The Clippers are considered among the favorites next season, boasting a stacked roster full of former All-Stars like James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. They have also added veteran players like Chris Paul and Bradley Beal to that list this summer. Despite having such a stacked roster, Jeff Teague believes the Clippers may not be in the best position to win in the West, let alone win it all.
On the latest episode of the Club 520 podcast, Jeff Teague and his co-hosts were discussing Bradley Beal’s comments that he is joining the Clippers to win a championship. While doing that, Teague pointed out mainly two flaws with the team: age and roster structure.
“I just don’t think this is a good [team], I don’t think it is,” said Teague initially when the discussion on Beal’s comments began a discussion about the Clippers’ roster.
“Like, if this was three years ago, I’d be like, ‘It’s the best team you could put together right here.’ And now I think age is undefeated.”
“That’s the oldest team in NBA history, bro,” said Teague hilariously. But in fact, they are the oldest team ever assembled in NBA history by average age. Their average age this season (33.6 years) beat the previous record set by the Jazz in 2000-01 (32.0 years).
“I love that group. It’s a good team, bro. I love that group. I just don’t like it when there are so many stars on a team,” said Teague as he clarified his stance that his criticism is about roster structure, not just age.
“And they all old so it doesn’t matter anymore. But it’s just… The best game they play, the way they play, is isolation basketball…. I’m just saying the way they play is isolation basketball. Kawhi Leonard is one of the best isolation players. He plays isolation. James Harden plays like that. That’s a big two.”
According to Teague, when there are too many stars on a team, it is usually tough to figure out who is ‘the man’ on the team and who is the one who sacrifices.
Earlier this summer, NBA media figures like Kendrick Perkins also criticized the Clippers for their concerns over the team’s average age.
The NBA’s Western Conference is gearing up for a heated competition in the 2025-26 season. From young teams like the Rockets and defending champions Thunder, to old teams like the Warriors and Clippers, almost every team in the West is preparing for a shot at the NBA title in the coming season.
In my opinion, the Clippers’ issue will not be figuring out the hierarchy within the organization but staying healthy to keep up with their young opponents. Bradley Beal and Kawhi Leonard are known injury-prone players throughout the season.
James Harden had faced criticism this summer about going out of shape. And a 40-year-old Chris Paul coming off the bench has also missed significant time over the past few seasons due to injuries.
Therefore, keeping up with the young athletes is going to be a massive task for this roster in the Western Conference, and that could be their Achilles heel this season.
