Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers governor Steve Ballmer said it's unclear whether superstar forward Kawhi Leonard will play at all during the 2021-22 NBA season after undergoing surgery on his right knee in July to repair a partially torn ACL.

Ballmer told Mark Medina of USA Today he believes the Clippers will be a "very, very, very, very good team" whenever Leonard returns, but he couldn't answer whether that will happen during the upcoming campaign.

"Nobody knows at this stage," Ballmer said Friday. "Nobody knows. It's possible. For sure, it's possible. But it will depend on what the doctors say and what Kawhi says."

Leonard suffered the injury in Game 4 of L.A.'s second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. The team managed to advance without him but was ultimately eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.

Ballmer noted to Medina, "If we had been healthy this year, who knows what might happen?" Nevertheless, he said capturing the franchise's first title remains at the forefront of his mind.

"I want to win a championship," he said. "I think we'll be able to compete for a championship."

A run to the 2022 title is likely dependent on Leonard returning to the lineup and getting back to somewhere close to full strength in time for the postseason.

The two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals across 52 regular-season appearances for the Clippers last season, his second with the team after previous stints with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, winning one championship with each organization.

Leonard also led L.A. in scoring in eight of its 11 postseason contests before the knee injury.

Simply put, no team can replace the type of two-way production he provides, even a squad with as much depth as the Clippers.

Los Angeles should be able to keep pace during the regular season with Marcus Morris Sr., Justise Winslow and Nicolas Batum among the players splitting time to fill the void at the 3, but star power tends to reign supreme in the playoffs. That's when Leonard will become essential.

The Clippers also want to make sure the 30-year-old L.A. native is healthy for the long haul as he's under contract through at least 2023-24 with a player option for 2024-25 as part of a four-year, $176.3 million deal. In turn, it's not a championship-or-bust season, especially with fellow star Paul George's contract running the same length.

So it's not a situation where Leonard has to feel like he's got to rush back to help the Clips chase a title this year. The championship window should be open for a while longer.

A more firm timetable for when he could return probably won't arrive until a couple months into the season.

With their eventual move to Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers are looking to get out of the shadow of their inner-city rivals.

"We needed to say, 'We're our own guys. We don't play in the same place as the other guys. We're going to have our own identity,'" team governor Steve Ballmer told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

The Clippers have shared Staples Center with the Los Angeles Lakers since the venue opened in 1999.

Ballmer acknowledged the Clippers' prolonged futility meant the Lakers far outpaced them in terms of attention and stature within the L.A. sports ecosystem. The dynamic has changed with the franchise becoming a steady playoff contender with championship ambitions.

"We're good now, and we're going to be good year in and year out," Ballmer said. "We're going to build our own building, more of our own identity, more of our own personality. And I think some of the fans on the other side, if you will, it's like, 'What? You dare to question our supremacy?' No, we do."

To that end, the Clippers announced the construction of their new home arena, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2024-25 NBA season. The team broke ground on the arena Friday.

Home is LA. Home is the @IntuitDome. https://t.co/Lna4LlC9eY

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) September 17, 2021

As much progress as the Clippers have made since the dawn of the "Lob City" squads, they were never going to make Staples Center their own.

In a telling moment, then-Clippers head coach Doc Rivers caused a bit of a stir in 2013 when he pushed to have banners celebrating the Lakers' achievements covered with posters of Clippers players during Clippers home games.

The opening of Staples Center coincided with the start of the Lakers' three-peat. Because of that, it will forever be synonymous with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson. O'Neal has a statue outside of the arena already.

In terms of historic success, the Clippers will probably never surpass the Lakers, but Intuit Dome should undoubtedly help them continue to carve out their own place in the City of Angels.

The Los Angeles Clippers have announced a 23-year partnership with financial software company Intuit to name their new arena the Intuit Dome. The arena is scheduled to open in 2024.

"When we began the search for a partner for the L.A. Clippers and our new dome, we looked for one that shares our passion for technology, the pursuit of innovation and our commitment to customers, fans and community," Clippers governor Steve Ballmer said Friday. "Intuit is a perfect fit, and we’re excited to be calling our future home the Intuit Dome."

