Our player preview series for the 2024-25 Clippers concludes with beloved fan favorite Nicolas Batum.

Basic Information

Height: 6’8

Weight: 230 pounds

Position: Forward

Age: 35

Years in NBA: 16

Key Stats: 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocked shots in 25.5 minutes per game across 60 games (38 starts) with the LA Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers with 45.3/39.5/71.4 shooting splits.

Contract Status: First year of a two-year contract worth $9.6 million.

Expectations

Nicolas Batum will most likely be the main forward off the bench for the Clippers this season. He has Ty Lue and his teammates’ trust and he can still be a productive player. What makes him unique and well-suited to the Clippers rotation is his ability to play both forward positions.

Depending on the matchup, he’ll see minutes as a small-ball center as well. During his first stint with the Clippers, he often played the five in small lineups. He’s going to be counted on this season to be one of the Clippers’ most dependable players off the bench.

Strengths

Batum’s positional versatility makes him a positive to any lineup. He can switch between both forward positions and center. He can guard multiple positions even at his age. He does so many of the little things on the court that even if his shot isn’t falling, he can still make an impact.

He’s one of the best three-point shooters on the team and arguably the best off-ball. His relocation and catch and shoot ability is still among the best in the league., especially at his size.

Weaknesses

There are times when Batum’s shot eludes him, but there as mentioned before, he contributes in so many other areas that he can still find ways to be effective. But this season in particular, the Clippers are going to need him to be on most of the season – they simply lack outside shooting.

There’s also the question of how much does he have left in terms of taking on tough defensive assignments and playing multiple positions given his age. But there’s not really any reason to expect a sharp decline at all this season. But just something to monitor.

Summary

Batum did not want to be traded from the Clippers last year and he’s openly spoken about how signing with the Clippers saved his career. And Clippers fans certainly did not want him traded. But he was one of the pieces Philadelphia asked for in return for James Harden.

He’s back though, and given his affinity for Ty Lue and the organization, it’s tough to imagine him not finishing his career here. Whatever the future holds, Clippers fans are certainly happy to have him back. And he’s going to play a key role towards whatever success the Clippers hope to have this season.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Nicolas Batum
David Yapkowitz

Our player preview series for the 2024-25 Clippers continues with second-year forward Kobe Brown.

Basic Information

Height: 6’7

Weight: 250 pounds

Position: Forward/Center

Age: 24

Years in NBA: 1

Key Stats: 2.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocked shots in 9.0 minutes per game across 44 games with 41.1/29.2/50 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Second year of a four-year contract worth a little over $12 million.

Expectations

Kobe Brown comes into this season sort of teetering on the line between playing a big role and sitting on the bench again. Given the Clippers’ depth at the forward position, there doesn’t seem to be much room for regular rotation minutes. And, given Ty Lue’s affinity for small-ball, we’ll see more Nicolas Batum at power forward rather than small forward.

A steady diet of the San Diego Clippers is probably in the forecast for Brown this season. But he does bring a unique skill-set at the four that could potentially get him into the rotation at some point this season.

Strengths

Brown is a floor spacer at power forward. Although his percentages last season wouldn’t suggest that, he can step out and shoot from three-point range with confidence.

He has the tools to be a good rebounder as well. He averaged around five boards a game during summer league, and you’d want that number to be closer to the 7-8 range. But he has the ability.

And perhaps one of his most improved aspects is his playmaking and decision-making with the ball in his hands. During summer league, he averaged 4.2 assists per game. He’s also showing the ability to make plays off the dribble. That’s something the Clippers other reserve forwards aren’t able to do.

Weaknesses

Two things stand out for Brown here, consistency and defense. Consistency in that he CAN be a good shooter from deep, but aside from his senior year at Missouri, his efficiency has not been as consistent as you would want from a stretch-four.

