Los Angeles Clippers: 2015-16 Season Outlook

Best-Case Scenario

Under the guidance of veterans like Chris Paul and Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson gets his act together and becomes a two-way force for the Clippers off the bench. Josh Smith continues his late-career resurgence that began in Houston last year, Pierce grounds the second unit with clutch shot-making and Austin Rivers builds on his playoff momentum to prove his critics wrong.

CP3 stays healthy and Blake Griffin blows us away with his best season yet after his Magic Johnson/LeBron James impersonations in the playoffs last year. DeAndre Jordan continues to ground the defense and J.J. Redick makes up for his choke act in his last three playoff games by spreading the floor and helping the offense remain elite.

The Clippers battle their way through the West, eventually winning the franchise its first championship in a hard-fought battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Worst-Case Scenario

Born Ready fails to regroup from his miserable 2014-15 campaign, becoming a locker room distraction that negatively impacts the team’s chemistry. J-Smoove struggles to fit in in Lob City the way he did with the Rockets, Pierce’s body begins to give up on him and Rivers is unable to improve in another full season under his father.

CP3 and/or Blake Griffin have problems staying healthy, causing the Clippers to drop a few more regular season games than they normally would have. This results in a bottom-four seed for Los Angeles, which leads to a disappointing first round playoff exit against another elite Western team.

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