Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden provided the following response when asked how he's had to adjust to faster-paced offenses since he's entered the NBA.

James Harden was asked how he’s adjusted to the new style of the NBA.

Harden: “I’m one of the people that the NBA had to adjust to.” pic.twitter.com/91QYR4eZFg

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) October 3, 2024

"I'm one of the people the NBA had to adjust to," Harden replied during a chat with reporters amid a Clipper practice Thursday. "Just being in here, being crafty, working on it, loving it."

The 35-year-old Harden, a 10-time All-Star and three-time scoring champion, is entering his 16th NBA season. The seven-time All-NBA player averaged 16.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the 51-win Clippers last season.

To the reporter's point, the game has certainly gotten faster since Harden's rookie season (2009-10). During that season, teams averaged 92.7 possessions per game, according to Basketball-Reference. Last year, every team eclipsed that mark, and the league average was 98.5 possessions per game.

To Harden's point, the league has certainly had difficulty containing him, nevermore than when he dominated for the Houston Rockets from 2012-2020. He averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds for the Rockets during that span.

Harden was a phenomenal scorer, leading the NBA in points per game from 2017-18 to 2019-20 (33.7 PPG). He was a three-point shooting machine during that three-year span (4.3 per game) and had 10.9 free throw attempts per outing as well.

Harden's adjusted well to new roles and a faster NBA over the last few years. He's been more of a facilitator than a scorer with the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Clippers, averaging 9.9 assists per game since 2020-21.

He may be called more upon to score this year, though, with nine-time All-Star Paul George leaving in free agency for the 76ers and six-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard dealing with right knee concerns that could keep him out for the beginning of the year.

Harden and the Clips will begin this season on Oct. 23 at home against the Phoenix Suns. That will also mark the regular-season debut of the Intuit Dome, the Clippers' new arena.

Kawhi Leonard is not going to take any risks with his health in 2024-25.

The Los Angeles Clippers forward spoke about his approach to the upcoming season and said that he is being "very cautious" and aims to be available for the postseason.

"Taking it day by day," Leonard said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. "Everything has been going great for the past month. But being very cautious for reasons in the past. I haven't been able to finish some playoff runs. So making sure I stay healthy for those important moments."

He has not played in at least 70 games in a season since the 2016-17 season. That came when he was with the San Antonio Spurs and was before his NBA championship run with the Toronto Raptors.

He played 68 games in 2023-24, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He earned an All-Star nod for this production but only appeared in two playoff games.

He has only played in four total postseason games in the past two seasons, and the Clippers need him to be able to make a potential NBA Finals push. With this goal in mind, Leonard's approach is focused on longevity.

He notably did not play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, so that decision appears to be rooted in the same cautious approach.

He will hope to help Los Angeles improve on a 51-31 2023-24 season in which the team fell to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

Terance Mann is staying with the only NBA team he has ever known.

Mann and the Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a new three-year, $47 million contract extension on Friday, his agents told The Athletic's Shams Charania. The deal takes Mann through the 2027-28 season and is fully-guaranteed.

"Super excited to re-sign with the team who has been with me from the beginning. It's been a great 5 seasons with this organization and I'm excited to see where it goes from here," Mann told ESPN and Andscape's Marc J. Spears.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps also reported that Mann's contract is "immediately eligible to be traded," which means the franchise may have not ruled out future trade possibilities.

Before Mann's extension, the Clippers had total cap allocations of $177.5 million entering the 2024-25 season, per Spotrac. Here's a salary cap breakdown through the 2027-28 season, not including Mann's extension:

2024-25: $177.5 Million

2025-26: $231.9 Million

2026-27: $198.2 Million

2027-28: $147.8 Million

ESPN's Bobby Marks provided more information on the contract:

Sources confirm the three-$47M Terance Mann extension with the LA Clippers.

The contract is fully guaranteed with no options.

Year 1 of the extension starts at $15.5M.

First reported by the @TheAthletic

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) September 27, 2024

This comes after there was no shortage of speculation about his future with the team ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported in October 2023 that the Philadelphia 76ers attempted to convince the Clippers to include Mann in James Harden trade negotiations, but Los Angeles continuously refused.

