In a way, this Los Angeles reverie would not have been possible without Paul George. The only reason the Clippers were able to sign Kawhi Leonard is because George made it known to Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti that he wanted to play with Leonard.
When the dust settled, both superstars got their wish. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will create one of the most fearsome duos in the NBA.
Most of the roster from last year's team–which made the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference–is still intact. The mission is clear: championship or bust.
Whereas Leonard rode a wave of spectacular performances to an NBA Finals MVP, Paul George was out in the first round. Despite winning the Most Improved Player Award, finishing third in MVP voting, and nearly winning Defensive Player of the Year honors, George's second straight early departure from the playoffs surely eats away at him.
George had his finest individual season as a pro last year, but playing alongside Leonard will necessitate new adjustments. What kind of improvements can he make before the most important season in Clippers history?
Get healthy
George needs to enter this season at full strength. Although he played well in OKC's first-round loss to Portland, George staggered through the end of the regular season as his shooting touch struggled.
George had a number of shoulder issues throughout the year. George missed five games during the regular season, but some wondered whether he was playing through injury with the Thunder in the playoff chase.
A closer look at George's splits seems to suggest he may have been hampered down the stretch. He posted his two worst shooting months in March and April, both from the field and the 3-point line.
Indeed, George underwent shoulder surgery in May and is expected to miss the start of training camp.
There is reason to assume the Clippers will subscribe to “load management” with Leonard and George.
Considering that Leonard was rested on a number of occasions during the regular season, only to have one of the greatest postseasons ever, the Clippers should do everything they can to ensure the health of their stars.
Keep shooting
Last year, George attempted a career-high 757 3-pointers, nearly 150 more than the 609 he fired in the 2017-18 season. He shot nearly 39 percent beyond the arc, posting a career-high 28.0 points per game.
George's development as a sharpshooter has been special. Considering his athleticism and ball-handling ability, his knack for firing from deep makes him one of the more lethal scorers in basketball. There is no reason for George to stop shooting.
The Clippers will be an elite defensive team, and they should have plenty of offensive versatility.
Leonard, George and Lou Williams can make plays as slashers or in the post while spacing the floor. Los Angeles has shooters Patrick Beverley and Landry Shamet roaming the perimeter. Montrezl Harrell is excellent in pick-and-roll and hounds the offensive glass.
George needs to continue to assert himself. If he can space the floor, he will open up the post for Leonard while creating more one-on-one looks for Harrell around the rim.
Part of this correlates with his health. If George's shoulder is 100 percent, there is no reason he cannot shoot above 40 percent beyond the arc given how many weapons the Clippers will have.
Become a better distributor
Given how good Leonard is off the ball, and how little Beverley operates with the ball, there is a chance that George will become the primary ball-handler with the Clippers.
George is excellent as an isolation player and very good in pick-and-roll, which should benefit Harrell and Ivica Zubac.
However, this is not an Oklahoma City Thunder team where everything ran through Russell Westbrook. George will have to keep everyone involved.
Maybe this will be an easier task this season. The Thunder had a limited amount of shooters, whereas the Clippers have plenty of guys that can fill it up. This could serve George well in his ability to drive and kick.
Regardless, the focus should shift for George. He does not need to rack up an excessive usage rate. He should run the offense on the ball and look for opportunities to shoot and space the floor off the ball.
If George can become a better distributor, the Clippers can be unstoppable.
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