Age and injuries have become the biggest hidden dangers. Will the Clippers win the championship in the new season or be in vain?

Translator's Note: The original article was published on CBS. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (October 9, local time). The dates and times involved are all local times.

If this is the moment when the Clippers finally become famous, how perfect would it be? Six years after Kawhi Leonard signed with the Clippers as a free agent, he and the team were embroiled in perhaps the largest salary cap circumvention scandal in NBA history. However, while they are under investigation, the Clippers are entering the new season with perhaps the strongest roster in franchise history.

The Clippers' lineup was very deep last season, but now Brook Lopez has become the backup center, and Chris Paul has also returned to the lineup. The front office traded Norman Powell for Bradley Beal and John Collins. In addition, unlike the 2023-24 season, Leonard is ready to play immediately. This is an older team, and they just had a nightmare performance in Game 7 against the Nuggets, but they had an amazing offseason. Of course, that was before the Sept. 3 episode of "The Discoveries of Pablo Torre" aired.

Current situation analysis

Last season: Despite letting go of Paul George in the summer of 2024, when Leonard is not on the court (in non-garbage time, according to data from Cleaning The Glass), the Clippers still outscore their opponents by 1.3 points per 100 possessions and have a 24-19 record in games where he is absent. Leonard was one of the best players in the league in March and April, while the Clippers' 50-32 record was a testament to James Harden's playmaking ability, Powell's scoring prowess and the team's third-ranked defense. Through a series of operations in February, they traded P.J. Tucker, Mohamed Bamba, Kevin Porter Jr., Terrence Mann and Nashaun Hyland for Bogdan Bogdanovic, Drew Eubanks, Patty Mills and several additional second-round picks, and then they signed the unheralded Ben Simmons from the free market. Harden was named to the All-Defensive Team for the first time since leaving the Rockets, and Ivica Zubac was also named to the All-Defensive Team for the first time. In addition, the first six games of the Clippers-Nuggets series were exciting. However, the last game was a disaster: they were outscored 72-40 by their opponents in the second and third quarters, and fell behind by as many as 35 points at one point.

Offseason: The biggest news is the aforementioned scandal, but before that, the Clippers traded Powell and a 2027 second-round pick to acquire Collins, and split their non-luxury tax mid-level exception to Brook Lopez (two years, $17.9 million, team option) and Bradley Beal (two years, $11 million, player option) who was bought out by the Suns. The Clippers also re-signed James Harden (two years, $81.5 million, player option) and Nicolas Batum (two years, $11.5 million, team option), signed Paul with a minimum salary, and used the No. 30 pick to select post player Yannick Konan Niederhauser. Amir Coffey went to the Bucks, while Simmons and Mills still haven't found a new home.

Las Vegas season win odds: 48.5 wins, data from BetMGM

Confrontation of opinions

Supporters of the Clippers: Everyone says the Clippers have a deep lineup, but I'm not sure that word is enough to sum up the lineup the management has built. This is not just because they have 11 players worthy of being in the NBA rotation, but also because they have all the types of players. They are well-stocked in organization, shooting, perimeter defense, wingspan and size. Tyronn Lue will definitely have fun lining up his lineup! I know you're going to complain that a lot of these players are too old, but no team can withstand the brunt of injuries more than they do.

Clippers doubter: I mean, John Collins, who just turned 28, is the youngest player in the regular rotation. Is it at least a little strange? I understand that depth should help them deal with injuries that arise during the regular season, but that doesn't make me feel any more confident that they can make consecutive playoff breakthroughs. We just saw Lue waive Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn in the playoffs because the Nuggets completely ignored them on the perimeter. And if they are marginalized again, it cannot be said that the Clippers are well-stocked on perimeter defense.

Support the Clippers: Kawhi Leonard is also a very good perimeter defender. The same goes for Nicolas Batum. But the key is that Lue has more options available this season, and the new signings will enhance the team's existing strengths. Both Jones and Dunn will be more useful in the playoffs, as Lopez and Collins can space the floor at the five. Jones would love to set a screen for Paul and then drive down to the basket for an easy dunk. The Clippers' offense will see a huge improvement as the team's spacing will improve and they'll be better able to protect the ball. I believe Harden will be more efficient as well.

Clippers doubters: Doesn't it depend on who is actually on the court? On paper, yes, the Clippers look like a better, more well-rounded offensive team than before, but we shouldn't take it for granted that Beal will stay healthy, especially since they're also asking him to put more effort on the defensive end than he has in recent years. Sure, they'd make fewer mistakes if Paul was the backup point guard every night, but was that really the plan for him? To be fair, I totally understand why you're bullish on this team. However, I've had these expectations for the Clippers before, but I just don't believe this year will end up being significantly different. Bill is basically a better-known Powell. Lopez and Collins can shoot 3-pointers, but playoff opponents aren't really afraid of them spotting up from outside. If the Clippers are lucky enough to advance to the second round, Paul will be 41 during the series. Also, I know it's a small thing, but I'm confused that they let Kofi go. His catch-and-shoot three-point shooting percentage last season was as high as 42.1%!

Those who support the Clippers: Kofi was originally only the 12th man on their team! I appreciate him, but honestly, that's not it. Don't discount the Clippers' current strength just because they've let you down in the past. Don't pretend the front office didn't revamp the team this summer. In this era, they've never had a swingman like Collins at the 4 or 5 position, and they've never had a player like Lopez, unless you count "theoretical Bamba." It's an ideal situation for both of them, and I think it's a perfect environment for Bill as well. I'm guessing Paul will be in the rotation more than likely, but signing him would be a home run regardless. The Clippers really needed another solid point handler last season, especially with Powell injured. This Clippers could have beaten last season's Nuggets, and I'd pick them against the upgraded Nuggets. In fact, I'd pick them against anyone but the Thunder right now, and in a few months, I might think they're going to win the championship.

Clippers doubter: As long as Leonard stays healthy, I can foresee the Clippers winning more than 50 games. Last season with Leonard on the court, they outscored their opponents by 12.4 points per 100 possessions. Throughout his Clippers career, the team has mostly shown similar dominance when he was on the court. However, his health is a huge variable, as is the health of the other core players on the team. I was hoping they would get younger and faster this offseason, but they did the exact opposite, so I'm not sure what their advantage would be against a team like the Nuggets. If the goal from an organizational level is not to win a championship but to play great games while maintaining financial flexibility, then they've done a great job at that. I hope their ambitions are higher than that, though.

Author: James Herbert

Translator: GWayNe