The LA Clippers significantly upgraded their roster this offseason, but their projected starting five is disastrous defensively and completely trashes the team’s former identity. They traded Norman Powell to get John Collins and signed Bradley Beal to replace Powell. Beal and Collins are used to starting, but LA can’t make that mistake.
ESPN pegged their starting five as Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Beal, and Collins. The Clippers finished 15th in offensive rating last season, so the scoring punch is needed. It can't come at the expense of robbing the team of its defensive identity. LA finished third in defensive rating last season, but would be starting three subpar options if this projection holds.
The problem gets worse for the Clippers when considering the second unit lacks offense as it shifts too far toward defense. Head coach Tyronn Lue must balance things out, and that starts with convincing Beal or Collins to come off the bench.
Clippers' rumored starting lineup is a disaster waiting to happen
The Clippers shouldn’t force Kawhi to take on the toughest defensive assignment every night. He is still an elite defender, but LA must keep him healthy. Asking Leonard to take on that massive role is not ideal with his injury history.
Putting Derrick Jones Jr. or Kris Dunn into the starting five creates the ideal balance for the Clippers. It lets them take on the primary perimeter defensive role and blend in on offense. Beal or Collins gets to operate as the sixth man and destroy second units. The Clippers can close with their five best players or play the matchups on any given night.
Collins should embrace a sixth man role. He is in for a career year as he catches lobs for Harden and Chris Paul. Coach Lue can scale up his minutes as necessary and let the 6’11 forward feast on mismatches. He would be the fourth option in the starting five, but can be the number two if he comes off the bench. It makes perfect sense.
The Clippers will have to rely on winning shootouts if they start the projected group. That is not ideal with the oldest team in the NBA. It also limits what players can do. There is only one ball and several mouths to feed. Lue needs to stagger his groups to maximize each lineup, which means players must sacrifice. The Clippers have the talent to contend for a title, but they need role buy-in to be a serious threat.
The Clippers should start Harden, Beal, Leonard, Jones Jr., and Zubac with Chris Paul, Kris Dunn, Nicolas Batum, Collins, and Brook Lopez in their second unit. That is an elite top ten with a ton of versatility. No team wants to face them in the playoffs if they are healthy. Sadly, that is a massive if.
The LA Clippers will quickly shift into the ideal rotation. Tyronn Lue is one of the best coaches in the NBA and is no stranger to managing egos. The Clips have a larger goal in mind. Expect them to be all-in this season, and fans should be excited. Health will be key. Hopefully, the franchise’s fortunes will finally turn.