INGLEWOOD — Chris Paul has heard the whispers and the outright chatter about the creaky nature of the Clippers’ roster and whether it can stay healthy for 82 games.
It is an age-old question about the Clippers’ new roster of veteran players, whose combined years make the Clippers the oldest team in the 79-year history of the NBA. Facts tell the story.
Paul is a 40-year-old point guard who is making a return to the Clippers. Forward Nicolas Batum and NBA champion center Brook Lopez are both 37. Future Hall of Famer James Harden is 36 and two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard is 34. There’s also Bogdan Bogdanovic, 33, and Bradley Beal, 32.
“You know like when you are in the locker room, everybody can say whatever they want on the outside, it’s about what you say on the inside, right,” Paul, who previously played for the Clippers from 2011-17, said on a podcast. “So, the dopest part about our team isn’t age or whatever, but it’s that we have so many different ways that we can play and we got so many guys who have done so many different things in this league.
“And that’s up to us to not just say it, but to do it.”
With age comes experience, however, and paired with their depth and versatility, this group has the potential to advance further in the postseason than any Clippers team since the 2020-21 squad lost to a Paul-led Suns team in the Western Conference finals. This roster might not be quick-footed, but its half-court execution and defensive cohesion should translate to plenty of wins.
“I don’t think the old thing is going to slow us down at all,” Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think those guys are really buying into what we’re trying to do and understanding the process and what we need to do to try to get to that mountaintop.”
How far the Clippers can push up that hill is going to depend largely on superstar Kawhi Leonard and his balky knee and so far, so good. He came into training camp healthy and played an average of 21.4 minutes in three preseason games, averaging 16.7 points per game.
Unlike previous seasons, though, the six-time All-Star has solid pieces around him, players such as Lopez and Collins and center Ivica Zubac, who will alleviate the defensive pressure, while the presence of Harden and Beal gives Leonard the space to be the team’s primary closer.
Beal replaces Clippers fan favorite Norman Powell, who was traded to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal, and will start alongside Leonard, Zubac and Harden. The fifth spot is a toss-up between Collins, a high-flying forward who averaged 19 points and 8.2 rebounds for the Utah Jazz, and returning forward Derrick Jones Jr.
The second unit has credentials that are just as impressive as the first five.
Lopez, who won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, is a 7-footer with a 3-point touch who will create space on both ends of the court and can also be a strong defensive presence. He averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots last season and shot 37.3% from 3-point range.
“I’m glad he is on our side now,” Leonard said, pointing to Lopez’s ability to shoot from behind the arc. “I love that we have a shooting five and we don’t have to put a 6-7 or 6-8 guy in to try to fill that center void (on the second team),” Leonard said. “He could score on a small or size in a post and yeah, he’s been doing great.”
Lopez, a starter in Milwaukee, will anchor a second unit that is expected to feature Paul, who is starting his 20th season, returning veteran forward Batum and either Collins or Jones – all of whom started for their respective teams last season.
Paul started all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season and averaged 7.4 assists, while Batum started eight games and averaged 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds, while Jones posted 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds last season.
With the number of savvy veterans the team pursued, it’s obvious that the team is chasing a title rather than building for a long-term future. The Clippers want to win now, not next season.
The roster was rebuilt partly in response to last season’s first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets, who exposed breakdowns in the Clippers’ transition defense. The Clippers finished the regular season strong, going 50-32, but they were eliminated in a tough seven-game series, leaving them once again watching others advance.
“We knew there was a need with our size that if we can get more athletic, if we could add some more shooting,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said. “That was a critical piece. And I think John Collins gives us the ability to have some more positional versatility.”
“And with Brook, we were super fortunate to get a range shooting five who’s also a rim protector, who’s also one of the top guys to play in this league as a human being. … He’s that good of a guy. So, I think the frontcourt was able to address the needs there.”
Frank said Paul’s longevity in the league gives him a rare insight into the highs and lows of a season that will help the younger players adjust.
“We’re super encouraged by what we have,” Frank said. “We know this is going to be a process, but we’re looking forward to this team coming together and growing together and seeing if we can do something special.”