As the Clippers gather for media day Sunday, expectations of an NBA championship run and concerns build over Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the roster.
There were no warning signs last year before the Clippers traded Blake Griffin, the face of the franchise.
One year later, leading scorer Tobias Harris was among those caught by surprise when the Clippers dealt him. Those trades brought the Clippers salary-cap space, draft picks and the opportunity to pull off an even more unexpected move. Their late-night July 5 trade for All-Star forward Paul George while simultaneously getting a commitment from free-agent superstar Kawhi Leonard, rocked the NBA enough to overshadow an actual earthquake that shook the Las Vegas Summer League only hours earlier.
If stealth has been the Clippers’ ally in recharting the trajectory of their franchise, the result of all those moves is a roster that no longer will be sneaking up on anyone.Led by Leonard, the reigning NBA Finals most valuable player, and George, the Clippers return eight contributors from last season and enter the new campaign as a betting favorite to win their first NBA title.
Their roster possesses perhaps an unrivaled mix of star power and depth, but also faces significant questions, starting with how Leonard and George — a pairing that team president Lawrence Frank has called the top all-around duo in the NBA — will play off one another, and when the first glimpses of that combination will be seen.
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