Defensively, he can still get lost while making mistakes. During summer league, his fouls were a concern. Being disciplined on that end of the court while cutting down on his fouling would go a long way to Kobe being an impact rotation guy.

Summary

With a fully healthy Clippers team, there just doesn’t seem to be enough room for Brown in the rotation. But with Kawhi Leonard’s status up in the air, there is a pathway for Brown to play right away.

However, don’t be surprised to see him getting plenty of reps in the G League again.

Clippers 2024-2024 Player Preview: Kobe Brown
David Yapkowitz

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with embattled veteran PJ Tucker.

Basic Information

Height: 6’5

Weight: 245 pounds

Position: Forward

Age: 39

Years in NBA: 13

Key Stats: 1.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.2 blocked shots in 15.0 minutes of play across 28 games played (7 starts) on 35.6/36.7/100 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Final year of a three-year contract worth a little over $11 million for this season.

Expectations

Considering PJ Tucker is away from the team, there aren’t any expectations for him going into this season. He’s not going to play any role and he’s awaiting a resolution on his status with the team.

Following the trade last season, Tucker made it clear he was not a fan of the deal and that he expected to have a big role with the Clippers. That never happened and he spent most of last season making his displeasure known.

If the Clippers are unable to find a taker for Tucker in a trade, he’ll just spend the entire season away from the team and they’ll let his contract expire at the end of the season. Either that or perhaps a buyout could be an option.

Strengths

When Tucker got to play last season, he was actually one of the better rebounders on the team. Despite his height, Tucker has always used a combination of size and smart positioning to make an impact on the glass.

Although he is one of the older players in the league, Tucker can still be effective defensively with the right matchups. He did a decent job on Zion Williamson last season.

Tucker has also maintained his consistency for the most part from three-point range, even with his attempts from distance leveling off in recent seasons.

Weaknesses

Although Tucker has kept his percentages at a decent efficiency, he was anything but consistent from three-point range for the Clippers. If he would’ve been able to knock down shots at a consistent rate, then perhaps his role with the team would have been bigger.

Overall, he’s just seen a drop in production to where he just isn’t as consistent a role player anymore. He’s a situational player who is really only effective in certain matchups.

Summary

If Tucker would be content to play only in certain matchups, while being a locker room veteran, then he would be with the team. The only issue is he isn’t content with riding the bench for most games. He believes he still has enough to contribute to a team.

And you can’t blame him. NBA careers fly by in the blink of an eye. He wants to milk it for as long as he can. But he’s also at the tail end of his career. He just isn’t effective enough to be a regular rotation player.

The options remain: a possible trade to a team looking for an expiring contract, a buyout, or just have him stay away and let his contract expire at the end of the season.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: PJ Tucker
David Yapkowitz

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Mo Bamba, the Clippers’ new backup center.

Basic Information

Height: 7’0

Weight: 231 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 26

Years in NBA: 6

Key Stats: 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.1 blocked shots in 13.0 minutes per game across 57 games played (17 starts) on 49/39.1/68 shooting splits.

Contract Status: One-year contract with the Clippers worth a little over $2 million.

Expectations

With the departure of Mason Plumlee in free agency, the Clippers settled on Mo Bamba as their apparent backup center. Ty Lue does have a penchant for playing small, but size still matters in this league and the team needs someone who can spell Ivica Zubac during games.

Despite being a lottery pick, Bamba has had an underwhelming NBA career to this point. He’s been a decent backup center, but not exactly what you would expect for someone selected with the No. 6 overall pick. But he gets the job done for the most part. You don’t usually expect too much from a backup big man and Clippers fans should keep their expectations low.

Strengths

One of Bamba’s biggest strengths is that he’s a legitimate stretch-five. Since he’s been in the NBA he’s been a good three-point shooter. His ability to space the floor should make for some interesting lineups this season. He holds a career average of 36.1 percent shooting from three-point range, and he shot 39.1 percent last season in Philadelphia.

