The Los Angeles Clippers are set to be one of many extra fascinating groups within the NBA this season. Their star duo of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, together with the rising Ivica Zubac, are set to paved the way as soon as once more, however this time with extra reinforcements.
They introduced in Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, John Collins, and Chris Paul so as to add extra depth. Beal and Collins ought to add extra scoring punch to LA, as that was one thing they struggled with towards Denver within the playoffs. They’ve 3-and-D choices on the bench in Nic Batum and Derrick Jones Jr.
LA’s concern is that they’re previous. They’re the oldest staff within the NBA by a mile, with their roster having a mean age of 33. Along with that, they’ve an argument hanging over their heads to start out the season.
The Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration saga remains to be unresolved
The Clippers are coping with an NBA investigation, the place they’re alleged to have circumvented the wage cap to signal Leonard in 2019. Pablo Torre dropped this bombshell report in the summertime, and LA has denied any wrongdoing.
Aspiration went bankrupt in March, however LA proprietor Steve Ballmer invested $50 million in them in 2021. The group even signed a $300 million sponsorship with them that very same yr, and the NBA permitted this deal.
Leonard himself then inked an endorsement cope with them in 2022 for $28 million, which is the entire premise of the case. An nameless worker informed Torre that the deal was to bypass the wage cap and provides Leonard extra cash underneath the desk.
Leonard has no mentions of Aspiration on any of his social media accounts, nor for his model KL2. Every little thing simply provides as much as LA being responsible, however the NBA is conducting its personal investigation. The season suggestions off subsequent week, and a decision seemingly received’t come for a couple of months.
The Clippers have gone to nice lengths to show their innocence, together with proprietor Steve Ballmer occurring ESPN, and saying that he was duped by the corporate. Nevertheless, there have additionally been rumors of Leonard’s de facto agent, his uncle Dennis Robertson, asking groups for outrageous requests when Leonard was a free agent.
The request included 24/7 entry to non-public planes, part-ownership of franchises, no-show endorsements, and extra.
The Clippers can’t let this drama have an effect on their season
It is a essential yr for LA. Harden and Leonard are usually not getting any youthful. The roster may be very previous. The West is a massacre. This might be it for this iteration of the Clippers in the event that they don’t get it carried out this season.
They haven’t superior previous the primary spherical since 2021 and in a troublesome West stuffed with younger stars or stars of their primes, LA has a supporting solid of has-beens. Can head coach Ty Lue maximize this roster and make them a deep run?
Will the Leonard saga be an excessive amount of to beat? The Clippers can’t let their season be derailed as soon as once more, or there might be vital adjustments subsequent summer time.
