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With the departure of Paul George in NBA free agency, a lot of eyes are going to be on the Los Angeles Clippers this season. Following the release last month of the 2024-25 NBA season schedule, we’ll be making our Clippers bold predictions.
The Clippers are going to look very different this upcoming season. In addition to the loss of George, the Clippers also moved on from hometown hero Russell Westbrook. Westbrook provided the team with tons of energy and aggression off the bench, but was relatively ineffective during the team’s first round playoff loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Clippers offseason saw them re-sign James Harden, and a full training camp and start of the season with the team should help. The team also made a flurry of free agent signings that actually have the potential to pay off in a big way this upcoming season.
Expectations for the Clippers are probably low this season even amid the excitement over the opening of their new arena, the Intuit Dome. Nevertheless, let’s move on to our 2024-25 LA Clippers bold predictions.
Kawhi Leonard will play in 70+ games for the Clippers
Now this is one bold prediction that might draw tons of skepticism from the NBA world. The last time Kawhi Leonard played in 70 or more games in a single year was back during the 2016-17 season when he was an All-Star.
And given his recent knee issue that kept him out of the majority of the Clippers first round series as well as his withdrawal from Team USA for the Olympics, this prediction is sure to draw quite a few side-eyes.
But it’s not too much of a stretch to envision Leonard playing more this season even as he continues to get older. In fact, there was a precedent set just last season when Leonard appeared in 68 games, the most he’s ever played in as a Clipper during the regular season. He was on track to surpass the 70 game mark if not for that late season knee swelling.
With George gone, the Clippers are going to lean on Leonard a little more than usual when it comes to offensive production. And he is still producing at an All-NBA level. This past season he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals with splits of 52.5 percent shooting from the field, 41.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 88.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
This is definitely going to be a wait and see type prediction for Leonard, but he knows what’s at stake this season and the role he’s going to have to play. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him set a Clippers career-high in games played.
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden will be top duo this season
The first Clippers bold prediction leads in to this next one. Provided that Leonard plays the majority of the season, he and James Harden are going to form one of the NBA’s top duos this upcoming year.
There was a little bit of skepticism amongst Clippers fans when the team acquired Harden in a trade last season, even more so considering they gave up their forward depth in the deal. But Harden actually turned out to be one of the team’s most consistent and productive players.
And throughout the season, Harden developed solid chemistry with Leonard on the court. Harden remains one of the best playmaking guards in the league. And like Leonard, with George’s departure he’s going to also inherit a bigger offensive role.
Out of the Clippers top players last season, Leonard and Harden were the most consistent. It’s not a stretch to think that with increased touches and bigger roles, these two could thrive on the court as a duo playing off each other. Harden is coming off a season during which he averaged 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 42.8 percent shooting from the field, 38.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 87.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has always been able to get the most out of his rosters and he’ll find ways to maximize Leonard and Harden’s time on the court together.
Clippers will be a top four seed in the West this season
And the first two Clippers bold predictions brings us to the third and final one; the Clippers will finish with a top-four seed in the Western Conference. What’s the point of Leonard and Harden having big years if it’s only going to lead to a bottom half finish?
Earlier this week, Tyronn Lue remarked how he is motivated to prove wrong everyone who is counting the Clippers out this season. Back during the 2021-22 season, the Clippers were without Leonard and George for most of the year due to injury. That was one of Lue’s finest coaching performances when he guided the Clippers to a winning record with Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris as the primary offensive options.
Expect something similar this year. Only that the Clippers have more of a balanced roster and two healthy stars in Leonard and Harden. The Clippers free agent signings all followed a pattern in that the team is expecting to play hard and play defense.
Derrick Jones Jr. was highly credited with making things difficult for George during the first round. Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum have always been tough defensive minded players. Mo Bamba averaged 1.1 blocked shots last season.
And with the anticipation of the Intuit Dome NBA season debut, this is going to be a motivated team looking to make some noise and bring excitement to their new arena.