He’s also a good rebounder, better than any of the Clippers’ recent backup centers. That’s definitely a plus for a team that’s struggled on the glass in recent seasons.

Bamba is also a fairly decent shot-blocker. Opposing teams do need to be aware of him when they attack the paint.

Weaknesses

Consistency is probably one of the biggest issues with Bamba. It’s probably been a key reason as to why his career never really took off. Although he’s still relatively young, he’s past the point where you can say he still has another level to reach. This is as good as it gets.

Although Bamba is a good shot-blocker, he doesn’t bring all that much in terms of on ball, man-to-man defense, or when it comes to defending the pick and roll.

He’s also limited offensively. While he’s shot a decent percentage from three-point range, his overall shooting percentage isn’t the type of efficiency you might expect from a big man.

Summary

Bamba’s status for opening night is actually in question as he’s been out for preseason while dealing with knee soreness. In the meantime, Kai Jones has used that opportunity to make a case to grab the Clippers’ final two-way contract spot and actually play meaningful minutes.

Bamba is essentially a stop gap for this season and does not feature into the Clippers’ long term plans. Given Lue’s affinity for small-ball, and Bamba’s injury status, it actually wouldn’t be surprising to see Bamba playing a limited role this season.

Clippers 2024-25 Player Preview: Mo Bamba
David Yapkowitz

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Ivica Zubac, their longest tenured player and starting center.

Basic Information

Height: 7’0

Weight: 240 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 27

Years in NBA: 8

Regular Season Stats: 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game across 68 games played (all starts) on 64.9/72.3 shooting splits with 67.1% TS

Playoff Stats: 16.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game across 6 games played (all starts) on 60/65 shooting splits with 61.5% TS

Contract Status: Making $11.7M this year, signed a 3 year $59M extension this past summer

Expectations

Ivica Zubac is going to be in the role he’s been in for most of his five-plus-year Clippers’ tenure – the team’s starting center. However, things are different this year. Paul George is gone. So is Russell Westbrook. Kawhi Leonard is injured and will be on a load management plan. The Clippers’ offseason additions were largely defense-first players. All of that means that while Zu will still be the Clippers’ starting center, he will almost certainly have a larger role on offense than he’s ever had previously, namely as someone the Clippers will use to actively get buckets. That’s a lot for Zu, as the Clippers are as small as ever, meaning he will still have huge responsibility on defense and on the glass. Thus, this season is primed to be the biggest year of Zu’s career, maybe by a lot.

Strengths

Zu’s best strengths are that he’s good at everything big men have needed to do since the sport of basketball was invented. He’s a solid defensive rebounder, an excellent finisher inside the paint, and one of the better rim protectors in the NBA. His ability to finish strong around the rim is a tremendous asset, and his little jump hook is incredibly reliable (he shot 71.1% at the rim and 59.9% from 3-10 feet last year). Add it all up, and you have a reliable big man who contributes on both ends without taking anything major away.

Zu is not quite as great an offensive rebounder as he was a few years ago, but he’s still one of the better second-chance players in the NBA. He has an offensive rebound rate of about 12.8%, an excellent number, and is able to crash the offensive glass while still consistently getting back in transition. For a team that does not send wings to the offensive glass much, Zu’s ability to be a force on that end single-handedly is a real boon.

There are other, more subtle pluses as well. Zu sets awesome, hard screens that really free up the Clippers’ ballhandlers. When he doesn’t play, that drop-off in screen setting is always notable. While not a great passer, Zu has gotten better over the years at making the extra play and finding open guys.

Weaknesses

Zu’s biggest weakness is that while he’s an effective offensive player, he’s also a limited one. Zu does not take threes (1/12 in his entire career), does not shoot from even the midrange, and is not an advanced passer. That’s all totally fine for non-star big men, of course, as few bigs can do all of those things well, but those limitations are why Zu is a solid starter instead of a star despite being very good at all traditional big man duties.

