NBA: 30 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 season

9. The LA Clippers as title contenders

Even at their best, the LA Clippers always seemed to lag behind their contemporaries with the image they were putting out. They lacked any real amounts of success with one of the worst owners in all of sports, but Steve Ballmer set out to change all that since he bought the team in 2014, with his most recent offseason certainly serving as a step in the right direction.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are at the peak of their powers, coming off a year that saw top-three finishes for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for George as well as a historical postseason run that culminated in a championship and Finals MVP trophy for Leonard.

Most top-tier teams tend to acquire superstar talent at the expense of their bench, but the Clippers are different. Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell were instrumental in last season’s surprising 48-win campaign. All three remain present along with capable rotation pieces Maurice Harkless, Landry Shamet and others.

LA thought it had cleared the path to a title with Lob City leading the way, but not even the trio of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan could lift the franchise to new heights.

A new era of basketball could have this iteration accomplish what previous squads never could, but it’s the shift in perception for one of the most historically moribund organizations that will breathe new life into a league where reputation is everything.