When the Clippers open the regular season, the biggest concerns will be their superstar’s health and chemistry among a roster that averages 33-plus years.
The Clippers made an offseason push with a win-now perspective, adding a pair of former All-Stars in the backcourt and a pair of veterans up front, plus a promising 6-foot-11 rookie center.
The two areas of concern for the Clippers as they again take aim for the playoffs — and the hopes of advancing past the first round for the first time since their trip to the Western Conference finals in 2021 — are age and chemistry. When they open the season Wednesday against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, the Clippers likely will have the oldest team in the league with an average age of 33.2 years. By contrast, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the title last season at an average age of 24.7 years.
Can coach Tyronn Lue fit all the pieces of the puzzle together?
“It’s going to take us 15 to 20 games into the season to really understand our rotations, our chemistry, how we want to play, who fits,” Lue said after the Clippers’ first preseason game.
Then there’s the annual concern about the health of Kawhi Leonard, a six-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP, who has not played in at least 70 games in a regular season since 2016-17.
