LA Clippers: Predicting Every Player’s Stats for the Upcoming Season
Starting Forwards
Small Forward #1, Danilo Gallinari: 34.3 MPG, 18.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 38.1 3P%
Gallo joining the Clippers is a bigger event than it was made up to be. The 28-year-old is already the best small forward LA has had since Caron Butler left in 2013, and he hasn’t even played a single game yet. Gallinari is a career 39% shooter from deep and is the three-and-D player that the Clippers have longed to have for years. Gallo is also an excellent finisher at the rim, converting 69% of his attempts last season. He’ll fit in nicely with the Lob City mantra, and will complete perhaps the NBA’s best starting frontcourt rotation.
Power Forward #1, Blake Griffin: 35.0 MPG, 24.7 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, 36.2 3P%
The return of Blake Griffin may just be one of the most iconic moments in Clippers history. For the first time, an NBA superstar wanted to come back to LA. Gone are the years of players fleeing the LA Clippers just as fast as they arrived. And with that, we’ll likely see the best version of Blake this year that we’ve ever seen. With an increased role as the franchise’s undisputed best player, Griffin’s numbers will all marginally increase in comparison to last season’s. We can also expect to see his three point percentage rise, as he continues to work on and add the shot to his arsenal. It’s also worth noting that during the month of February 2017, Griffin averaged 26.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. Why is that significant? Chris Paul missed that entire month due to injury, and Griffin’s numbers jumped substantially.
Reserve Small Forwards
Small Forward #2, Sam Dekker: 19.1 MPG, 7.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.2 APG
At just 22 years of age, Dekker is an athlete full of untapped potential. He was a vital piece of the Wisconsin team that made a run to the NCAA Championship alongside Frank Kaminsky, and showed several outbursts of greatness last season with the Rockets. He scored a career high 30 points against the Memphis Grizzlies in January, a game in which he connected on 6 triples. At 6’9″, Dekker also possesses substantial size to defend most NBA small forwards. Oh, and did I mention his #SCTop10-worthy dunks? Dekker is just waiting to put people on posters.
Small Forward #3, Wesley Johnson: 12.3 MPG, 4.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.1 APG
Wes has never been able to piece a lot together as a member of the LA Clippers, and that likely will remain unchanged this season. It’s not that Johnson is a bad player, it’s just that he should be better than he is, if that makes any sense. The former Syracuse standout and #4 overall pick has never been able to average double digits in scoring in any season of his 7 NBA seasons. Still, Johnson is a solid contributor that is capable of heating up from beyond the arc and finishing at the rim. We all want to see Johnson at his best, but it’s difficult to believe that we do any time soon.
Small Forward #4, Jamil Wilson: 4.4 MPG, 1.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.7 APG
The Summer League standout will likely remain in the G-League all season, however his two-way deal provides him with the chance to play if he’s needed in the NBA. Wilson averaged 10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game with the Clippers Summer League team, and he made headlines shooting 78.6% from the field during that time. He also connected on 63% of his shots from deep. Wilson will have to work his way up to earn a spot in LA’s rotation next year, but if he keeps on scoring like he has, it could happen before you know it.
Reserve Power Forwards
Power Forward #2, Montrezl Harrell: 22.1 MPG, 11.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Harrell is a machine. He possesses incredible rebounding and finishing ability, and he himself gives more effort than the collective Brooklyn Nets do on a nightly basis. Most importantly, Harrell is young. He’s already a great contributor at age 23, and will only get better from here. His career high 29 points came against the Clippers last December, a game in which he dominated especially late. Learning from both Blake and DJ, Harrell could become a hybrid of the two. He’s shown the ability to knock down shots at midrange, finish lobs, and haul in rebounds at a high rate. Harrell may be in the perfect situation for him to grow, and that much alone will be visible next season.
Power Forward #3, Brice Johnson: 14.3 MPG, 5.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 BPG
Unfortunately for Johnson, acquiring Harrell means his minutes will go down. Brice showed serious potential for the LA Clippers’ Summer League team, averaging 14.4 points, 5.2 boards, and a block per game in 23.8 minutes of average play. Johnson wasn’t able to compete much during his rookie season due to a nagging back injury, so it’s very likely we see more of him this season. Essentially a rookie, he and the others will likely bounce back and forth between the G-League and NBA this season. Johnson, however, will likely play more than any of them.