LA Clippers: 3 big questions heading into 2019-20

2. Who plays where?

Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are officially listed as small forwards, Kawhi playing 88 percent of his minutes last year in this position and George playing 91 percent of his minutes there.

Neither player has spent significant amount of time playing either up at the 4 or down at the 2 during their career, so it remains to be seen how these two will fit together on the court.

Furthermore, there are questions around the bench unit in terms of defensive ability and fit. It is well-documented the starting lineup will pack a scoring punch and boast stifling defense.

While the second unit will contain the scoring abilities of Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, it lacks a true defensive identity due to its lack of size or notable defenders outside of JaMychal Green and Maurice Harkless.

Benefiting the LA Clippers though is their ability to mix-and-match their lineups dependent on their opposition.

They can go small with either Kawhi or George at the power forward position, or go big with Ivica Zubac  and Montrezl Harrell together along with both of their new stars at the 2 and 3 positions.

In an era of positionless basketball, this team epitomizes how a roster should be constructed to contend in the modern NBA.

There may be questions around the second unit’s defense, but these questions are only relevant on paper, as it is most likely the starting lineup plays staggered minutes throughout games to ensure the bench unit is solidified on both ends of the court.

The ability to implement closing lineups based upon their opponent is what sets this team apart from their peers this year, being able to have pure scorers such as Williams and George on the floor in tight situations or locking teams down in the final minutes of games with Green, Leonard and Harkless.

For example the Clippers could use a line-up of Patrick Beverley, George, Leonard, Harkless and  Green as a defensive lineup while still containing a solid offensive threat both in the paint of on the perimeter.

With their likely starting lineup being Beverley, George, Leonard, Green and Zubac they will have solid defense and offense from the opening tip while having multiple players they can plug into the lineup at multiple positions.

The LA Clippers are a serious threat this year, with the only question now surrounding this team being if they can put it all together on the court?