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The Los Angeles Clippers are entering a new era ahead of the 2024-25 season. The Clippers are separating themselves from the Los Angeles Lakers, as they will play in their arena, The Intuit Dome.
While it's an exciting time with their new arena, they will be without Kawhi Leonard indefinitely. Leonard has had problems staying healthy, and his knee injury will keep him out to start the season.
Leonard is one of the best two-way players in the NBA when on the floor. The 33-year-old forward averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He shot 52.5 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three, earning All-NBA Second Team honors.
With Leonard out, Los Angeles will lean on their other star, James Harden. It's no longer a big three as Paul George left for the Philadelphia 76ers, and with Leonard out as well, Harden will be the number one option to start the season.
In 72 games with the Clippers in the 2023-24 season, Harden averaged 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. The veteran guard shot 42.8 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from deep. Harden was more of a facilitator in his first season with Los Angeles, but he should have a bigger role as a scorer this season.
Although Harden isn't the same scorer he was in his prime with the Houston Rockets, he can still score at a high level. However, Harden will need the role players around him to step up. With that in mind, here's the Clippers player who will shock the NBA with a breakout 2024-25 season.
Terance Mann will break out this season
Terance Mann has been a solid role player for the Clippers but has a chance to break out this season. Mann was poised for a bigger role with the departure of George, but with Leonard's absence on top of it, they will need a lot from the 28-year-old wing.
Mann averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from downtown. He provides high-quality defense for the Clippers, guarding opposing teams' wings.
However, Mann has the chance to take the next step in his game and become an offensive threat. Early in the season, Los Angeles will be relying on role players like Mann to take a leap as a scorer. Mann has shown flashes of being a solid scorer in his career. In the 2021 playoffs, Mann put up 39 points in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz, helping them advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Mann has proven he can have a big-scoring outing, and the Clippers will need that. He has the tools to score at all three levels but needs to put it all together. With Harden as the only solidified scorer to start the season, Mann will have ample opportunity in the offense to contribute.
Los Angeles has put faith in Mann as they extended him on a three-year $47 million deal this offseason. With the Clippers in need of someone to step up, expect Mann to have a career year.
The Clippers have a difficult road ahead in the highly competitive Western Conference. Starting the season with their best player on the sideline indefinitely isn't a good start. Los Angeles also doesn't own their first-round pick in the 2025 draft, as the Oklahoma City Thunder have the rights to the pick. The Clippers will need Mann and others to have breakout seasons to have a chance at a playoff berth in the West.
