It’s been over three years since the Los Angeles Clippers acquired all-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Fans are still disappointed, despite the two stars leading the charge to the first Western Conference finals appearance in franchise history in 2020-21.
The Clippers were the favorites to win the NBA Finals in 2019-20, the first year with their shiny new toys.
Three years later, they’ve yet to play for an NBA title.
The Clippers were unable to fill the bottom level of Galen Center despite making Thursday’s practice free to the public; some fans may have given up hope. But among the fans who came to support, most were energetic and supportive as they cheered loudly when watching their favorite players drill impressive shots.
Lue remains optimistic ahead of the 2022-23 season, so long as his team can avoid the injury bug.
“The biggest most important thing is making sure the players are healthy,” Lue said in a press conference on Thursday.
Lue’s concern is warranted by recent history.
“I think falling short the year Kawhi got hurt, and then last year Kawhi and [Paul George] both being out, I think that put a dent on everything as well,” Lue said. “So we’re excited to have Kawhi healthy, having [Paul George] healthy, having John Wall here healthy as well. If we stay healthy and do all the right things, I think we got a great chance.”
The Clippers are tied for most scheduled back-to-back games this season with 15, and five of those are in the first month and a half. The strenuous nature of these games will force Lue to adjust his game plan.
“With John and Kawhi who haven’t played, John in two years and Kawhi in a year and three months, we got to make sure we’re smart,” Lue said.
If Wall remains healthy, Lue’s expectations are tremendous.
“We already know he can play. Perennial all-star,” Lue said. “The guy is seventh all-time in assists — 9.1 assists a game.”
However, Reggie Jackson presents tough competition for starting point guard. Not only is he an excellent team player, but his outgoing nature makes him a fan favorite. At the open practice, he did a ballerina dance after nailing a three-point shot. He also did the floss and “take the L” dances from the video game Fortnite.
Lue said he is yet to determine who will earn the role.
“It’s not about who’s the best player. It’s about who’s the best fit for our team to win and be successful,” Lue said.
In the Clippers’ first preseason game on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, Jackson started the game and Wall came off the bench.
But during a scrimmage at Thursday’s open practice, Wall started alongside Leonard, George and center Ivica Zubac, three projected starters. Jackson started with Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Brandon Boston and Robert Covington, who will likely serve as bench players.
There is still a competition for starting point guard, but it appears to be trending in Wall’s direction.
Wall’s performance at the open practice likely helped his case. He scored 14 of his team’s 49 points, including two explosive dunks, and added three assists along with one steal.
With one of these two coming off the bench, the Clippers will add more depth to a team that was extraordinarily deep last year. They ranked second with 40 points per game off the bench.
“You got to sacrifice minutes, games, shots,” Lue said. “We have a lot of competitors on our team.”
Lue said properly distributing minutes each game will be tough because of his team’s extensive talent, but he praises his coaching staff for their help with these types of decisions.
“Our staff does a great job just making adjustments, you know trying to read the game before it actually happens.” Lue said.
The Clippers remain one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals for the fourth year in a row at (+550) according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
With the acquisition of Wall, the Clippers have arguably the best team on paper in the entire league. If their key pieces can stay healthy — which is a huge “if” — the Clippers may break their own glass ceiling and win the NBA Finals. Lue said he hopes to deliver on these standards.
“I’ll take those expectations every year. So we have a good team, but we need to put the work in,” Lue said. “We need to sacrifice and do a lot of other things to achieve our goals. We have the right pieces in this room, so I’m just excited to get started.”