.@LAClippers x @Intuit = @IntuitDome

The Clippers have signed a 23-year naming rights deal with Intuit for the team’s new $1.8 billion arena development in Inglewood, Calif.https://t.co/yAMyCO82Ap pic.twitter.com/4QIXeUHaIk

— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) September 17, 2021

The Clippers reached an agreement with the city of Inglewood in 2019 to build a new, privately financed arena.

Ballmer, who purchased the NBA franchise in 2014, told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Friday it became apparent the team needed to move out of Staples Center, which it shared with the rival Los Angeles Lakers, in order to forge its own path.

"We needed to say, 'We're our own guys. We don't play in the same place as the other guys. We're going to have our own identity,'" he said.

Ballmer added he expects to spend "upward of $2 billion" to build the new arena.

The Clippers' announcement noted Intuit committed $1 million to underserved school districts in the L.A. area to help the "next generation of students to learn about finances and entrepreneurship.”"

Intuit will also provide taxpayer assistance to low-income families and hold workshops for entrepreneurs and small business owners with a focus on minority- and women-owned companies.

The Clippers also provided an early look at what fans can expect inside the Intuit Dome:

Intuit Dome has been designed to create an intimate and intense fan experience through features such as 'The Wall,' which is comprised of 51 uninterrupted rows of seats that include a dedicated supporters section; a two-sided halo scoreboard encircling the bowl with an acre of LED lighting; and an 80,000 square foot outdoor plaza, surrounding a full-size outdoor court. Technological advancements within Intuit Dome will allow for frictionless concession stands, enabling fans to spend more time in their seats.

Los Angeles is slated to begin playing in the new arena during the 2024-25 NBA season.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook this offseason, pairing him with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. And they reportedly didn't have much competition for his services from their hometown rivals.

"The Clippers were never interested in Russell Westbrook," Zach Lowe said on The Lowe Post podcast (h/t RealGM). "They were a rumored Russell Westbrook trade in a few places whenever that happened. They were never interested. That was never a real thing. I think they value their optionality too much."

Lowe added that he does not believe the Clippers will be in the market for John Wall, who has reportedly agreed to a mutual parting of the ways with the Houston Rockets and won't play games for the team while they seek a trade. 

There is a strong argument to be made that in the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era of Clippers basketball, the team's biggest weakness has been the lack of quality point guard play. 

But Reggie Jackson—who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $22 million deal this offseason—may have assuaged those concerns in this year's playoffs when he averaged 17.8 points and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc.

He was a huge reason the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, though Kawhi Leonard's season-ending knee injury ultimately cut their title dreams short. 

"Reggie elevates our team with his energy, his confidence and his ability to be at his best in the biggest moments," team president Lawrence Frank told reporters after Jackson's re-signing. "He was an important part of our team last season, and he will continue to be going forward."

Westbrook, 32, remains a nightly triple-double threat, after averaging 22.2 points, 11.7 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game last season. But he's also a mediocre defender who operates best with the ball in his hands and doesn't stretch the floor at all (31.5 percent from three last season). 

He also has a cap hit of $44.2 million this season and a $47 million player option for 2022-23 that he'll almost assuredly exercise. The combined salaries of Jackson ($10.4 million), Luke Kennard ($12.7 million), Marcus Morris Sr. ($15.6 million) and Justise Winslow ($3.9 million) are still less than what Westbrook will earn in his first Lakers campaign. 

In other words, acquiring him would have required the Clippers to not only give up a ton of depth but also sacrifice a chunk of the core that reached the conference finals in large part because of their ability to play small and force mismatches on the perimeter. 

Add it all up, and it makes sense why the Clippers reportedly passed on Westbrook.

The Los Angeles Clippers are adding a bit more depth to their frontcourt, signing forward Harry Giles III to a non-guaranteed deal and giving him a chance to make the roster out of training camp, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Free agent C/F Harry Giles is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Giles was the No. 20 pick in 2017 Draft and played for Portland last season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 7, 2021

The former Duke standout will look to compete for minutes alongside Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubac.

