The Los Angeles Clippers are getting ready to move to their new arena in Inglewood this summer. They have to decide who will be playing and coaching for the next season.
The condition of their star player Kawhi Leonard is a big concern. He only played in two playoff games because of a knee problem that he had surgery on twice. Leonard’s absence was a big loss for the team, and they got knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks.
“We’re still dealing with the knee problem. It’s not a big issue with the structure,” said Lawrence Frank, who oversees basketball operations. “We’re trying to figure out how to manage his knee better. He’s shown that he’s still a top player.”
During the regular season, Leonard played in 68 games, which was the most he’s played for the Clippers. However, he missed the last eight games because of his knee.
In January, Leonard signed a new contract worth $52 million for three years. But he’s had issues with injuries during the playoffs for the past four years.
“I know people might doubt us because of what happened this year,” Frank said. “But I think we can build a better team for next year.”
Coach Tyronn Lue is looking to extend his contract with the team and has expressed his desire to stay with them for a long time. “Our hope is that Ty stays with us for a long time. We really value him,” Frank said. “Ty had a great year. He’s one of the best coaches in today’s game.”
Paul George has the option to stay with the Clippers for another season with a contract worth $48.7 million. He recently mentioned that he sees himself sticking with the team for the long term. “We’ve had some really positive discussions throughout the year and we hope that we can keep him as a Clipper,” Frank said.
James Harden, who joined the team in a trade with Philadelphia last October, will become a free agent this summer. He played a significant role in helping Ivica Zubac improve and lightened the workload for Leonard and George.
Both George and Harden played in most of the games, with George playing 74 and Harden playing 72. The Clippers won the Pacific Division for the first time in a decade.
“We want to keep those guys on our team. We’re optimistic we can, but we also respect that they have the option to become free agents,” Frank said.
Russell Westbrook also has the option to become a free agent. Zubac and Terence Mann are eligible for contract extensions this summer. In the upcoming NBA draft in June, the Clippers have one pick in the second round, 46th overall.
“We’ll explore all options in the draft, including trades,” Frank said. “This draft has a strong group of players in the middle range. We just need to select the right player for our team.”
