Investing In Young Players Could Be Smart Plan For Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers have been hit hard by injuries this season, to the point where it would make some sense to look ahead to next year, and cut bait on the active season.

Former NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has missed the entire year so far due to an ACL injury. His running mate, former All-Star Paul George, has missed 34 of 60 games so far, and expects to be out for a while longer.

Going down the totem pole and you’ll find significant long-term injuries to newly acquired shooting guard Norman Powell, rookie Jason Preston and second-year man Jay Scrubb.

Season not worth salvaging

Giving up on a season with 22 games remaining is rare, and some might find such an approach unsavory, which is understandable given that the Clippers find themselves in the play-in picture, as they’re currently 8th in the Western Conference.

With a little luck, key guys could return and maybe the team turns into a Cinderella story, right?

It’s a commendable thought, but one driven almost entirely of wishful thinking.

Even if Leonard, George and Powell should all return to the lineup before the play-in tournament, odds are good that Leonard and George particularly will need to get back into game shape. This isn’t a process that goes by quickly, and could easily take a month or two. There’s a reason they’re projected to finish fourth in their own division.

Even George, who has been active this season, has played in only two games since December 6th, which is considerable time off. Inevitably, and quite understandably, rust will need to be shaken off.

As for Leonard, who last played on June 14th of last season, there’s more than just rust to knock off. Leonard will need to be able to trust his knee fully, before he can even begin to resemble his former self. More than likely, he will come back on a minutes restriction, which isn’t exactly a tailored solution for success in the playoffs.

Instead, why not let the team’s youngsters get as much burn as humanly possible, as to best prepare and develop them for next year, when their impact is projected to increase?

No player 25 or under in Los Angeles crack 30 minutes per game, which seems like a wasted opportunity given the circumstances. For the remaining 22 games, it would make sense to amp up both minutes and shots for Luke Kennard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Terance Mann, Brandon Boston Jr, Ivica Zubac and Amir Coffey, just to see what they can do with more on their plate.

Pivoting is not a sign of defeat

While this approach may seem wrapped in a defeatist attitude, it’s anything but. The Clippers built this team with the idea of winning the championship, which an accelerated development curve for the team’s young players will help achieve.

Kennard, who came over in the summer of 2020, is about to wrap up his second somewhat pedestrian season with the organization, after averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists in his final season with Detroit.

During his two years with the Clippers, the 6’5 guard has averaged 9.7 points and 1.9 assists, while receiving a wasteful 23.2 minutes per game considering his salary of $12.7 million.

Providing Kennard with the keys to the club over the final 22 games could finally help the 25-year-old and the organization align, while he showcases his playmaking capabilities and gets into a rhythm that could carry over to next season.

Improvements will have to come from within on this roster, given that the Clippers will relinquish their unprotected 2022 first round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the George trade in 2019. As such, it would behoove the Clippers to remind themselves of that necessary path.

Finally, there’s the uncertainty of Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington’s future, which also makes a youth investment necessary. The 31-year-old Covington is a free agent after this season, and could leave to seek more minutes, with the return of Leonard and George likely blocking some potential playing time.

The 33-year-old Batum has a $3.3 million player option that he can decline, although he’s now in his second year with the Clippers and appears to have settled in as an essential role player.

Since there are no sure things in the NBA, however, the Clippers would be wise to have some of their younger players primed for bigger roles next season. But that starts right now.