In 38 games with the Portland Trail Blazers last season, Giles averaged 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.3 percent from the field in 9.2 minutes per night.

Giles was drafted No. 20 overall in 2017 by the Sacramento Kings but has hardly lived up to his potential.

He missed his first year as a pro because of an ACL injury and played 58 games off the bench in 2018-19 while averaging a career-best 7.0 points and 3.8 assists. The Kings gave him a bigger role the following year, allowing him to start 17 of the 48 games he appeared in as his numbers remained about the same (6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds).

It just wasn't enough to keep his job. Sacramento declined the fourth-year option on Giles' contract, and he joined Portland for the 2020-21 campaign.

After a year with the Blazers, the 23-year-old will remain on the West Coast and try to win a job with the Clippers. If he can, Giles will be working with a Finals contender to help deliver the first championship in franchise history.

Veteran forward Paul Millsap remains on the free-agent market, but he reportedly has a number of options ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic listed the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls as being among the teams pursuing Millsap. The Los Angeles Clippers are also "expressing interest."

The 36-year-old spent the past four years with the Denver Nuggets, starting 36 of his 56 games in 2020-21. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, which was the first time since 2007-08 that he averaged fewer than 10 points.

Despite the decline in production, Millsap remained a key part of the Nuggets' rotation. He finished fourth on the team in win shares, per Basketball Reference. 

In 2019-20, Denver outscored opponents by 8.8 points per 100 possessions with Millsap on the court. That was the best mark on the team among players with at least five games played.

The four-time All-Star has averaged 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game across his 15 seasons in the league. He has also remained efficient on offense since joining Denver four years ago, having shot 37.1 percent from deep and 47.8 percent overall over that stretch.

Though Millsap is no longer a go-to option like he was with the Atlanta Hawks, he could be an ideal addition for a squad looking to fill its rotation with an experienced player who can help on both ends of the court.

Brooklyn has already filled its roster with proven veterans such as stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden as well as Patty Mills and Blake Griffin. Millsap could be another weapon for a Nets squad looking to contend for a title.

The Warriors and Bulls are simply hoping to get back into the playoffs, and each team could use added frontcourt depth to go with their perimeter scorers.

Los Angeles already has a few similar options on the roster, including Serge Ibaka and Marcus Morris, but NBA teams can never have too much depth.  

The Los Angeles Clippers took strides in the second year of the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George pairing, reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, where they lost in six games. With Leonard missing the entirety of that series with a partially torn ACL, however, the loss was easier to swallow. 

The Clippers come into the third year of the Kawhi-PG13 era with high expectations but questions left to answer. Most pressing: When will Leonard be recovered from his knee injury and able to play again? 

When healthy, the Clippers are on the shortlist of title contenders in the 2021-22 season. Even without Leonard, the expectation will be a playoff berth. But their ceiling is only so high until he returns. 

Let's take a look at the schedule the team will face as they look to survive their top player's injury absence. 

              

Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Golden State Warriors, Oct. 21 at 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +2000, per FanDuel

Full Schedule: NBA.com

           

Top Matchups

Los Angeles Lakers (First matchup: Dec. 3)

The L.A. bragging rights will be up for grabs yet again this season. Two years ago, it was LeBron James and Anthony Davis hoisting the title. Last year, however, the Clippers advanced further than their City of Angels rivals. 

While the Clippers will have a familiar look in the 2021-22 season, the Lakers are basically a completely rebuilt team around King James and AD. So many questions persist: Can the ball-dominant Russell Westbrook find a way to fit with the team's other stars? Who on this team defends on the perimeter? Are the Lakers going to roll with Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol as the centers, or will AD play the 5 on a more regular basis? 

The Lakers have a ton of talent, and a ton of questions about whether it will all fit seamlessly together. We know this Clippers team has complementary talent. These games, even if Leonard misses them, are going to be fun.

              

Phoenix Suns (First matchup: Dec. 13)

The Clippers will hope to exact some revenge against a Suns team that ended their season. 