On defense, Zu is not awesome at defending out on the perimeter (though he is not as bad as a lot of bigs), meaning the Clippers’ defensive schemes can’t feature him switching too frequently. Again, not a huge deal, but something that the Clippers have to plan around.

Finally, even though Zu is highly likable and by all accounts a great teammate and locker room presence, he can get a bit down when the going gets tough. That’s not to say he ever gives up or stops trying, but he can get frustrated in those situations, and that sort of attitude has been challenging to watch at times.

Summary

The Clippers’ signing Zu to his max extension this summer was a strong vote of confidence in the veteran. While Zu is certainly not untradable, the Clippers have no replacement at all for Zu in the wings, so trading him is unlikely barring a complete teardown (which seems unlikely in and of itself). Thus, he’s one of the least likely players on the roster to get moved – a good, likable, player on a very fair deal who is a proven fit with the teams’ stars and is appreciated by everyone in the organization. It’s certainly not a lock that Zu finishes his extension with the Clippers, but he seems very likely to be on the Clippers for this entire upcoming season.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Ivica Zubac
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Amir Coffey, their long-time reserve wing.

Basic Information

Height: 6’7

Weight: 210 pounds

Position: Small forward/Shooting guard

Age: 27

Years in NBA: 5

Regular Season Stats: 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 turnovers in 20.9 minutes per game across 70 games played (13 starts) on 47.2/38.0/85.9 shooting splits with 60.4% TS

Playoff Stats: 2.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.8 turnovers in 18.7 minutes per game across 6 games played (3 starts) on 31.8/27.3/0 shooting splits with 38.6% TS

Contract Status: In the last year of a 3 year, $11M deal, making $3.9M this year

Expectations

Expectations for Amir Coffey are very reasonable at this stage of his career. He will come off the bench as the 8^th to 10^th man in the rotation, play 18-22 minutes per game, and overall be a reliable contributor. Amir will rarely have awesome games, but he also almost never actively harms the Clippers, which means he’s overall well-liked by the fanbase. Despite the starting lineup being somewhat up in the air, Amir is not being considered as a potential starter, meaning expectations are not too high. We all know what to expect from Amir, which is a good thing.

Strengths

Amir Coffey can do a bit of everything. He’s a career 37.3% three-point shooter (albeit on low 2.2 attempts per game volume), can handle the ball a bit, is capable of making plays for others (1.8 assists in 2022 season), is a competent defender across multiple positions, and is an excellent finisher near the rim. He’s not bulky for a guy of his size, but his height and athleticism means he can fill in at multiple positions and thus unlocks some different lineups. That type of versatility has real value.

Amir is also an overall steady player. He’s not always the most heads-up passer on the break, but will usually make the right pass and decision and does not turn the ball over. He’s also been largely healthy in his NBA career, with his lower games totals being more of a result of coaches going away from him rather than injury. On the Clippers, just being available a lot of the time is valuable, and that has been the case with Amir, especially in the injury-plagued 2022 season.

Weaknesses

The problem with being a jack of all trades is you’re usually a master of none. So it is with Amir Coffey, who is decent in many areas, but who you can’t comfortably say is a “good” defender, scorer, playmaker, or shooter at the NBA level. That is part of the reason why he has never had the firm confidence of the coaching staff – when the Clippers have been lacking in those areas, the coaches have usually turned to someone who is more of a proven specialist in those facets. The Clippers will need scoring and playmaking this year, and while Amir might add more of those qualities than say Nic Batum or Mo Bamba, he’s also not someone who the Clips can really turn to.

If you had to point to one thing that Amir struggles at, it’s rebounding. For a guy with pretty good size and solid athleticism, Amir just is not a good rebounder. He’s never cracked 3 rebounds per game on average and is usually the worst rebounder on the Clippers by percentage-based stats. Due to the Clippers’ roster construction issues over the past few years, Amir has frequently logged minutes in size-deprived second-units, and his challenges with rebounding have contributed to the Clippers’ struggles there. It’s not a deal breaker for a reserve, but the lack of rebounding from guards has been frustrating.

