2015-16 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Clippers
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Los Angeles Clippers
2014-15
| Record | Pacific | West | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56-26 | 2nd | 3rd | Round 2 loss to HOU (4-3) |
Offseason Roundup
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| DeAndre Jordan (re-signed; 4/$87.6M) | Spencer Hawes (traded to CHA) |
| Paul Pierce (3/$10.6M) | Matt Barnes (traded to CHA) |
| Lance Stephenson (acquired from CHA) | Glen Davis (free agent) |
| Josh Smith (1/$1.5M) | Dahntay Jones (signed with BRK) |
| Austin Rivers (re-signed; 2/$6.5M) | Jordan Hamilton (waived) |
| Wesley Johnson (2/$2.3M) | Hedo Turkoglu (free agent) |
| Cole Aldrich (2/$2.2M) | Ekpe Udoh (free agent) |
| Pablo Prigioni (1/$981K) | Lester Hudson (free agent) |
| Branden Dawson (draft) |
Projected Starting 5
- PG Chris Paul
- SG J.J. Redick
- SF Wesley Johnson
- PF Blake Griffin
- C DeAndre Jordan
MVP
It's always tough to identify a single MVP on a team propped up by three superstars, but Chris Paul gets the nod as the team's de facto leader and floor general.
The 30-year-old is coming off of a pair of seasons in which he led the league in assists per game, and last year saw him play a full 82-game slate for the first time in his career. The Clippers should be strong enough and deep enough to task Paul with slightly less of a load if required, which could serve to keep him fresh into the playoffs. Not that it mattered last year, when a hobbled Paul upped his scoring average from 19.1 to 22.1 in 12 postseason games.
And while the Clippers have better guard depth than frontcourt depth, it was Paul's presence that dictated entirely how the team played. With Paul on the floor, the Clippers outscored opponents by 13 points per-100 possessions. Without him, they were run off the floor to the tune of 7.9 points per-100. That's a more profound effect than Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and just about anybody else in the NBA.
Breakout Player
The Clippers skew very old, and it's tough to see anyone really breaking out. The nod here, then, goes to Lance Stephenson, who has an opportunity to bounce back from a moribund season in Charlotte and re-establish himself as a capable, multi-position, two-way piece.
The 25-year-old saw his numbers drop precipitously in 2014-15, and while they may not jump off the page at season's end - he'll be a role player on a loaded Clippers squad - the efficiency and defense should rebound to respectable levels, making the Clippers look smart for the relative buy-low.
Season Expectations
It's championship or bust for the Clippers, as it has been for several seasons now. The Paul-Griffin-Jordan core has at least two more seasons together, but Paul is now 30, and the repeated near-misses must be growing frustrating.
Despite head coach and president Doc Rivers handling the salary cap and end of the roster somewhat poorly last season, the Clippers managed to add significant depth this time around. With more weapons than they've had in the past four seasons - each resulting in at least a .606 win percentage but never a trip to the conference finals - the Clippers have their sights on a title, and nothing else will suffice.
Whether or not they can get there depends on a lot of factors, some out of their control. The Western Conference is loaded once again, and despite fielding a terrific team on paper with four seasons of track record, the Clippers are only the fifth-leading favorite to win the championship according to most oddsmakers.
It's always going to take a little good fortune in the West, but the Clippers have at least put themselves in a position to capitalize if a few bounces go their way.