Like the Clippers, the Suns will largely be the same team that reached the NBA Finals last year, led by Chris Paul, Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and a fantastic, young and versatile supporting cast. 

A Suns vs. Clippers Western Conference Finals would have been fascinating. Might it have gone differently with Leonard healthy?

Regular-season matchups between these teams won't answer that question. But you can bet the Clippers will have a bit of extra juice for the Suns. 

                

Season Forecast

The Clippers will largely run it back in the 2021-22 campaign.

Leonard, Reggie Jackson and Nic Batum all re-signed. Serge Ibaka opted in to his player option. The rest of the core from last season—George, Patrick Beverley, Luke Kennard, Rajon Rondo, Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris Sr. and Terence Mann—all return. The only major incoming moves were signing Justise Winslow and drafting Keon Johnson, Jason Preston and Brandon Boston Jr.. 

This is a deep team, even if Leonard's injury hangs over the season. The Clippers went 4-4 in the playoffs without Leonard against two of the better teams in the NBA, the Utah Jazz and the Suns. 

But so much of how this team navigates Leonard's absence will come down to the role players. 

And of course, George will need to play like a superstar. He went a long way toward redeeming his disappointing showing in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs with an excellent postseason last year (26.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG). 

The Clippers aren't going to be one of the top seeds in a tough Western Conference this year. Healthier squads like the Los Angeles Lakers, Suns, Jazz, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks will be gunning for the top spot. But this Clippers team still has enough talent to make the postseason and do so while avoiding the play-in tournament. 

   

Record Prediction: 48-34

              

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The Los Angeles Clippers further tweaked their roster on Sunday, reportedly acquiring veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

So, how does the Clippers depth chart look after the deal? 

• PG: Reggie Jackson / Eric Bledsoe / Jason Preston
• SG: Paul George / Terance Mann / Keon Johnson / Brandon Boston Jr. 
• SF: Kawhi Leonard (when healthy) / Luke Kennard / Justise Winslow
• PF: Nicolas Batum / Marcus Morris Sr.
• C: Serge Ibaka / Ivica Zubac / DeMarcus Cousins

The deal will offer the Clippers some luxury tax relief, taking their active roster cap from $174.1 million to approximately $168.9 million. 

Cap ramifications for LAC/MEM:

LAC
🏀Eric Bledsoe: $18.1M and $19.4M ($3.9M GTY)
💰LAC will see their tax bill drop from $125M to $95M (savings of $30M)
💰$8.3M TE for LAC

MEM
🏀Patrick Beverley: $14.3M
🏀Rajon Rondo: $7.5M ($750K likely bonus)
🏀Daniel Oturu: $1.5M

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 16, 2021

In terms of reasons for this trade, Grizzlies freed up $3.9M in cap room next year and get a free look at developing Oturu, while Clippers lowered their luxury tax bill by about $25M.

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) August 16, 2021

Bledsoe, 31, has had quite the offseason. He was first traded to the Grizzlies alongside Steven Adams and multiple draft picks, with Jonas Valanciunas and picks heading back to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

But he was never expected to remain with the Grizzlies:

Eric Bledsoe, who New Orleans included in a trade package, is not expected to stay in Memphis, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 26, 2021

His addition to the Clippers is an interesting one. He averaged just 12.2 points per game last year, his worst mark since the 2012-13 season, shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three. He also struggled as a playmaker last year, averaging just 3.8 assists per game. 

Bledsoe is a worse shooter than Beverley (39.7 percent from three last year) and a worse playmaker than Rondo (5.8 APG with the Clippers). In the past, he would have been considered a better half-court scorer than both, though he didn't exactly shine in that regard last year. 

But while his offense output has sagged in recent years, he continues to be an excellent defender. The Clippers might not see as much of a downgrade on defense, if at all, as fans might think.

Bled’s honestly a better defender. He’s outrageously good. Great in transition as well.

