Los Angeles Clippers: Fan perspective on the big talking points
As part of a new series of articles produced exclusively for Sky Sports by NBA superfans from across the UK, we look at the state of play for every franchise with preseason set to get under way at the end of this month
Tuesday 18 October 2022 08:13, UK
Clippers superfan James Warner assesses the 2021-22 season for his team, and then casts an eye ahead to the 2022-23 campaign for Los Angeles.
Where my love for the NBA and the Clippers came from...
My name is James Warner, I'm from Hertfordshire and I run @ClippersUK on Twitter where I talk about all things Clippers. I have developed a strong community of Clipper fans in the UK and will be launching a podcast this year to cover the upcoming season.
I was introduced to the NBA in 2012 when my cousin showed me Blake Griffin highlights. It was then that I instantly fell in love with Lob City. The fact that the franchise was looking for their first title (and still are) made the decision even easier. My first real experience as a Clippers fan was the 2015 playoffs, knocking out the reigning champions in the San Antonio Spurs, and then proceeding to throw away a 3-1 lead against the Houston Rockets. Since then it has been a rollercoaster, from trading away Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to becoming a strong rebuilding team with Lou Williams, Pat Bev and Montrezl Harrell. We're now in the best position to win our first title with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. It's still been hard to shake the Clippers curse with the collapse against the Nuggets during the bubble season where I was unfortunate to be a virtual fan for one of the worst games in Clippers history. Despite that, there is no other team I'd want to follow and I'm really hoping the stars align for the team this year.
My favourite player
It's almost impossible for any Clipper fan to not say Kawhi Leonard. He is a top five player in the NBA in the last decade as well as an offensive and defensive juggernaut who can guard anyone on the floor. He is one of the most impactful 2-way players of all time, a true enigma and legend of the game.
Grade for last season: B+
The 2021/22 season was a rollercoaster for LA Clippers. Head coach Ty Lue kept the team competitive despite Kawhi Leonard missing the season and Paul George playing 31 games. It was disappointing to not get into the playoffs but finishing above .500 considering our circumstance was a great achievement. Health ultimately cost the team, but role players such as Nicolas Batum performed great as the group now gets ready to reintegrate Kawhi.
The feeling around the team was absolutely great all year. The games were really enjoyable, we managed to surprise a few teams and orchestrate multiple comeback wins. Last season has set us up well for a championship run this year as everyone has bought into Ty Lue's vision and the way he wants to play.
Assessing the offseason for the Clippers
The main talking point for the Clippers for the past few seasons has centered around the point guard position. We have added John Wall which potentially offers plenty to be optimistic about. He has not played for a while, but he'll go from being Houston's number one option to our number three or four. Nicolas Batum also joined through a buy-out and benefited from reducing his responsibility and focusing on his strengths without the pressure of being looked at as the number one or two player on the team. Wall's ability to catch-and-shoot and playmaker makes him an instant win for the Clippers. If he buys into the culture and the opportunity to work with Kawhi, PG and Ty Lue, there is no reason Wall can't be a success with the team.
The Clippers also re-signed Nicolas Batum, Ivica Zubac, Amir Coffey and Robert Covington. The team have been keen to 'run it back' with the core guys that helped them to the play-in tournament last year. Outside of acquiring a point guard in John Wall, there was a definite need to keep the group together. However, the Clippers lost a gem in Isaiah Hartenstein, who added a different dimension to our bench last year and deserved starting minutes. Isaiah signed with Knicks leaving the team with a need to fill the back-up center role.
Norman Powell and Robert Covington were acquired at the February trade deadline, adding to an already deep roster. Powell managed to play just five games with the team after sustaining an ankle injury. He averaged 21.4 points in those games. He played and won a title with Kawhi in Toronto and has a close relationship with Paul George. Covington was a revelation on both ends for the team last season, averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.3 steals, whilst shooting 45 per cent from three. Both have bought into the culture and will play great roles this upcoming season.
Overall, the Clippers have achieved exactly what they wanted to this offseason, keeping the core group together to 'run it back' with a healthy Kawhi and Paul George returning to the fold. There are concerns around the backup center spot where Hartenstein provided great cover, though Ty Lue appears to also favour 'small ball' with Morris, Batum or Covington able to play the 5 spot. The team have added young center Moses Brown to the training camp squad with hopes that he could be a similar high value find as Hartenstein was last year.
Points of note from the 2022 NBA Draft
The Clippers went into the draft with the 43rd pick. With not much need for a 'win-now' player, the team went for French big man - Moussa Diabate. The Clippers add another development player who is very raw but has high upside. Moussa will find opportunities to be scarce, but will have hopes of following the path of recent development successes such as Terence Mann and Amir Coffey.
The Clippers' aims for next season
Coming into the new season, nothing changes for the Clippers as they seek their first NBA title. There is more reason to be optimistic with the deepest roster we have ever had along with the superstar duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Many analysts are already tipping us to be the best team in the West but that depends on Kawhi's condition as he looks to return from a rough ACL injury.
The 2022/23 season offers a fresh chance for the Clippers to start another title charge, with the hopes we can at least make our first NBA Finals appearance. Championships are not won on paper but there is a real feeling that everything might be aligning at the perfect time for the Clippers to go all the way.
Three predictions for the season ahead...
- The Clippers will appear in the NBA Finals
- We will also be the best defensive team in the NBA
- John Wall will win the Sixth Man of the Year award
Why should people watch the Clippers?
The Clippers have one of the best superstar duos in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the deepest supporting cast in the NBA and a championship coach in Ty Lue. They are one of the best three-point shooting teams along with one of the best defensive teams. They are almost guaranteed to be a high seed playoff team come May and will upset a few with their 'never say die' mentality. If there was ever a season to follow the Clippers, it's certainly this one.