Summary

Amir Coffey is the fourth-longest tenured player on the Clippers behind Zu, Mann, and Kawhi, and remains somewhere in the rotation going into this season. However, his deal being on its last year and the Clippers being in a transitionary phase means that Amir might well be on the move this season. If the Clippers are disappointing, they could certainly flip Amir for a second round pick or two, or a younger prospect with some more upside. It is of course quite possible that the Clippers extend Amir (though this has not been rumored at all) or re-sign him next summer, and Amir continues being a well-liked role player, but chances have never been higher that he will be on another team in a year’s time.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Amir Coffey
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Derrick Jones Jr., their biggest addition in free agency this summer.

Basic Information

Height: 6’6

Weight: 210 pounds

Position: Small forward

Age: 27

Years in NBA: 8

Regular Season Stats: 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 turnovers in 23.5 minutes per game across 76 games played (68 starts) on 48.3/34.3/71.3 shooting splits with 59.2% TS

Playoff Stats: 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.8 turnovers in 29.4 minutes per game across 22 games played (all starts) on 48.1/36.9/73.3 shooting splits with 57.7% TS

Contract Status: Signed a three year, $30M extension in January, making $9.5M this year

Expectations

Derrick Jones Jr. was the Clippers’ biggest offseason acquisition in terms of name and dollar amount. The Clippers inked Jones to a taxpayer mid-level exception deal fresh off his serving as a starting wing during the Dallas Mavericks’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals, including helping eliminate the Clippers in the process. Even though his contract isn’t massive, the Clippers giving him a 3 year, $30M deal would indicate they expect Jones to be a starter on this team. Early indications are he will be the starting unit’s “defensive stopper” on the perimeter, especially against guards. On the other end, Jones will be expected to make open threes, finish plays above the rim, and generally seamlessly blend into a Harden-dominated offense after doing so last year with a very similar player in Luka.

Strengths

Jones Jr. has consistently rated as a plus – albeit not great – defensive player. His size, long arms, and lateral quickness makes him an excellent cover on shorter guards, who he can really hound and bother. Jones isn’t a hefty player, so doesn’t guard up positions quite as well, but he’s a versatile, multi-positional defender who is good at accumulating steals and blocks while maintaining schemes. Clippers’ fans saw him shut down Paul George in the playoffs, and while he won’t be that good all the time, that series and the entire playoff run showed his value on defense.

The other unique element Jones brings is an above the rim presence. He’s an insane vertical athlete even by NBA standards, capable of soaring well above the rim for lob finishes. This makes him a highly useful cutter and transition player, and helps make up for his lack of shooting. Jones had 62 dunks last year, which would have been third by a mile on the Clippers last year (Zu had 112, Kawhi 76, and Mann was next with 45). The Clippers have frequently seemed slow, ground-bound, and quite frankly unathletic in recent years, and Jones is a big reversal against that trend. There will be some fun dunks in Intuit this year.

Weaknesses

Derrick Jones set new career-bests last season for three-point shooting in terms of percentage (34.3), attempts per game (3.1), and total makes (82). However, even those numbers would indicate just a below-average shooter who can make just enough for defenses to respect him. That’s still not nearly enough for defenses to close out hard, or for him to provide much in the way of spacing. Worse, there’s the chance that Jones could regress as a shooter, making him a true non-threat due to lack of volume or accuracy. Of course, there is the chance that Jones, who has increased his percentage from deep from 28 to 31.6 to 32.8 to 33.8 and then 34.3 over the past five years, could continue to improve, and that would truly be a positive swing for the Clippers.

