Aside from signing John Wall, the Los Angeles Clippers have had a pretty quiet summer overall. As much of their biggest competitors angle for the market’s best available players, the Clips seem to be standing by and letting it all play out.
To their credit, they have one of the best rosters in the league on paper. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they have a core that can compete with the best of them. Put them alongside John Wall, Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington, and it’s clear to see why there is a lot of confidence within the organization.
In an exclusive chat with ClutchPoints, Reggie went into detail about his squad, the expectations for the season ahead, and what it’s like to be a Clipper during such uncertain times.
“I think we’ve had some special years,” Reggie Jackson acknowledged to ClutchPoints. “The last couple years have been fun. The front office has been doing a great job of acclimating as much as time as we can. I think we have the best coach in the league, like I always say, in Tyronn Lue, so he’s gonna find a way to make it all work. I think when things are all good, we all have one goal in mind and that’s to try to be the ones that’s the last ones standing.”
The Clippers were well on their way to competing for the NBA Championship in the 2021 playoffs if not for an unlucky step by Leonard. Reggie Jackson just wants a chance for this team to be healthy and show what they can do.
“We just gotta stay healthy. Stay healthy, let time run it’s course, and we’ll see where we’re at at the end. I just want to have a great year where guys stay healthy. As long as we can do that, then I can live with the results.”
He also commented on the comeback process for Kawhi Leonard, who hasn’t played a game since the 2021 playoffs.
“Yeah, I got to see Kawhi [work out]. In terms of things that he was doing at the end of the season, working out once again, lifting, joking around, just being around him, being in a little camp with him in San Diego, so just got together. Whenever I can see him shoot a free throw, it’s a good sign for me, so I’m just happy to see guys feeling good, looks like. Just always when you get around the group, the camaraderie we got is amazing. I just enjoy being around our guys.”
This season, the Clippers are juggling big expectations. If the core guys manage to stay healthy, they could make a serious run for the title.
But as we have seen countless times before, winning a championship isn’t just about accumulating talent. It’s also about building chemistry and developing winning habits that stem from the top down.
We will find out soon enough if the Clippers have what it takes to finally close the deal.