The Clippers ended up landing Harden via trade and didn't have to give up Mann, although his contract status also became a question even though he wasn't moved. He told reporters ahead of last season, "not happening" when discussing whether he would sign an extension at that time even though he was eligible to do just that.

ESPN's Bobby Marks reported at the time he was eligible for a three-year, $54 million extension.

Alas, he and the Clippers eventually did come to terms on this new contract, although not until after he finished the 2023-24 campaign.

The 2024-25 season was the last one on his previous deal, but this means he will have the opportunity to continue improving for the team that selected him with a second-round pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKdc-iHzsQU

For as adamant as the Clippers were when it came to hanging onto Mann during Harden discussions, he has always been more of a role player than anything else for the franchise.

He scored a career-high 10.8 points per game during the 2021-22 campaign and posted averages of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from deep in 25 minutes per game last season.

The Florida State product is versatile enough to handle the ball and defend multiple positions as someone who can impact the game in a number of ways. But he will also be 28 years old during the 2024-25 season and isn't exactly a young player who figures to take significant strides with more experience.

Mann is likely going to be a role player for his entire career, but the Clippers made sure he will be just that for them for the foreseeable future with this new deal.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who dealt with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee last season, may not be ready in time for his team's season opener against the Phoenix Suns at home on Oct. 23.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania and Law Murray, the 33-year-old underwent a procedure on his knee during the offseason.

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a procedure on his knee in the offseason, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNU. The franchise said today Leonard will be limited to strengthening his knee to start Clippers training camp, but team officials are optimistic about his progress. pic.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2024

Clippers president Lawrence Frank also revealed Tuesday that Leonard would be limited to strengthening his knee during training camp and that he doesn't have a "crystal ball" on whether he'll be ready for opening night, per NBA reporter Mark Medina.

Clippers' Lawrence Frank said he doesn't have "a crystal ball" on whether Kawhi Leonard will be ready for opening night. But Frank added, "I think Kawhi is going to have a great year. When healthy, he is one of the greatest players in the world."

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 24, 2024

Clippers' Lawrence Frank said Kawhi Leonard will stay out of drill work in training camp, but stressed that the swelling in his right knee went down. Kawhi will focus on strength work

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 24, 2024

Leonard dealt with swelling in the knee, and he missed the final eight regular-season games as well as Games 1, 4 and 5 of the Clips' first-round playoff series loss to the Dallas Mavericks due to the ailment.

However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Clippers' Lawrence Frank on how Kawhi Leonard is managing with his injury: "I think he’s encouraged now. We’re starting to see some light at the end of it."

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 24, 2024

The six-time All-Star averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals last season.

Leonard is a six-time All-NBA player, seven-time All-NBA Defensive Team member, two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time NBA champion. He also made the NBA's 75th Anniversary team.

Needless to say, he is an invaluable member of the team, especially after nine-time All-Star forward Paul George left in free agency for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Unfortunately, injuries have significantly hindered Leonard in the past, including a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2021-22 season and a right quad injury that led to him playing just nine contests in 2017-18. He has missed 14 or more regular-season games each year since that campaign.

Leonard was also set to play for Team USA in the Summer Olympics but was removed from the roster in favor of Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.

Basketball Hall of Famer and Team USA executive director Grant Hill said he wouldn't get into "particulars," but the implication was that it was related to the program's concerns with his right knee.

"I think he wanted to be here, like all these guys want to be here, and we don't take that lightly at all," Hill said, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

"It speaks to the program and the opportunity, and so, personally speaking, I know what it's like to want to do something and your body's just not right. And I've lived that personally. And so I applaud him for coming here and being willing to sacrifice, give up his summer and represent our country and play for our program. ... Ultimately, it didn't work out."

The Clippers didn't agree with the move.

"No, it was USAB's call and I was quite frankly very disappointed with the decision," Frank said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.

"Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play. I was there the first two practices, he looked very good. Was a full participant in everything that they did. I wasn't there for the third practice where ultimately that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction [last Wednesday].

"I expressed to them I really wish that they would've given Kawhi more time."

When healthy, he's one of the NBA's best two-way players and a franchise cornerstone, as best evidenced by when he led the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors to the NBA championship.

The hope, obviously, is that Leonard can recover and enjoy a relatively healthy season. It's possible Leonard misses the opener, but Frank at least offered a glimmer of hope that it's not a long-term concern that would impact him all year.

