When a team loses a legitimate All-Star and an elite two-way impact player like Paul George, the starting lineup will likely look much worse. Unfortunately, that’s the position the Clippers find themselves in after P.G. departed the “City of Angels” to play in the “City of Brotherly Love,” Philadelphia. Bleacher Report pundit Andy Bailey certainly believes so, as he rated the Clippers 20th in his power rankings of the league’s different starting lineups. KAWHI’S AVAILABILITY ISSUES After news of the knee procedure that Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard reportedly underwent this offseason broke, questions regarding his availability this season immediately came to light. After all, this is a player who, before last season, failed to play in 60 games since arriving in L.A. However, on media day, Leonard was optimistic regarding his chances of playing on opening night, when he would likely join James Harden, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup. Unfortunately, should anything happen to his knee in training camp, Bailey wrote the Clippers’ projected starting five would plummet straight to the bottom of the list.
“Without him, this group would go spiraling toward the bottom of the list,” Bailey wrote. “Even with Kawhi, the Los Angeles Clippers look nowhere near as daunting as they have in the past. When Paul George left, there was no meaningful way to replace him because the team was over the salary cap. So, L.A. now has two post-prime stars in 35-year-old James Harden and 33-year-old (and oft-injured) Leonard.” THINGS NEED TO GO RIGHT FOR THE CLIPS’ QUINTET TO THRIVE
Bailey added that Mann and DJJ’s floor-spacing and shooting abilities would be crucial to the Clippers’ attack this season. If the two players get going from beyond the arc, it will give enough room for Kawhi, Harden, and Zubac to do immense damage; however, given how each player shot 34 percent from long range last season, relying on them to consistently make triples may not be the best strategy. “On the nights when those two hit four or five threes, the Clippers are tough to beat. But that will be about as reliable as these versions of Harden and Leonard,” Andy claimed. The Clippers’ projected starters are an intriguing group with offensive and defensive capabilities. It will be interesting to see if they can put it all together and make a run for the postseason in a Western Conference landscape filled with talented squads.
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