- Kawhi and Paul George are about to enter their fifth season together
- The Clippers have not won the Conference Finals in franchise history
- Zach Lowe hints that the window of opportunity has already closed
When Paul George and Kawhi Leonard first came together in 2019, the Clippers instantly became the favorites to win the West. At the time, it was believed that the Clips had one of the top three duos in basketball and that their combined two-way game could be enough to carry the franchise to multiple titles.
Sadly, that dream never materialized for the Clips, and even years after their miracle offseason, they remain where they’ve always been: without a championship. This summer, the team seems ready to run it back and hope for the best, but there is a growing sense that this squad has already run out of time.
“This is year five of Kawhi and PG and year 80 of the NBA, so it’s nice that now the Clippers have decided to have a conversation about ‘maybe we should take the regular season seriously.’ It’s about freaking time,” said Zach Lowe on NBA Today. “This season feels like the first one in which you have to ask the question: is it too late? Is it too late already, even if we decide to take the regular season seriously, even if we’re healthy, because these guys are now 32, 33 years old they’re not 28 and 29 anymore. Can we bank on them being healthy?”
Has the Clippers championship window already closed? 👀
"This season feels like the first one in which you have to ask the question: 'is it too late?'" —@ZachLowe_NBA pic.twitter.com/FxvUwq3gch
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 28, 2023
On paper, the Clippers certainly have everything they need to win the title. With two stars and a supporting cast that includes Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell, and Terance Mann among others, they have a deep and experienced group of players.
The problem for the Clippers is that their team lacks consistency and it stems from the very top, where Kawhi and PG have been the pioneers of load management in the NBA.
It’s good to hear that the team is re-considering their approach, but their odds also rest in the future of James Harden who is still trying to work his way to Los Angeles.
Clippers Are Reportedly ‘Unserious’ In Trade Talks For James Harden
By acquiring Harden, LA could catapult themselves into elite territory out West. Between his shooting and the level of talent already on the roster, they’d be a hard team to handle for anyone.
For now, however, LA hasn’t shown the willingness to give up anything substantial for James and so they will have to rely on the availability of their own stars to carry them through this season.
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