While some may view Saturday’s first-round series elimination to the Denver Nuggets as a failure for the Los Angeles Clippers, it was anything but.
Before the start of the season in October, the public was predominantly out on the Clippers, believing the loss of Paul George, the further decline of James Harden and the uncertainty of Kawhi Leonard would leave the team outside of the postseason — play-in included.
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Well, jokes on them, because the Clippers spent the year building up one of the league’s best defenses, putting Normal Powell in a role where he flourished as an almost star, and as for Harden? Well, he had a resurgence at 35, which dramatically helped the Clippers turn around the narrative.
All that said, the Clippers wouldn’t have gotten this far without the play of center Ivica Zubac.
His 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and ability to anchor an elite defense was a major key for Los Angeles to squeeze out games, even ones they weren’t supposed to be in.
Having a center who could routinely score at the rim on one end and use his overwhelming physicality to shut down opposing players at the rim on the other unsurprisingly turned out to be a major boon.
Despite the ending, James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers had a fine season. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Of course, Leonard features here as well.
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No one truly knew if he’d play much this season, nor did anyone know what version of him would be on the floor.
Turns out, Leonard is exactly the same as we remember. He’s one of the toughest players in the NBA, and one of the most precise and fundamental shot-creators we’ve ever seen.
In the series against Denver, Leonard was once again a mid-range maestro, creating difficult shots out of thin air and making them without the ball touching the rim.
For a player who hasn’t been fully healthy in the postseason for years, his play served as a reminder of just how good he is, and why he should be considered in the highest echelon of elite players in the league.
Here’s what to know about the Clippers heading into the offseason, as they attempt to build on a successful season:
2024-25 finish
Record: 50-32, fifth in the Western Conference. Lost to the Denver Nuggets in seven games in the first round.
Highlight of the season
Nov. 4 at home against the San Antonio Spurs, coincidentally a game that was covered by Yahoo Sports. The Spurs were up 40-14 after the first quarter, totally dominating both sides of the floor. The vast majority of teams would have folded, but the Clippers dug deep and clawed their way back, via dialed-up defense and an emphasis on 3-pointers, to win 113-104. This showed everyone they had another gear, and it was the moment they forced the league to take them seriously.
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The feeling in the arena changed over the course of the game, from a fan loudly yelling, “The Clippers are still the Clippers!” in the middle of the first quarter, to that same man happily letting the row he was sitting in ridicule him when they made the comeback, at one point noting, “Never thought I’d see that!” in utter bewilderment.
Players signed for next season
Kawhi Leonard
Norman Powell
Bogdan Bogdanović
Ivica Zubac
Derrick Jones Jr.
Kris Dunn
Kobe Brown
Cam Christie
Key free agents
James Harden (Player Option)
Nicolas Batum (Player Option)
Amir Coffey (UFA)
Ben Simmons (UFA)
Projected salary
$124,641,415 (salary cap projected to be $154.6 million)
Draft picks
Nos. 30 & 51
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Draft focus: The Clippers are getting up there in age, so it wouldn’t hurt to swing big on the highest upside guys left on the board, regardless of position. A stash pick wouldn’t be the worst idea, as rookies aren’t likely to play much next season.
Even if Harden picks up his player option, the Clippers should have access to the full Non-Tax MLE. The luxury tax is estimated to land at $187.9 million, meaning there’d also be options to re-sign Coffey.
Needs and goals
Surely, the Clippers hope to be better next season, and in order to do that, it would be wise to find a guard who could consistently score off the dribble and take some pressure off Harden, without relinquishing defensive intensity.
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