The Los Angeles Clippers are set to be one of the more interesting teams in the NBA this season. Their star duo of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, along with the emerging Ivica Zubac, are set to lead the way once again, but this time with more reinforcements.
They brought in Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, John Collins, and Chris Paul to add more depth. Beal and Collins should add more scoring punch to LA, as that was something they struggled with against Denver in the playoffs. They have 3-and-D options on the bench in Nic Batum and Derrick Jones Jr.
LA’s issue is that they are old. They are the oldest team in the NBA by a mile, with their roster having an average age of 33. In addition to that, they have a controversy hanging over their heads to start the season.
The Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration saga is still unresolved
The Clippers are dealing with an NBA investigation, where they are alleged to have circumvented the salary cap to sign Leonard in 2019. Pablo Torre dropped this bombshell report in the summer, and LA has denied any wrongdoing.
Aspiration went bankrupt in March, but LA owner Steve Ballmer invested $50 million in them in 2021. The organization even signed a $300 million sponsorship with them that same year, and the NBA approved this deal.
Leonard himself then inked an endorsement deal with them in 2022 for $28 million, which is the whole premise of the case. An anonymous employee told Torre that the deal was to circumvent the salary cap and give Leonard extra money under the table.
Leonard has no mentions of Aspiration on any of his social media accounts, nor for his brand KL2. Everything just adds up to LA being guilty, but the NBA is conducting its own investigation. The season tips off next week, and a resolution likely won’t come for a few months.
The Clippers have gone to great lengths to prove their innocence, including owner Steve Ballmer going on ESPN, and saying that he was duped by the company. However, there have also been rumors of Leonard’s de facto agent, his uncle Dennis Robertson, asking teams for outrageous requests when Leonard was a free agent.
The request included 24/7 access to private planes, part-ownership of franchises, no-show endorsements, and more.
The Clippers cannot let this drama affect their season
This is a crucial year for LA. Harden and Leonard are not getting any younger. The roster is very old. The West is a bloodbath. This could be it for this iteration of the Clippers if they don’t get it done this season.
They have not advanced past the first round since 2021 and in a tough West full of young stars or stars in their primes, LA has a supporting cast of has-beens. Can head coach Ty Lue maximize this roster and lead them to a deep run?
Will the Leonard saga be too much to overcome? The Clippers cannot let their season be derailed once again, or there could be significant changes next summer.