The Los Angeles Clippers and center Ivica Zubac have agreed to a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Los Angeles Clippers C Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension, Mike Lindeman and Jeff Schwartz of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. Zubac gets max available for his three seasons and now is guaranteed four years and $70M. pic.twitter.com/F7cSfEEqku

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 30, 2024

ESPN's Bobby Marks provided a year-to-year breakdown.

Here is the breakdown of the extension:

2025/26- $18.1M

2026/27- $19.5M

2027/28- $21.0M https://t.co/wcf6wO0j1e

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 30, 2024

The 27-year-old Zubac is entering his ninth NBA season. He averaged 11.7 points on 64.9 percent shooting, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game over 68 starts last year.

Before the extension, Zubac had one season left on his contract worth $11,743,210. His new deal takes him through the 2027-28 campaign, essentially putting him on a four-year, $70 million contract.

The Clippers' 2024-25 payroll figure of $170,238,451, per Basketball-Reference, remains the same with the extension.

The 2024-25 salary cap is set at $140.588 million, but the team remains below the tax level ($170.814 million) and first apron ($178.132 million).

Before the Zubac deal, the Clippers could have had up to $126,931,867 in salary committed in 2025-26, but that's largely assuming James Harden picks up his $36.3 million player option. He very well could decline that and enter free agency. Nic Batum ($4.9 million player option), Kobe Brown ($2.7 million team option) and Kevin Porter Jr. ($2.5 million player option) are all question marks for that year.

If, hypothetically, all those players return on those deals, then the Clippers could have about $146.4 million on the 2025-26 ledger.

The salary cap isn't known yet for 2025-26, but it can go up 10 percent in the new CBA, per Danny Leroux of The Athletic. RealGM listed a projected/estimated value of $154,647,000.

In 2026-27, the only contracts the team has on the books are that of Kawhi Leonard ($50,300,000) and Derrick Jones Jr. ($10,476,190) alongside Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue says Paul George's decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency has given the Clippers even more motivation for the 2024-25 season.

"When you lose a guy of Paul George's stature, instantly people [think] oh, they can't win or they're not going to be competitive," Lue told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "But that just challenges me even more. OK, people are counting us out or people don't think we're going to be good.

"That right there just gives me an extra dose of [motivation]. I can't wait to prove everybody wrong."

George announced in July that he would leave the Clippers after five seasons in order to sign a four-year max contract with the 76ers.

George will depart Los Angeles after earning his second straight All-Star nomination, and the ninth of his career, while averaging 22.6 points per game last season.

He was also available for 74 regular-season starts, marking his healthiest season since his 2018-19 campaign for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Through five seasons and 263 regular-season games in Los Angeles he averaged 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as a consistent offensive boost for the Clippers.

George originally had a $48.7 million player option to remain in Clippers for the 2024-25 season.

He said in July on Podcast P with Paul George that after the team was bounced from the first round in six games by the Dallas Mavericks that the Clippers offered him a three-year, $150 million deal, but that talks fell apart after the team would not concede on George's requested no-trade clause.

In ESPN's July survey of 18 NBA coaches, scouts and executives, four coaches listed the Clippers as having the worst offseason in the league for losing George in free agency, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

But the Clippers also made some positive moves this summer, including retaining two of last season's stars in Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

The Clippers also added a potential starter in Derrick Jones Jr., a top-five player for the Mavericks during their run to the 2024 Finals, while bolstering the team's second unit with defensively-focused players like Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum.

Lue will need both Harden and Leonard, who missed out on the 2024 Paris Olympics with a knee injury but will reportedly be healthy for the start of the season, to remain available in order to power this roster forward without George.

If Harden and Leonard can stay healthy, given the defensive improvements made around them, Lue could be hoping to lead this team back to the playoffs around his two remaining stars next spring.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to be ready for the start of the team's training camp on Oct. 1 as he recovers from a knee injury.

"I speak to him all the time," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "He'll be ready for [Clippers] training camp. He's feeling good and I know he'll be ready for training camp."

Leonard dealt with knee inflammation throughout the end of the 2023-24 season and was initially expected to join the U.S. men's national team in the Paris Olympics before he was eventually replaced.