One of the unfortunate elements of Derrick Jones Jr.’s game is his lack of contribution of “other things”. He’s a mediocre at best rebounder, which is a bit surprising considering his athleticism and size but is just a fact of life considering he’s eight years into his career. Jones is also not a ball-handler or playmaker at all. He can make simple reads in the flow of the offense and is obviously not someone who will hunt his own shot, but can’t be trusted to alleviate the playmaking burden on James Harden. Of course, if Jones did some of that stuff along with his defense and pop he’d probably be making more money, but there are real limitations to what he can offer.

Summary

Derrick Jones Jr. is set up for a big role on this Clippers’ team. His defensive aptitude and ability to play above the rim will give him some sure avenues to minutes, but the lack of offensive punch could also limit him. If Jones regresses from three, the Clippers might not be able to play him big minutes next to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, and he could find himself in a somewhat subdued bench role. In some ways, therefore, the Clippers’ path to two-way play does rest heavily on Jones. If he can make those shots and stick on the floor on offense, his defense next to Ivica Zubac (and hopefully Kawhi) should help keep the Clippers afloat. If the shots don’t fall, the Clippers will likely have to play offense-first players like Norm Powell or Kevin Porter Jr. more, which will damage the defense. Hopefully Jones can continue on the trajectory from last year and fully establish himself as a starting-level two-way player.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Derrick Jones Jr.
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Kawhi Leonard, the team’s oft-injured superstar.

Basic Information

Height: 6’7

Weight: 225 pounds

Position: Power forward/Small forward

Age: 33

Years in NBA: 13

Regular Season Stats: 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.8 turnovers in 34.3 minutes per game across 68 games played (all starts) on 52.5/41.7/88.5 shooting splits with 62.6% TS

Playoff Stats: 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 turnovers in 29.5 minutes per game across 2 games played (both starts) on 45.8/0/66.7 shooting splits with 47.4% TS

Contract Status: Signed a three year, $153M extension in January, making $53M this year

Expectations

What even are reasonable expectations for Kawhi Leonard at this point? On one hand, the 2024 season was somewhat of a triumph for Kawhi, who played 68 regular games (his most since 2017) while logging 34.3 minutes per game (the highest of his career) and making the All-NBA Second Team and All Star Game. On the other hand, he was forced out of the end of the regular season due to knee troubles, and barely played in the playoffs at 50% capacity as a result. He had a knee scope this summer, and basically all reporting is indicating he will be back on load management.

Can Kawhi play 60 games at 30+ minutes per game again? At this point, that honestly sounds like a major win for the Clippers. If he does, can he maintain an All-NBA level of play over that extended stretch? That would be massive. The Clippers no longer have Paul George, their depth is not quite as good as it was years ago, and the West has gotten better. If the Clippers don’t get that durability and level of play from Kawhi, they very well might not make the postseason – even if he would be healthy enough to play in it. I think a fair expectation for Kawhi is 55-60 games at an All Star and fringe All NBA level. In this bloggers’ opinion, anything more than that is gravy.

Strengths

It’s a bit wild to say, but after starting his career as an offensively-limited, defense-first player, Kawhi Leonard’s best skill in the NBA right now is his scoring. Not counting his injury-shortened 2018 campaign, Kawhi has averaged at least 21 points per game in each of his last seven seasons and at least 23.5 in his last six. Not only that, but Kawhi scores at volume on excellent efficiency, with only one true shoointg in those seven years being below 60%. He’s a deadly long-range shooter (40.2% on 5.1 attempts as a Clipper), knockdown from midrange, and a strong finisher. The only area where Kawhi is slipping is as a foul-drawer, as his free throw rate of 0.24 last year was his lowest since he made the jump to a legitimate scorer back in 2015. Even if he does get to the line less, there’s no reason Kawhi can’t continue to average 20+ points per game on good efficiency for the next couple of years.

