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Clippers Slack Chat: Positive early season impressions, fashion and more

By Logan Rapp

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: The LA Clippers clebrates a play against the Charlotte Hornets on October 28, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: The LA Clippers clebrates a play against the Charlotte Hornets on October 28, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers spins for a shot in front of Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 112-102 Clipper win in the LA Clippers season home opener at Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers spins for a shot in front of Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 112-102 Clipper win in the LA Clippers season home opener at Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Future schedule

Logan Rapp: All right, let’s start winding down: Looking ahead, what game, or stretch of games, for the remainder of this calendar year, are we focusing on as, well, not necessarily make-or-break, but important? (waits as everyone googles the schedule)

Garrett Chorpenning: The Clippers’ post-All Star break schedule looks really easy. Lots of matchups with teams that don’t project to make the playoffs this year. It’s really important that they don’t play down to those teams.

Logan Rapp: “Ticking off wins” has been something Doc’s said in pressers, yeah. The Suns’ loss was weird, and yeah, their schedule has been light in comparison, but they’re 4-2. That should have been a win, but they’re better than expected, I think.

Nathan Jacobo: Well, the month of November is huge in terms of taking care of Home Court.

December is when we will see how the team fares being on the road most of the month.

I know we shouldn’t be worried about early season games but dropping games we should win may hurt our seeding down the line when the regular season ends in April.

This is a marathon, not a race, I hope the team can continue to remain healthy and sit key players to have them ready come postseason time.

Logan Rapp: I also think that’s a product of last season, Nate. That early rush of wins really made a difference down the stretch.

Is the Lakers/Clippers game on Christmas big, bigger, or biggest?

Matt Chong: I think it’s massive–for the Lakers. They’re going to be going all-out after getting Ka-pie on their face on opening night when the Clips didn’t even have the benefit of their second All-Star.

Kenneth Hawkes: Regular season is totally different from the post-season. The difference reminds me of frozen ice against the rush of a stream. It’s just different.

Games during the regular season will never be treated with as much importance as the playoffs if anything the one’s post-All-Star game are treated with more zeal because of playoff placing.

Ryan Snellings: Bigger, but not the biggest. Both teams probably won’t be their final forms at that point, so it’s not everything.

Logan Rapp: Ryan, are you thinking the post-trade deadline games mean more?

Ryan Snellings: I mean, it’s not a full indicator or who we will be playoff time. Even if neither team makes a move. It’s just another one of 82.

Nathan Jacobo: As Matt said, it is bigger for the Lakers on Christmas Day. The fact we got them w/out PG on the first game, I know they are probably wanting to come out strong that game.

It should be a fun game though. (#FreeIggy)

Logan Rapp: Ooh, actually, before I go to the final fun prompt, let’s follow up on Nate: Where does Andre Iguodala go, and after Windhorst’s report on Joakim Noah having been (and recovered) from injury over the summer, where does he end up as well?

Do the Clippers end up with either one of them?

Ryan Snellings: Nope.

Matt Chong: I think any potential injuries the Clippers encounter would probably dictate which of those guys gets picked up, if at all. I think the Clips would be just fine running with the group they currently have.

Nathan Jacobo: Hope is poison.

I do think we make a play for Iggy more than Joakim, but unfortunately, I think Iggy joins the other LA team.

I do, however, believe that Derrick Walton Jr. will not be on the roster post-trade deadline.

Ryan Snellings: HOPE IS POISON!

Randi Geffner: Nate, there’s another LA team?

Matt Chong: I think you’d be forgiven for forgetting about them, Randi, on account of their being a non-factor in the NBA for the better part of the last decade.

Logan Rapp: Nate, do you mean that as Walton Jr.’s becoming an asset worth trading, or just holding a spot that might be better suited for the buyout market?

Nathan Jacobo: Logan, meaning he is just holding a spot that might be better suited for the buyout market. Last time the Clippers were active in the buyout market was in the 2013-14 season when they picked up Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Hedo Turkoglu and Danny Granger.

Logan Rapp: Also, my thinking is if Zubac continues to improve, the need for Noah lessens considerably. And Zubac is improving and showing the promise that everyone’s said he’s had.

Kenneth Hawkes: Zubac was a steal, that was a gift, haha.

Logan Rapp: There is that question of health, but with a deep team like this, there’s going to be a hole somewhere. Gun to my head, I think Doc and the front office are okay with that hole being at missing a true playmaking point guard.

Nathan Jacobo: I wouldn’t be shocked if the FO tried moving Harkless ($11 mil) and McGruder ($5 mil) for another piece to solidify either the bench or starting lineup

Kenneth Hawkes: Bradley Beal, I wish.

Logan Rapp: Well, if it’s Beal, Kenny, then it’s over for the league.

Kenneth Hawkes: Shooters, on shooters, on hoopers.

Logan Rapp: I do think that PG’s going to surprise us with similarly improved passing, reducing even further the need for a playmaking point guard. Like, Paul’s not locked in a vault. He’s with the team and watching what’s working.

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