Knee issues have plagued Leonard throughout his tenure with Los Angeles, as he's only played over 60 games in just one season since joining the team in 2019. He also missed his entire 2021-22 campaign due to a torn ACL.

Although his 68 appearances during the 2023-24 season represented the highest mark for Leonard since 2017, he only suited up in two contests during the Clippers' first-round playoff loss to the Dallas Mavericks due to the knee inflammation.

The six-time All-Star should have an even larger role in Lue's offense next season after Paul George left to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $212 million contract in free agency.

While James Harden will be back to help carry the lead ball-handling burden after re-signing with the Clippers, Leonard's availability will heavily impact the team's status in the Western Conference standings. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year owned the second-best net rating among Los Angeles' players to appear in at least 10 games last season (via NBA.com).

He's also remained efficient offensively despite his injuries, shooting over 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from three in each of the past two years.

With offseason additions such as Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum, Leonard should be available at the start of training camp as he attempts to lead a new-look Clippers team back to the playoffs.

Despite being mentioned as a potential trade candidate earlier this summer, P.J. Tucker will likely start the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Per The Athletic's Law Murray, the Clippers are "preparing for the possibility" that Tucker will be on their roster when the regular season begins.

Murray noted the Clippers did explore trade options for Tucker, but it would be increasingly difficult to find a partner at this point with most roster spots accounted for.

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Tucker opted in to his $11.5 million salary for the 2024-25 campaign in June. Murray reported on July 2 that the Clippers were expected to part ways with the 39-year-old forward, either by trading him or by using the stretch provision to waive him.

NBA rules would allow the Clippers to pay out Tucker's remaining salary over the next three years if he were to be waived using the stretch provision by Aug. 31. The stretch provision does not apply if he is waived on Sept. 1 or later since this is the final season of his contract.

The Clippers acquired Tucker from the Philadelphia 76ers in November as part of the James Harden trade. He played sparingly after the deal, including a 38-game stretch from Nov. 29 to Feb. 22 in which head coach Tyronn Lue didn't use him at all.

Tucker told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk on Feb. 6 he was "actively trying to get traded" due to unhappiness with his role in Los Angeles. He echoed those comments two days later to Andscape's Marc J. Spears.

“I want to be somewhere where I’m needed, wanted and can do it all. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping to go somewhere else whether I get bought out and choose where I go or where I can play,” Clippers forward PJ Tucker ro @andscape.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 8, 2024

The NBA fined Tucker $75,000 for what it said was publicly expressing a desire to be traded.

Tucker did appear in 18 of the Clippers' final 34 games, including the playoffs. He only averaged 1.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 28 appearances during the regular season with the club.

The Clippers could use Tucker at forward or center when they go small if he gets used in the rotation when the season begins.

The Los Angeles Clippers will head into the 2024-25 season without Kawhi Leonard's co-star Paul George after the nine-time All-Star left for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

Still, expectations are high for the Clippers behind Leonard, James Harden and a solid supporting cast.

Los Angeles looked strong heading into the playoffs after a 51-31 regular season earned them the No. 4 seed in the West, but the Clippers faced another disappointing first-round exit, losing to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

As was the case the previous two seasons, Leonard's health was a factor as he played just two games in the series while dealing with right knee inflammation. The Clippers will hope to get a full season out of Leonard this year, as his presence on the court directly correlates with their success.

While losing George will make things difficult this year, the Clippers got an offseason win by re-signing Harden to a two-year, $70 million deal. Harden had a productive season playing as the third option to George and Leonard, and he'll look to have a resurgence now that he's the team's true second option.

Los Angeles will also hope to get the best out of offseason additions Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr.

It's hard to say whether the Clippers have what it takes to compete for a championship this season, but a playoff berth and a potentially deep run are within the range of outcomes.

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2024-25 Clippers Schedule Details

Season Opener: vs. Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +8000 (bet $100 to win $5,000), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

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Top Matchups

Dallas Mavericks

The team that eliminated you from the playoffs is always going to be circled on the calendar, and that's no different for the Clippers this season.

The Mavericks are the team to beat in the West after they won the conference finals a year ago, and Los Angeles will be looking for statements against Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and the newly acquired Klay Thompson.

The Clippers put up a solid effort against the Mavs considering they were without Leonard for most of the series, so a couple of wins against them would certainly boost their confidence heading into the postseason.

