The Los Angeles Clippers had their best season yet, but unfortunately, it didn’t end up working for them after Kawhi Leonard tore his ACL. Nevertheless, it’s fair for fans to argue that they could have won it all if Leonard did not suffer from injury.

While that is something the Clippers will never get an answer for, especially as they look into a season ahead with a different roster, they will be facing more questions than ever in 2021-22. Here are five big ones they will need to respond to throughout the season: 

5. Does Paul George have enough fuel to lead this team? 

We know what Paul George can do and how he managed to shut his haters up last season. He had a phenomenal playoff run after proving to the world that Playoff P really does exist. The question isn’t if PG can do it but more so if he can manage to do this for 82 games this season.

Remember, the Clippers are coming off a shortened offseason as well and the last four teams in the bubble really suffered. Hopefully injuries don’t hit the Clippers, but it’s definitely a fact that PG will have to carry a heavier load this campaign. 

4. Is Kawhi Leonard going to return this season?

Leonard has had a vast array of injuries in the past, so this ACL tear makes it even more complicated. There have been reports that Leonard might be able to suit up this season, but nothing is set in stone.

Clipper fan or not, it’s hard to watch Leonard on the sidelines instead of the court. However, it’s also important for The Klaw to recover, especially with his injury history. It’s fair to say that the Clippers are not championship contenders without Kawhi.

But if Leonard plas? There’s no doubt that L.A. can make a run for the Larry O'Brien trophy once again. 

3. Can Luke Kennard have a breakout season? 

Ty Lue and the Clippers coaching staff have made it clear that they want to see their sharpshooter actually shoot more, and rightfully so. Kennard is not only the best 3-point shooter on the Clippers, but he is also among the top role players in the league.

Kennard adds another dimension to the Clippers offense, especially if he’s red hot from downtown. He also can ease the workload off PG and be a consistent 15-point scorer a night. He has this in him but the question really is if he can do it on a regular basis.

2. When does Serge Ibaka return? 

Serge Ibaka’s tenure in Los Angeles has been complicated, mainly because he has been bothered by his back injury. He played for a while during the playoffs last season but just did not look the same. There’s still so many questions about his health moving forward and how he is going to look once he returns to the court again.

The Clippers could really use a healthy Serge Ibaka, especially when they go up against Anthony Davis and the Lakers, Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns and even Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz.

A healthy Ibaka can guard the perimeter, stretch the floor and not get abused on defense as much. It would also do wonders for the Clippers offense if he can be a stretch five big. Ibaka’s health has been complicated and it doesn’t help that it’s still questionable at the moment. 

1. Which X-factor can stand out consistently for the Clippers?

With Leonard and Ibaka out, the Clippers need consistent scoring from someone as well. The good news is that they have a couple of credible role players to do just that for them. There’s Reggie Jackson, Eric Bledsoe, Terrance Mann, Markieff Morris and as mentioned above, Luke Kennard. 

It’s also possible that these players contribute a fair amount of scoring each game, as this is exactly what Ty Lue and his staff’s beautiful coaching system does. Nevertheless, it’s either they all show up consistently or one of them contributes a chunk for the scoring load on a daily basis.

If two of them can do that, then there’s a good chance that the Clippers make it part of the top six in the West standings. 

There’s still a path for the Clippers to make it to the finals—something they haven’t achieved in franchise history. But there’s certainly more questions as of writing. There’s potential for them to tread water during the regular season and have Leonard back on the rotation come playoff time. There’s also a possibility that Leonard decides to sit and the Clippers remain the middle of the pack in the Conference. 

Nobody really knows, but one thing’s for sure: no one can fully count the Clippers out after what they showed last season.