Kawhi is nowhere close to the defensive force he was a decade ago in San Antonio, when some people considered him the best perimeter defender to ever suit up in the NBA. However, he’s still a good defensive player on a game-to-game basis and is considerably better than that for shorter stretches when he can really lock in. Kawhi’s size, length, strength, and disruptive hands are all unchanged, making him a real presence both as a one-on-one defender against wings and forwards and as the “low man” in help situations. When Kawhi was on the court last year, the Clippers were a top five defense and when he was off they were in the bottom five. That says a lot about the impact he continues to have on that end.

Weaknesses

Kawhi’s biggest weakness is undoubtedly durability. As mentioned above, last season was his healthiest regular season since 2017, and even before his leg injuries picked up he only played over 70 games twice. With Kawhi unlikely to play in back-to-backs this year, he will be capped at around 68 games, and that’s not counting missing any other games for injuries, illness, or personal reasons. Your best player being your most unreliable in terms of availability creates a very difficult path for building a team or winning a championship, and ultimately that was the downfall of the 213 era (among other reasons).

If you had to point to one Kawhi weakness on the court, it would be that he’s a subpar playmaker for a number one scoring option. His highest ever assists per game mark was in 2021, at 5.2, and he averaged just 3.6 last year. With Paul George and Russell Westbrook gone that number will definitely go back up, but Kawhi is definitely more of a fine passer than a good one. There will be times he sees passes a hair too late or doesn’t make the read at all. He’s definitely not a ball hog or an awful passer, but it’s just not a natural part of his game, even though he’s worked on it.

Summary

There is no evidence that the Clippers have ever tried to trade Kawhi, nor has there been any real evidence that Kawhi has looked at leaving the Clippers. With Kawhi under contract for three more seasons and his probable lack of trade value even if he or the Clippers wanted to move on, it’s hard to see him not being on the Clippers through 2025. After that, who knows – but Kawhi has won two championships already, and this might be the first season in his entire 14-year career that he’s not on a contending team, so being on a contender might not mean quite as much to him. I would guess Kawhi plays out the year with the Clippers, and I’d bet on him being a Clipper until he retires. Hopefully he’s able to play in a good chunk of games this season and plays at the level we have all come to expect from him, pushing back on the narrative that his career is “cooked”.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Kawhi Leonard
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Jordan Miller, the Clippers’ exciting second-year wing.

Basic Information

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 204 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward

Age: 19

Years in NBA: Rookie

NBL Stats: Averaged 5.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.2 steals, and 1.5 turnovers per game in 14.4 minutes per game on 43.6/35.7/64.9 shooting splits in 21 games played

Contract Status: Two-way deal

Expectations

Zero. Zilch. Nada. As an undrafted, 19-year-old two-way on a team that still wants to win games, there should be no expectations for Trentyn Flowers at the NBA level. He’s going to spend the entire season in the G-League when healthy (he had wrist surgery this summer), and that’s for the best.

Strengths

Flowers played in the NBL last year, a solid international league but not remotely close to the NBA or even Euroleague. He was penciled in as a starter, but was quickly demoted to a bench role, and was completely out of the rotation by the end of the season. The reasoning was simple – the team was trying to win games and Flowers was a detriment to that.

At this point, Flowers is just a raw ball of clay for the Clippers to mold. He has good size and is a solid athlete for the wing, even at the NBA level, but does not possess a ton of tangible basketball skill. His shooting looks fine, but the sample size was miniscule (10-28 on threes). Really, he does not have any strengths at the professional level yet. And, as a 19-year-old, that’s not the end of the world.

Weaknesses

Flowers’ biggest weakness is probably playmaking/passing. In over 302 minutes in the NBL, he had just 13 assists, a pitiful number for a wing. Flowers also turned the ball over 31 times in those minutes, not an egregious amount, but one that does give him an unenviable assist to turnover ratio of under 1:2. Those are bad signs for any player, much less a non big man.

