Both hope and uncertainty surrounded the Clippers as they closed the preseason Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome.
Hope that the young core could deliver a season to remember in Los Angeles.
Uncertainty about whether the mountain of external factors would be too much for the battered roster.
“Our margin for error is so slim, so we gotta be ready,” head coach Tyronn Lue said.
Although preseason results carry little weight, the Clippers ended the exhibition slate 2-1 after a 122-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Here are three takeaways from the conclusion of the Clippers’ preseason, with opening night just days away:
1) Youth Movement Takes Shape
Famously, the Clippers set a record for the oldest roster in NBA history last season with an average age of 33.2 years.
This season, that total drops to 26.3 with two rookies, guard Keaton Wagler and forward Baba Miller, on the active roster. Another rookie, forward Nick Martinelli, has also signed a two-way contract.
At one point against Denver, Lue sent out a lineup without a single player older than 30.
The group featured Wagler, 19; forward Derrick Jones Jr., 29; guard Darius Garland, 26; forwards Isaiah Jackson, 24; and Rui Hachimura, 28.
2) Injury Bug Persists
A setback for the young roster has been the injury bug that has swarmed its way to the Intuit Dome. A combination of pre-existing injuries plus injuries sustained in training camp has sidelined five notable players.
The most significant is forward Brandon Ingram, recovering from a partially torn Achilles discovered during surgery in May following heel soreness.
Guard Bradley Beal continues to deal with right knee inflammation that has plagued his return, and which resulted in him playing just six games last season.
Other notable injuries include guard Max Strus with a partially torn plantar fascia, guard Jordan Miller with a torn rotator cuff and center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser with a foot injury.
None of the five players are expected to be ready for the start of the season.
With several veterans unavailable, younger players will be asked to take on a larger role as the season starts to take shape.
3) Wagler Shines
No young player has taken advantage of the increased opportunities more than Wagler.
The 19-year-old is the Clippers’ highest draft pick since Blake Griffin was selected No. 1 overall in 2009.
On Wednesday, Wagler made his first start for the Clippers and finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and a plus-11 rating.
That performance followed his game-winning basket Oct. 4 in Hawaii, which gave the Clippers their first preseason win.
As is natural for a rookie, Wagler has struggled at times in the preseason, but he has also demonstrated why the Clippers used the No. 5 overall pick on him, particularly with his movement away from the ball.
“He’s been good,” Lue said. “Like we talked about before the game–not being off the ball and you don’t touch it, but being off the ball to get the ball back.”
Lue also praised Wagler’s composure. “He can handle the pressure.”
The preseason offered a glimpse of what this new-look Clippers roster could become. Now it’s time to raise the curtain on a new era for the franchise, starting Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings at the Intuit Dome.