LA Clippers: Five concerns heading into the 2019-20 season

5. Injuries

Injury concerns have to be included, right? Every single team in every single sport faces this concern on a daily basis. Sometimes stuff just happens.

For the Clippers, the concern is primarily centered around their two stars. We know Paul George is rumored to miss at least the first six weeks. We know Kawhi had some leg issues that he played through during the Raptors’ playoff run. How will the two look once they’re back on the basketball court?

We don’t know.

It’s fair to assume both will recover just fine and will be their normal, excellent selves. Someone has to play devil’s advocate though. What if PG’s shot doesn’t fall the same after having both shoulders repaired? What if Kawhi loses even just a half a step? It’s a scary thought. Either one could be the difference in a championship series.

This is why load management will be such a key. While there hasn’t been any official word (nor will there likely be) on how the team will manage Leonard and George’s minutes, I think it’s safe to assume that something will be done.

If there’s one thing this team proved last year, it’s that they can win without All-Stars on the court. Should both PG and Kawhi sit out games, the Clippers will still be very competitive. In the short-term, load management sucks (please play everyone in D.C. in December Doc!). For the long-term, load management is a great strategy to keep everyone at their best come playoffs.

The Clippers are more than capable of overcoming each and everyone of these concerns, but they are still worth mentioning. No team is constructed perfectly but with the depth and mental fortitude this roster has, they are pretty darn close.