The LA Clippers will head into this coming NBA season with a vastly different roster than the one they utilized the last time they took the floor for a game. With Paul George out and other new faces in, not to mention a brand new home arena, the Clippers experience is about to be a night and day difference from last season.
But beyond the talented new players they have added to their team, there is another big reason why the Clippers might be a more dangerous team in 2024-25 than many think they will be. After Tyronn Lue spent the summer with some other brilliant basketball minds at the Olympics, he seems to have gained a new perspective.
In speaking with Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Lue explained some of the experiences he has had that he says have shaped him over the summer. Ty spent time around Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Gonzaga's Mark Few, and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors as well.
Ty Lue's experience at the Olympics gave him a renewed perspective
Youngmisuk writes that Lue took something from each of the coaches he spent significant time observing - with each figure bringing their own brand of expertise to the table. He says that Ty noticed "Steve Kerr's mastery of movement and ability to command a locker room with a measured voice," something that was a major part of him winning four championships as a coach.
In observing Spoelstra and Few, Lue picked up on their "intense preparation" and ability to adjust within the flow of a game. Additionally, Lue got to spend more time around Jeff Van Gundy, who as we know, will be joining Ty's coaching staff with the Clippers this upcoming season. Mark Few said that he was impressed when observing Lue and Van Gundy. "Sometimes I would sit in and listen to them a little bit," he said. "They're both just basketball grinders, man."
We already know that Ty has a renewed sense of competitiveness following Paul George's departure. He is ready to prove the doubters wrong. With all the small bits of knowledge he picked up in working alongside some of the his peers who also happen to be some of the best in the business, we should recognize that this could perhaps give the Clippers an even greater edge next season.
For those that are watching from a distance and do not know all that has gone on internally with the Clippers' coaches and players this summer, sure, it would be easy to say they are primed to take a step back once October rolls around. But for those that have been following more closely, it is clear to see that the pieces are being put in place for a surprisingly successful year.