Flowers is also quite bad on defense, which is going to be his biggest obstacle to getting playing time in the NBA. Usually only exceptional offensive players get playing time if they’re awful on defense, and wings are the least likely such role for that to happen. If Flowers is ever going to be an NBA player, he’s going to have to get stronger and sharpen up on the intricacies of advanced defense.

Summary

Trentyn Flowers is the least likely player of anyone on the Clippers’ roster to make a meaningful impact this season. A raw 19-year-old, Flowers will hopefully benefit from some structure in the G-League and time working with the Clippers’ coaching staff to nurture his talent and be ready for NBA minutes in years to come. It would be truly stunning if he played much in the NBA this year.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Trentyn Flowers
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2025 Clippers continues with Jordan Miller, the Clippers’ exciting second-year wing.

Basic Information

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 202 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward

Age: 24

Years in NBA: 1

NBA Stats: Averaged 1.6 points and 0.6 rebounds in 3.5 minutes per game across 8 games with 5/9 shooting from the field, 1-2 from three, and 2-2 from the line

G-League Stats: Averaged 20.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 48.8/35.7/82.2 shooting splits in 39 games played

Contract Status: In the second year of a two-year two-way deal

Expectations

Unfortunately for Clippers fans hyped off Miller’s awesome Summer League performance, he’s still buried on the NBA roster. As a shooting guard/small forward, Miller has Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., Norm Powell, and Amir Coffey ahead of him, not counting Kris Dunn (can function as an off-guard), Kevin Porter Jr., or Bones Hyland, who are more point guard types but could play next to Dunn as well. It’s possible he passes the smaller guys like Porter Jr. and Hyland, which means that even an injury to Coffey could thrust Miller into playing time, but I think it would take multiple injuries or some really poor veteran play to get Miller fully into Ty Lue’s rotations. Thus, expectations for Miller should be kept in check.

Strengths

For all his scoring at Summer League, what stood out the most about Jordan Miller was his defense. That was his strongest point entering the draft, and was a standout quality in the G-League too. Despite being slender, Miller offers height, length, instincts, and surprising strength on defense, allowing him to both hound on-ball guards, switch onto larger forwards, and force turnovers. Much bigger and stronger NBA wings might push him around, but Jordan would probably be a plus NBA defender the moment he gets real rotation minutes.

Really, Jordan Miller is just good at basketball. He has excellent instincts on when to cut, is capable of making simple and quick passes on offense, and is a solid contributor on the glass. While not a strong ball-handler, Miller’s quick first step and length allows him to finish inside, and he’s relentless going to the rim instead of settling for midrange jumpers. He’s also a force in transition, using nifty euro-steps and spins to evade defenders and generate smooth finishes. There are just a variety of ways Jordan Miller contributes to his teams when he’s on the court.

Weaknesses

Shooting remains a bit of a question mark. Miller shot well from three in the G-League and was confident with the long ball in Summer League, but his track record of shooting from three remains small. If the 35% on medium volume translates from the G-League, Miller will be around league average for a wing, which is great considering his other strengths.

Despite his prolific scoring in Summer League and the G-League, Miller remains much more of a play finisher than a creator. He can shoot, he can attack closeouts, and he’s great slashing to the rim, but he’s not someone who will run pick and rolls or direct an offense. This is totally fine for a player like Jordan, but on a Clippers team that will probably be offensively starved, it’s possible Miller is passed in the rotation by guys who might offer a bit more playmaking or creation chops.

Summary

I don’t think Jordan Miller gets much of a rotation chance this year unless things go really bad for the Clippers or he’s just too good to keep on the bench, but hopefully he still gets significantly more of a look in the NBA than his rookie season. If all goes well, the Clippers will be ready to give him a “regular” NBA contract next summer and move him into their rotation plans for 2026. Even if he doesn’t get any more playing time this year than last year (unlikely), if he does well in practice and the coaching staff likes what they see, he might be in a similar position anyway.

Clippers 2024-2025 Player Preview: Jordan Miller
Robert Flom