With the news of Kawhi Leonard being sidelined indefinitely to begin the LA Clippers' season, we now know that the depth of this new roster will be tested that much more. The Clippers loaded up on supporting role players over the summer, with the intention of them aiding Leonard and James Harden. Now, many of them will have to carry a heavier weight than initially intended.
There are several players more than up to the challenge of doing that. Many have been excited about Jordan Miller's continued development. LA's second-round pick from 2023 spent most of last season playing with the Clippers' affiliate in the G League, but he has bigger goals for this coming season.
"I don't want to sound arrogant," said Miller. "But I want to prove I'm too good for the G League." So far, throughout training camp and preseason, he has made big strides in accomplishing that goal. On Thursday night against Sacramento, he put up 21 points while making eight of his 11 shot attempts.
It was Miller's second outing this preseason where he earned at least 28 minutes on the court, and his third scoring in double figures. His progression has been noticeable, and it is not something that Ty Lue has failed to take notice of.
Ty Lue says Jordan Miller has proven he’s an NBA player. I asked if Miller has a path to rotation minutes.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) October 18, 2024
Lue: “We’ll see. Still trying to figure that part out. If I put him in the game, I do have confidence and trust in him… So we’ll see going forward.” pic.twitter.com/p4SUg4h7ct
Ty Lue spoke highly of Miller after practice
When asked if Miller has already proven he is an NBA player, Lue was quick to affirm that he had. "He's definitely matured a lot, his game has matured," Ty said. "He's done a great job just putting in the work every single day. Going down to the G League last year I think was really good for him."
Lue noted that most guys do not like playing in the G League, but expressed that he thought it was an important step in getting Jordan ready to play in the NBA. With the Clippers' roster being as loaded as it is, some may still be concerned about Miller actually being able to get legitimate minutes this season. Of course, no one can say for sure right now what will happen. But Lue's words seemed encouraging.
"We'll see," he said of there being a pathway to rotation minutes for Miller. "I think if I put him in the game, I do have confidence and trust in him that he can play and he can get things done." These seem like the words of a coach who does not want to make any promises, but continues to see positives from a talented youngster.
With Kawhi being out for the time being, it seems like the stars are aligning for Miller to make a jump and contribute toward winning games this year.