Los Angeles Clippers: Season still considered a success
They may not be in the NBA playoffs but considering the expectations, the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2017-18 season should still be deemed a success.
Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, no one quite knew what to expect from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Having traded All-Star point guard Chris Paul during the offseason, then subsequently inking All-Star Blake Griffin to a fresh five-year deal, the Clippers were seemingly making moves that signaled two vastly different directions for the franchise within a week of each other.
Then, after trading Griffin in January, it appeared owner Steve Balmer had committed to a rebuilding project, waving the white flag on the Lob City era in Los Angeles.
Except, a funny thing happened. Even after Griffin was shipped away, the Clippers still managed to remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Clippers didn’t have a superstar leading their team. They didn’t even have an All-Star. What they did have was a group of experienced veterans capable of bringing consistent contributions to the court.
Lou Williams emerged as the favorite for Sixth Man of the Year with averages of 22.5 points and 5.3 assists per game off the bench. DeAndre Jordan was his usual springy, athletic self, averaging 12.1 points and 15.3 rebounds per game.
Tobias Harris, acquired in the Blake Griffin trade, proved to be a valuable asset moving forward with 19.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 29 games for L.A.
They may not be able to lead franchises by themselves, but together those three players form a nice nucleus with which the Clippers can move forward, should they choose to bring back free-agent-to-be DeAndre Jordan.
What was more of a surprise for the Clippers was the contributions they received from unlikely sources.
Montrezl Harrell, a member of the CP3 trade, has continued to make strides in his game, averaging 10.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in only 16.6 minutes per game.
Tyrone Wallace, the last pick in the 2016 NBA Draft who spent the first half of the season in the G League, is already seeing big minutes with 28.1 a game. C.J. Williams, another former G Leaguer, is getting 18.4 minutes per game.
While some of these lesser known players may be getting minutes due to injuries with Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley and Milos Teledosic all having missed extended time, it’s interesting to see the Clippers playing the long game when it comes to developing talent.
Being in Los Angeles means a constant barrage of media coverage that can pressure teams to cobble together pieces in order to build an immediate winner without a foundation for even the next season.
For the Clippers to experiment with a younger roster, including inexperienced players, shows a new perspective emanating from their front office, which could be a result of NBA legend and front office aficionado Jerry West being brought on board.
Despite all the injuries and roster turnover the Clippers have experienced throughout the season, to be eliminated from playoff contention with only a few games left in the regular season should be looked at as a major accomplishment.
After trading Griffin, nobody would’ve been surprised if the Clippers entered the 2018 Tankathon, but credit goes to the veterans, the hungry youngsters and head coach Doc Rivers for keeping this team afloat for as long as they did.
Teams and players are judged based on the expectations set for them, both by the fans and the media.
To examine the Clippers after they traded Griffin, compared to where they are now, it’s easy to see that while they won’t have anything to show for it, L.A. has laid the foundation for a competitive future while finding possible diamonds in the rough worth keeping around.
Next: 2017-18 Week 25 NBA Power Rankings
For that, the Clippers can place this season in the win column.