Clippers lose shooting in the deal but with Mann they have internal development. https://t.co/lXucuGV3Ey

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) August 16, 2021

The trade also provides a sense of clarity for playing time, as the Clippers had a logjam at point guard with Reggie Jackson entrenching himself as the starter and Rondo and Beverley fighting for minutes.

Bledsoe back to the Clippers is a crazy story arc. I always figured Bledsoe would get back to production on a quality team with less expectations. I did not think the Clippers would trade *two* guards to get him but that might just be a nod to Reggie Jackson’s emergence. https://t.co/tAOR00iVDk

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) August 16, 2021

Given the luxury tax savings that accompanied this transaction, that clarity is worth a whole lot. 

Mac McClung's bid to become the next Los Angeles Lakers fan favorite was stunted a bit Friday night as the rookie tallied just two points over 15 minutes in a 86-84 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Las Vegas Summer League. 

Yet even without a major scoring outburst, McClung did more than enough to make an impact, finishing with three assists, a few highlight-reel plays and one rebound as he continues to acclimate to life in the NBA. 

In case you didn't catch that and-1 👌 point play before the break.#LakersSummer x @Verizon pic.twitter.com/x6Srr9b4gx

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 14, 2021

Gas, brake, hit!#LakersSummer x @Verizon x @McclungMac pic.twitter.com/tMwWZoITl9

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 14, 2021

Instead, it was Vic Law who led the way for the Lakers, dropping a team-high 15 points with three three-pointers to go with eight rebounds. 

As far as rookies go, it was tough to find a more impressive performance than the Clippers' Brandon Boston Jr., who scored 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting with five boards. Boston's only misses came from three-point range (two-of-eight).

🗣️ And one!@bboston_ | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/kuEiew8E7Y

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 14, 2021

From end to end.@Jayscrubb ➡️ @bboston_ pic.twitter.com/NHMKPgjplp

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 14, 2021

The No. 51 overall pick out of Kentucky made the most of his minutes, hitting three shots at the rim, two more on the wing and the rest behind the arc, proving that his ability to score from anywhere will translate against top talent. 

After slipping in the draft, the shooting guard carved out a solid day against the Lakers. He'll be back in action Sunday as the Clippers face the Utah Jazz at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN 2. The Lakers, meanwhile, are right back at it Saturday, tipping off against No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons at 10 p.m. ET, also on ESPN2. 

The Los Angeles Clippers secured their future by re-signing free agent Kawhi Leonard, although the move could limit the team financially going forward.

According to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic, Leonard will make $176.3 million over the four-year deal. Bobby Marks of ESPN provided a further breakdown:

Here is the breakdown on the $176.3M contract for Kawhi Leonard:

21/22- $39.34M
22/23- $42.49M
23/24- $45.64M
24/25- $48.78M (Player)

Leonard could have signed a four-year $187M extension if he had opted-in to his $36M contract in 2021/22.

Total would have been $223M

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 12, 2021

The added $39 million in 2021-22 will put the Clippers at over $170 million in total payroll, per Spotrac, well over the $112 million salary cap and $136 million luxury tax threshold.

The Clippers already had a $125 million luxury tax penalty before the latest deal, per Bobby Marks of ESPN, the third-highest mark in the NBA behind the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets. 

Leonard and Paul George now have similar contracts through the next few years. Both will earn about $39 million next year, with the total rising each year to a $48.8 million player option in 2024-25. 

Marcus Morris Sr. will make $48 million over the next three years combined while Luke Kennard has $41 million remaining on his three-year extension.

It means these four players will account for over $106 million in 2021-22 with a number that will only grow in the following two years of guaranteed deals.

This doesn't leave room for many more high-priced additions, which could especially be a problem next year as Leonard recovers from the torn ACL that knocked him out of the 2021 playoffs.

Reggie Jackson ($10.4 million owed in 2021-22), Ivica Zubac ($7.5 million) and Serge Ibaka ($9.7 million) will play big roles next season as the squad tries to remain a top contender in the Western Conference. The problem is there won't be much room for improvement if the team struggles.

Next offseason also won't provide much cap space for free agents, which could be especially be a concern if Leonard doesn't progress as expected from his knee injury.