There is understandably a lot of excitement surrounding this LA Clippers team. Even though they may not have as much big-name talent as they perhaps had in years past, the Clippers are about to begin a new era for the franchise.
After playing their final home game at Crypto.com Arena in May, LA has moved into the brand new Intuit Dome and will play their first regular season home game at the state-of-the-art arena in just over two weeks. It was a long time coming, and the Clippers will finally be able to step out of the shadow of their rival, the Lakers.
Additionally, LA has a completely re-shaped roster after losing Paul George and Russell Westbrook in the offseason. They brought in a multitude of new faces to help keep this team a playoff contender, and many of the players think they will have a solid chance of over-achieving based on the national media's expectations.
So it is to be expected that the Clippers fanbase is over the moon about this team. It does not feel like years past, and there is a renewed hope in the air. However, while excitement is good, Ty Lue spoke to media and addressed the topic of where this team is, versus where they need to be. According to him, they still have a ways to go.
James Harden warned on media day that LAC is behind and has little time to waste
— Law Murray 🏟️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) October 3, 2024
Tyronn Lue today reiterated how as a coach, his excitement level is tempered by always feeling behind
"We're not there yet… we got a long way to go." pic.twitter.com/OU9Y3Qg0Me
Lue says the Clippers still have a long way to go
When asked about his excitement surrounding the team at media day, Lue made it clear that he wants to keep the expectations at a realistic level. "Not too excited," he said. "As the head coach, you always feel like you're behind. And so, how much to add, when to slow down, we're not there yet. We've got different things we've got to add, we've got to make sure guys understand where we're at and what we're trying to do, what we're trying to execute."
While this may raise an eyebrow from some fans, it is really a pretty reasonable statement from a head coach at this point in the process. The regular season has not even begun, and we have to remember that the Clippers are working with what is essentially a brand new team. Still needing time to figure things out given that situation is perfectly natural.
"So we've got a long way to go," said Lue. "As coach, you didn't want to see these days go, but it's coming quick." The Clippers will certainly still have their fair share of bumps in the road as they perfect their process. But that is how the progression works for any new team trying to find their footing, and there is still reason for optimism as this team continues to grow.