With assistance from Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez, several of the LA Clippers’ biggest nightmares disappeared in the blink of an eye. They needed another sensational talent and a legitimate backup big man; they acquired both and put the cherry on top with Chris Paul and John Collins.
Furthermore, the dream for next season, as it is every year, is to win a championship. The tools are there, surrounding one of the world’s best superstar duos, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, who take on the roles of driver and passenger for a squad in LA that aims to write its history.
However, players may find their arms and legs constricted when the head coach has a specific style of coaching or decision-making. There must be a reasonable level of trust and coordination between the coach and each veteran in the rotation. On the Clippers, this may be biased for some, as head coach Tyronn Lue’s mindset can be taken to an unnecessary extent.
In fact, Lue has previously proven how much more he values veterans over younger guys. This has been an issue, and with the front office adding Beal, Paul, and Lopez, it could escalate next season, transforming the team’s most prominent nightmare into a reality.
Drifting away from Ivica Zubac is something that may occur next season due to the mentality of head coach Tyronn Lue
Before the 2024-25 season, Tyronn Lue would be comfortable sitting Ivica Zubac in the closing moments, even if the team needed a paint presence or rim protection. Lue would always choose his veterans, or go small-ball with Nicolas Batum, and after a while, it erupted into a serious issue.
This was not the case last season, as Zubac had developed to the point where, if he were not in the game for at least 30 minutes per game, the Clippers would be dominated by all kinds of opponents.
Conversely, different lineups will be tested next season, and Lue may be more appealing with a lineup featuring Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, and Brook Lopez alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. This could potentially lead to losses that would not have occurred had the championship head coach chosen the better center.
Yet, due to the 17-plus years of experience from Lopez, Lue may conclude that he has seen more, making him more trustworthy in the presence of the superstar duo. This is one of the few nightmares that could be witnessed among Clipper Nation next season.