There is no question that the LA Clippers' rotation will look vastly different in the upcoming season than it did in 2023-24. After losing Paul George in free agency, a massive roster hole was created. Thankfully, the Clippers' front office got to work quickly to find replacements.
This team was already seeking to contend next season for the simple fact of them moving into a brand new arena at the Intuit Dome. But management made it clear just how committed to the goal of pursuing a championship they are with the moves they have made in free agency.
The price tag on Paul George would have been a hefty one had he re-signed, and the Clippers traded PG's high-end talent for a plethora of depth. They are now far more equipped to deal with injuries, and Tyronn Lue will have that much more flexibility with crafting his lineups and rotations throughout next season.
Here is what the Clippers' depth chart looks like as of right now.
Projected Clippers depth chart for the 2024-25 season:
- Point guard: James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kris Dunn
- Shooting guard: Terance Mann, Kevin Porter Jr., Amir Coffey, Bones Hyland
- Small forward: Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell, Kobe Brown, Cam Christie
- Power forward: Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum, P.J. Tucker
- Center: Ivica Zubac, Mo Bamba
The Clippers' starting lineup will now in all likelihood feature Derrick Jones Jr. taking the starting four spot that George left behind. Harden, Mann, Leonard and Zubac round out the starting five. From there, LA will have more than enough depth to weather a gauntlet of a Western Conference in the regular season.
Fringe rotation players that had to play big minutes last year can now be relegated to a more proper reserve role. Nic Batum, Kevin Porter Jr. and Kris Dunn are all high-level role players that represent an upgrade over much of what the Clippers had to work with off the bench last season.
It should be noted that Russell Westbrook will likely not be on this roster by the time next season tips off. The aging point guard opted into his player option for next season, and the expectation is that he will be traded in the coming weeks.
While this depth chart is marked by an improvement in top-to-bottom quality from last year, the Clippers are still in need of one more scoring threat from the wing. If they can find a solution there, there is little reason this team cannot finish in the top five in the West again next season given good injury luck.