What does the future look like for the Los Angeles Clippers?

The Los Angeles Clippers have historically never been able to achieve elite championship contender success. They’ve put together some good teams but seemingly can never solve the postseason puzzles.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been in the league since 1970, where they were introduced as the Buffalo Braves. All the way up until now, the Clippers have not been able to find very much success or any type of consistency, only making the playoffs 11 times. The Lob City Clippers were the most consistent force the team has ever seen as they made a postseason appearance for six consecutive seasons.

However, just like any good Clippers team throughout NBA history, they were never able to get past the conference semifinals. With a plethora of skilled pieces, some young talent and a superstar, the Los Angeles Clippers could alter the course of history with time. However, with no clear cornerstone, they have a lot work to do if they ever want to become a championship team.

Mediocrity and low-level playoff success is all the franchise has ever seen, but that can change. If the Clippers can acquire a star-caliber player and the young talent can perform as expected, they can make their mark on the league. However, as long as the Golden State Warriors are a powerhouse and as teams like the Los Angeles Lakers become more experienced, none of this is likely to happen too soon.

Acquiring a long-term superstar

Acquiring a superstar is obviously a lot harder than it sounds. Money, location, fit and tenure all play huge roles in the decisions of where most superstars take their talents. Tobias Harris declined an $80 million extension earlier this year, thus signifying he is most likely going to chase money somewhere else.

The Clippers currently have 18 players on their roster and could reach up to $60 million in cap space depending on who they decide to part ways with. Harris is likely out and isn’t necessarily a superstar just yet, so the Clips can target some stars for the future. Kawhi Leonard was born in Los Angeles and has made it clear that he’d like to end up there if his time in Toronto doesn’t work out (player option).

The Lakers already have a plethora of forwards in LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram, and Leonard wouldn’t be the first option scorer. For the Clippers, he’d be sharing the floor with young talents like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an aging elite scorer in Lou Williams, and a serviceable bench. He’d be able to take the reins of the offense and play his game, something he won’t be able to do next to James.

The Lob City Clippers had an elite starting lineup but lacked the bench depth to be a contender. The current roster has a lot more depth and the money to potentially sign on helpful pieces for the future. With Kawhi Leonard or someone like Kyrie Irving, the path to elite team status would certainly be easier. If the Clippers ever want to be a championship contender, they need to make this goal a priority and let nothing get in the way.

Development of young talent

The team’s two lottery picks show some promise in terms of future league prominence. The aforementioned Gilgeous-Alexander is seen by many scouts as the best long-term point guard in his class. This is extremely favorable for future title hopes as this aids any superstar that comes into the mix.

While he seems more like a project than an instant impact player, Gilgeous-Alexander has time and skill on his side. He’ll most likely get the starting point guard slot this year and will have the ability to run the offense the majority of the time as Lou Williams will likely maintain the sixth man role.  Gilgeous-Alexander’s 6’6″ frame and his ability to handle the ball — as well as finish around the rim and shoot from the outside — certainly bode well for his future.

While SGA would run the offense, and a theoretical Kawhi Leonard would be a first scoring option as well as a great defensive duo with the young point guard. Jerome Robinson could come in and become a high-level scorer with some time. While his finishing, athleticism, and defensive capabilities are question marks, his ability to create his own shot and score from virtually anywhere on the court are eye-catching.

Lou Williams is currently 31 years old, Tobias Harris is likely on his way out, and no other Clippers player is an elite level talent right now. There are very few expectations for this team and the young guards are in the perfect situation to take over the reins or provide significant help to an elite talent like Kawhi Leonard in the near future. Once the Warriors are out of the picture due to age and the young prospects have a few years of experience, the Clippers can move even further up the ladder of contention.

Retaining or acquiring bench and starting pieces

Depth is crucial in the success of the vast majority of playoff and Finals success. While a plethora of stars can make for a lethal team, the depth of a team often elevates that threat. Versatile players off the bench that can play many roles and fit multiple different lineups will obviously be crucial in the team’s future success.

As Williams gets older and pieces leave, Gilgeous-Alexander and Robinson cannot be the only help to someone like Leonard. High-level players like Khris Middleton or someone like Julius Randle, who has a player option for next summer, would likely be enough to elevate the team’s ability to contend in the future aside from all else.

Guys like Avery Bradley, Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell could prove to be solid presences off the bench. They can each fill multiple roles and do multiple things on the court but, once again, the Clippers have the money to continue to build on this aspect as of right now. Danilo Gallinari could prove to be an immense offensive help off the bench if he chooses to stay, but he’ll likely choose to go somewhere where he can make more money or get a bigger role, which will free up more cap space.

Some notable unrestricted free agents throughout the next few years include the likes of Alec Burks, Markieff Morris, Thaddeus Young, Spencer Dinwiddie and Tyreke Evans. Any of those players would be instrumental in the continued depth of the franchise.

A multipieced puzzle with no definitive answer

Even if everything goes according to plan, there’s no guarantee any of this will lead to championship contention. New teams emerge as favorites all the time and building a championship level roster always takes time. How much time is completely dependent on the moves made, but the Clippers have the tools to make big moves.

The reality is, Kawhi Leonard isn’t guaranteed to sign on with the team and not many other superstars will seem interested either. Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler are likely to team up in New York, Kevin Durant could potentially return to OKC or finish out his career with Golden State, and guys like Kemba Walker or Klay Thompson simply aren’t enough to turn a team into a championship contender singlehandedly.

The hard truth is that, unless a game-changing superstar signs with the team, the Los Angeles Clippers will probably be stuck in mediocrity for years to come. Who knows? Maybe the young draft picks turn into superstars or maybe the team makes another blockbuster trade. The point is, the future is unclear. However, if all of the aforementioned criteria are met, the Clippers can potentially alter the course of their own history and finally get away from mediocrity.