LA Clippers’ franchise superstar, James Harden, made the transition to a more point guard-like style in the midst of his professional career. He was always capable of making plays, but this became more of a priority to him when he moved on from the Houston Rockets.
The LA Clippers added a player similar to Harden, in terms of playmaking, with Chris Paul, who has a similar reputation of making his teammates and teams better. In fact, they have been co-workers before, and created a 60+ win environment in Houston, proving to the world that next season, the possibilities of success are endless in LA.
Moreover, an area of the game where both guards are elite is the pick-and-roll. This is a set-up that each mastered early in their career, and once it was perfected, there was no looking back.
This play is intended for big men, usually centers, and will benefit Ivica Zubac heavily. Yet, forwards can also take advantage of it, and that is an area where Kawhi Leonard will dominate unexpectedly next season in a subtle way.
The LA Clippers would be elevated with Kawhi Leonard as a roller in the pick-and-roll
When head coach Tyronn Lue sprints down to the LA Clippers’ side of the half-court and calls for James Harden or Chris Paul to initiate a pick-and-roll, opposing coaches will automatically assume it is for Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, or John Collins.
This is because of their position, which lies in the front court. Some may even expect to see Derrick Jones Jr. in some of the action as the roller, due to his athleticism and dominance above the rim.
However, Lue should meet with the franchise superstar, Kawhi Leonard, individually and host a workout specifically designed around him as the roll-man for Harden and Paul during the season.
Leonard has the perfect size to do it, at six-foot-seven, and his experience with Zubac, Pascal Siakam, and Tim Duncan should help him thrive when embracing contact with defenses.
Additionally, with Leonard’s premier forty-percent three-point shooting, Lue could instruct his superstar to pop out for a three-pointer after setting a screen, depending on the feel of the defense.
Nonetheless, this added area to the Clippers’ scheme would elevate the offense and make LA the favorites to win the Western Conference. Teams already cannot stop Leonard in the mid-range, so if he masters the concept of rolling from a screen, opponents would be clueless when containing him.