Harden, they should get rid of him. I was fooled by him, thinking surely now that he is more experienced he would deal better with a game 7, but no he is still that same player. Sad but you cant have pity in the nba, LAC needs to move on.
Clippers gonna clip
Only one team wins the chip every year. Although they didn’t have it this season, the Clippers look to be threat for the next few.
Fire or trade Lue.
Hire Malone so they can pass the nuggets next year.
Use the dang bench