The Los Angeles Clippers don’t lack star power on their roster, but age and injury concerns don’t bring the least confidence in their chances of going far.
The Los Angeles Clippers took the Denver Nuggets to seven games in the first round of the playoffs, quickly getting busy this offseason, adding the talent they’ve won around James Harden, Kawi Leonard and Evikasback.
Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez and John Collins all joined the roster to strengthen the title’s odds, but that only has one problem. It’s not 2018, and most of those players have been past Prime and have raised concerns about durability throughout the 82-game season.
Last summer, the Philadelphia 76ers all-in with the aging Paul George, often injuring Joel Embiid and already injuring Tyrees Maxie. On paper, the team should have competed for the title, but their health slowed them down and finished 24-58.
The average age is 34.8, and the Clippers could be on the same boat as last year’s Six.
“I believe this team will be like Philadelphia last year or that this team will be able to go to the championship,” Richard Jefferson said. “That’s their spectrum and they can get hurt. They’re just based on what we know and we can see this team go to the championship.”
It is impossible to deny that the Clippers are incredibly talented, like the 76ers, but their reliability and durability are still of great concern.
“Historically, when a team’s average age approaches receiving pensions than it’s drafted, that’s not a good sign,” Jefferson added.
If their stars can all play over 60 games and get healthy towards the playoffs, LA could become a title favorite, but things can go south.
Unlike the 76ers, the Clippers didn’t spend most of their pay cap on three players. Yes, Harden and Leonard will well exceed $35 million next season, but Zubac, Beal, Paul, Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanović, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn are all in affordable team-friendly deals.
The Clippers have one of the top medical staff in the league, so managing injuries is not a constant battle, but it’s not impossible.
Plus, trusted players like Bogdanovic, Jones Jr., Dunn, Paul, and Nicolas Batum will come out of the bench. If any of the starters fall with an injury, the clipper has depth to make up for the loss.
Now, if Harden and Leonard miss out on more than 30 games, the Clippers could be in trouble, but there’s a reason to have faith in Los Angeles after successfully managing Leonard’s health last season.