It took one game for the Los Angeles Clippers' biggest offseason critique to rear its ugly head — they couldn't keep up with the Jazz in a season-opening 129-108. Utah ran LA off the floor. Fans hoped that the loss wouldn't be a sign of what was to come, but unfortunately, it has been.
In a recent piece for ESPN, Tim Bontemps included a quote about the current state of the Clippers from a West scout, and it'd be funny if it weren't true: "Unless you can show me where the fountain of youth is, I don't see [a path back]. Kawhi [Leonard] has looked good when he's played. But you can't rely on him."
As Brian Windhorst wrote, the team "picked the wrong time to have the oldest roster in NBA history." Teams are playing at a faster pace than ever, leaving the aging Clippers behind. Los Angeles is averaging 96.36 possessions per game, the worst in the league.
The Clippers' offseason moves have already backfired
The Clippers currently hold a 3-8 record, 12th in the West. They've lost six straight games and will start a six-game road trip on Friday in Dallas. The Mavericks are 3-9 and have dealt with their own struggles to start the season, but they'll get a boost from Dereck Lively II, who will return to the lineup against LA after missing the past few weeks with a knee sprain.
Meanwhile, the Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard, who is not only dealing with a sprained ankle but also a right foot sprain. The team will also be without Bradley Beal, who will miss the rest of the season due to hip surgery. Beal, who is 32, is younger than six of his teammates, but his past injury history made his signing a risk for the Clippers.
Los Angeles' older players who are available to play have done nothing to reassure fans. Chris Paul, 40, didn't play at all in the past three games and is averaging only 12.9 minutes per contest through eight games. Brook Lopez (37), Nicolas Batum (36), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (33) have been underwhelming.
There is a lot of pressure on James Harden's shoulders, and you know how old he is? 36. At this point in his career, everyone knows what player Harden used to be and who he is now. He isn't the answer.
Ty Lue said that he plans to play the team's younger players more, which could actually help LA, but not enough to make the kind of noise that the team needs to make to stay competitive in a stacked conference.
Optimism is already hard to come by for the Clippers, but maybe they'll be able to find a fountain of youth somewhere.