The postseason matchup between Los Angeles and Dallas has also become somewhat common, with the two teams meeting in the playoffs three times in the past five years. If the trend continues, the game against the Mavs could be a good opportunity to scout a potential playoff opponent.

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Los Angeles Lakers

The matchup between the Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers is always fun as the two teams look to earn bragging rights.

This year's matchup will be especially noteworthy considering the Clippers, for the first time since moving to Los Angeles, will welcome the Lakers to their own arena.

The Clippers have shared Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) with the Lakers since 1999 but will play their first season in the Intuit Dome this year.

The matchup is also critical considering the two teams could be competing for one of the West's last playoff spots. The Lakers reached the postseason via the play-in tournament a year ago and could be in that position again this season after a lackluster showing in free agency.

After the loss of George, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Clippers also end the season as a No. 7, 8, 9 or 10 seed and have to face the Lakers in a game determining their playoff fate.

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Season Forecast

There's no denying the Clippers didn't improve this offseason with the loss of George.

That said, giving Harden more responsibility and potentially returning to being a 20-plus points-per-game scorer as one of the team's go-to options on offense could allow the offense to settle into a more defined shape. The last time Harden was a team's first option was the 2019-20 season with the Houston Rockets when he averaged 34.3 points per game and led the team to the fourth seed in the West.

At 34 years old, Harden may not be a prolific of a scorer as he once was, but he could play a more expansive brand of offense that's tailored to his game.

At the end of the day, though, the Clippers will likely go as far as Leonard's health takes them. Leonard—who withdrew from Team USA to focus on his health—has appeared in more than 65 games once dating back to the 2018-19 regular season and has routinely been hampered by knee issues.

The Clippers' roster is far less intimidating than it has been since Leonard and George initially teamed up, but there's still potential for Los Angeles to put together a successful season.

Fans likely shouldn't expect a Finals run from the Clippers, but a playoff bid is plenty realistic.

Record Prediction: 45-37

Newly signed Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George expressed his belief Monday that the Los Angeles Lakers overshadowed the Clippers during his time in L.A.

Speaking on Podcast P, George suggested that he wasn't embraced as much by fans with the Clippers as he would have been with the Lakers, saying:

"I think initially, coming back to L.A., that was home when I first came to L.A., but it's not the same love. When I was in L.A., they were like, 'Man, you should've been a Laker.' That's all I was hearing. It wasn't like no, 'Yo, welcome to the Clippers.' 'We're happy you're here in L.A., but you should've been a Laker.' I'm on the B team. That's how the vibe and the love felt."

Paul George says playing for the Clippers instead of the Lakers felt like he was playing for the "B Team."

(🎥 @PodcastPShow / h/t @Ralph_MasonJr )

pic.twitter.com/0kAQcGoeeE

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 23, 2024

George, who is from Palmdale, California, and attended Fresno State, spent five seasons with the Clippers before signing a four-year, $211.6 million max contract with the Sixers in free agency this offseason.

During George's tenure in L.A., the Clippers reached the playoffs four times and went to the Western Conference Finals in 2021, which marked the deepest postseason run in franchise history.

However, the Clips were eliminated in the first round in each of the past two seasons, and the duo of George and Kawhi Leonard never made it to the NBA Finals together despite having annual championship aspirations.

By comparison, the Lakers also reached the playoffs four times in George's five seasons in Los Angeles, making the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and winning an NBA championship in 2020 with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way.

While the Clippers have never won a championship, the Lakers have won 17, making them one of the most storied and popular franchises in sports.

George may have been more beloved as a Laker than he was as a Clipper, but he had a solid run in L.A. nonetheless, earning three of his nine career All-Star selections and averaging 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.1 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals in 263 games.

The biggest stain on George's time with the Clippers was his inability to stay healthy, as he failed to appear in more than 56 regular-season games in any of his first four campaigns.

He largely stayed healthy last season, though, playing 74 games and averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.3 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals.

George's improved durability and strong play are likely what made him a free-agent target for the Sixers, who were looking for a big addition alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

In Philly, George and 76ers won't have to share the spotlight with any other NBA teams. If George can help them win their first championship since 1983, he will be a legend in the City of Brotherly Love forever.