The LA Clippers managed 48 wins in the Western Conference this past season, and by adding a superstar in Kawhi Leonard, they could become a title contender.
We’ve talked about it a lot, but it still feels like the 2018-2019 LA Clippers team doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Not only are they one of the best teams in franchise history, but they’re easily one of, if not the most, memorable.
Led by a group of scrappy, hard-working dudes with a strong will to win, the Clippers managed to win 48 games in a very crowded Western Conference — crushing the playoff hopes of the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers in the process.
Most of that group is slated to return to the Clippers again this season. That is, at least the most important ones.
Patrick Beverley is back after agreeing to a three-year deal worth $40 million with LA. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell are still under contract. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet are back after brilliant rookie seasons, and they’re improving. Danilo Gallinari, for the time being, is still rocking a Clippers uniform. So is Ivica Zubac.
The only impact player that the Clippers presumably won’t be returning is JaMychal Green, and even then, that still isn’t too big of a hit. He played an important role in the playoffs and was a very solid player, yes, but the team’s newest additions of Maurice Harkless and Rodney McGruder should be able to make up for those points lost.
Now, imagine taking the best players from the 2018-2019 roster, and adding a superstar in the form of Kawhi Leonard to the mix. What does that 48-win team start to look like, exactly?
And let’s remember — the Clippers that closed out the season were not the same ones that started it. Tobias Harris is a more talented player than any the team got at the trade deadline. But with that being said, it’s important to note that the Clippers went 18-9 after trading Harris to the Philadelphia 76ers, and pushed a healthy Golden State Warriors team to six games by no mistake of their own.
Adding Leonard onto that team gives them the one thing they lacked all season: A star. The 2018-2019 Clippers didn’t have a single All-Star, past or present, on the roster. It’s safe to assume that some future All-Stars will come from this team (Harris is the easiest guess there, but Gilgeous-Alexander, Harrell and Shamet all have All-Star potential), but even then, they weren’t necessarily playing at that level this past season.
Adding Leonard would give the Clippers a closer not named Lou Williams. A big-shot maker who can step up in the most difficult situations. Someone who can go toe-to-toe with the biggest and best names in basketball and come out on top.
Adding Leonard would have helped the Clippers put away the Warriors in the first round and likely carried them into the Finals. The Houston Rockets weren’t all there in round two, and the Portland Trail Blazers wouldn’t have had an answer for Leonard. No one did last season.
So while it might seem like we’re jumping the gun here, it’s clear that no matter who else the Los Angeles Lakers add, or how good the Utah Jazz end up being, the Clippers are going to be right there in the mix — if they add Leonard.
And if the LA Clippers don’t end up landing Leonard, that’s alright too. Patrick Beverley said it best: If we do, it’s on, and if we don’t, then it’s still on.