The label of a championship contender is the most valuable in the NBA, and they exist in many different cities. Next season of all seasons, the league will be heavily lopsided with injuries tearing apart Eastern Conference teams and superstars like Kevin Durant moving up in the Western Conference.
Furthermore, the teams that are labeled as such do not have many needs. If they did, the NBA community would refrain from titling these squads as the best until certain holes are filled through the front office.
The LA Clippers last season were a championship contender, and they only made themselves more of a threat in the summer. Every dime was spent appropriately, and the proper subtractions were made, such as not re-signing Amir Coffey.
However, the Clippers still have a major need that will soon become a critical warning sign. In retrospect, this could be the reason why a second-round appearance has not been made after franchise history was made in 2021-22 by Paul George and Terance Mann.
The LA Clippers’ lack of youth production is a need that will turn into a nightmare
Most fans of the LA Clippers are observing the bright side of an aging group of veterans. This is particularly true in terms of experience and leadership, where the best player on the market in these departments was added in Chris Paul.
Paul does not have a championship, but he has still been a reliable point guard for coaches like Doc Rivers, Steve Kerr, and the greatest to ever pick up the clipboard, Gregg Popovich, even if it was just for five games before going through a health crisis and then retiring.
However, the youngest player the Clippers truly have that they can rely on is John Collins. Aside from him and Ivica Zubac, who is 28, Tyronn Lue has no production coming from the youth on the bench.
Guys like Cam Christie and Kobe Brown have just been developing their skills in the G-League, and something new was supposed to happen next season, but Lawrence Frank added veterans at both of their positions.
Drafting a rookie center in the first round likely will not change much about this hole, as Yanic Konan Niederhauser will be on the learning curve next season.
That said, having no production from a youngster will end up being the most prominent nightmare next season, and it could unsurprisingly affect the Clippers’ chances of reaching their final destination.