What is the Clippers' window?

wco81 · Post #1 » by **wco81** » Wed May 18, 2022 3:48 pm

It's only been 3 seasons since KL and PG13 came to the Clippers.

Expectations were sky high but injuries and some disappointments have kept the franchise from reaching the heights many expected.

KL will turn 31 at the end of June. He's recovering from ACL.

PG13 just turned 32 earlier this month.

Barring any other injuries or set backs, these two should still be all star to all NBA level players for at least 3-4 more years.

HOWEVER, there are several very good NBA teams with young cores which have emerged, Grizzlies, Celtics. Other teams which didn't have such great seasons this year are loaded with high lottery pick talent -- Pelicans, Magic which just won the lottery, Hawks, Timberwolves.

Whether these teams make the next jump remains to be seen but over time, odds are that over time, a few of them will make at least a WCF or ECF run, like the Hawks did last year. Celtics have made the ECF before but Tatum and Brown have clearly ascended to another level, may be competing with KL and PG13 as the best forward duo -- Brown turns 25 in October but Tatum won't be 25 until next March.

Jokic has just won his second MVP and turned 27 in February. He has two teammates on max contracts due back next season -- though will they live up to those contracts?

Doncic finally won his first and second playoffs series and he's real young, may even win a ring this year.

Seems like Clippers would need to make a big push in the next 2-3 seasons. Of course while these teams with young cores become stronger contenders, current contenders like the Warriors will age out in the next couple of years if not sooner. Lebron may have manipulated himself out of title contention for at least the next season.

Still you get the sense that there's a changing of the guard going on. Sure some franchises squander a lot of lotto picks and never become anything but there are a lot of teams with multiple top 5 picks on their roster.

ejftw · Post #2 » by **ejftw** » Wed May 18, 2022 4:23 pm

As is, two years.

But with how this Go has navigated, how Ballmer will spend millions of lux tax payments, it might be longer. In fact, I'd bet the FO finds a way to extend it with the new arena looming, wouldn't want to go in there without a top five favorite team to win jt all, I don't think

Post #3 » by **og15** » Wed May 18, 2022 6:29 pm

2-3 years, and there IS a changing of the guard, it's not just a feeling, we're currently watching the transition

nickhx2 · Post #4 » by **nickhx2** » Wed May 18, 2022 6:42 pm

2-3 years sounds about right. maybe only two if the next two seasons are ravaged by injuries, and roster fatigue sets in the way it did with the cp3/blake clippers.

but three most likely given the age and start of the decline for kawhi/paul george. by the end of that 3rd year we'll most likely begin to see powell and possibly boston emerging in greater, and possibly roles.

nickhx2 · Post #5 » by **nickhx2** » Wed May 18, 2022 6:44 pm

i will also add that out of the teams out there currently, i think boston is terrifying and they are possibly positioning themselves for dominance over the next few years. memphis, too. dallas of course is scary for obvious reasons and because they all are so young, the clippers are really going to need to make it work before those rosters start to enter their aggregate primes.

clipperlover · Post #6 » by **clipperlover** » Wed May 18, 2022 7:54 pm

Sorry, the window is next year unless all of the young guys develop and start taking on more load. Kawhi and PG13 have always been great two way players. While they can be effective fro several years to come, they can't be the same type of players they have been in the past. They are getting older and they will naturally slow down. They either put their energy to focus on one side of the ball primarily or they reduce minutes to be effective on both sides.

I think the Clips have went out and put together the roster they have because they saw first hand the rising of Luka. The guy is a beast and you have to have a roster of players you can defend him with over the course of a series. We can't expect Kawhi or PG to take on that role for an entire series and still carry the offensive load.

Post #7 » by **TrueLAfan** » Wed May 18, 2022 9:18 pm

It's all about the FO. I think this off-season and trade period early next year are critical.

Why? Somehow, we have developed/traded for a solid core of young rotation players. At the beginning of next season, Zu and Luke will be 26. Mann will be 25. Coffey will be 25. Preston--haven't seen him play, but we'll let him in here--will be 23. Boston will be 21. Hell, Powell is only 29. That group of 7 players averages 25 years of age.

But we need a stretch 4/5 and a 1. If we can get two players under 28 there, we'll be good for another 5 years. Big, but not insurmountable, if.

Roscoe Sheed · Post #8 » by **Roscoe Sheed** » Wed May 18, 2022 11:57 pm

It really depends greatly on how well Kawhi and PG13 age- we have seen players extending their primes to around 35, but with their injury histories I'm not sure they will be viable starts that late in their careers. Hopefully the younger players can take some of the burden off of them- at least in the regular season. It helps having so many wing players that can play effective defense against guys like Luka, Booker, Ingram, etc. so they don't have to expend so much energy on that side of the ball.

wco81 · Post #9 » by **wco81** » Thu May 19, 2022 10:59 pm

WC will be much more competitive next season with key injured players coming back and these young teams having the opportunity to take another step up.

esqtvd · Post #10 » by **esqtvd** » Fri May 20, 2022 12:51 am

Opening odds for 2022-23 NBA championship
The odds for next season’s champion are already out.

https://dknation.draftkings.com/2022/5/16/23078280/nba-championship-2022-23-opening-odds-picks-predictions-nets-clippers-celtics-warriors-suns

clipsfever · Post #11 » by **clipsfever** » Tue May 24, 2022 9:30 pm

Congrats to Big Hart... hope she's very committed to being LA-based

https://people.com/sports/los-angeles-clippers-isaiah-hartenstein-engaged-kourtney-kellar/

esqtvd · Post #12 » by **esqtvd** » Sat Jul 2, 2022 3:12 am

Q: What is the Clippers' window?

ALL-IN

Even with one roster spot still available, the Clippers’ $191 million in payroll means Ballmer is already staring at the possibility of paying a luxury tax bill of around $143 million for next season, according to Spotrac projections — an amount that, for context, is higher than the payrolls of three-quarters of NBA teams last season.

OK this is sick but after THIRTY years of suffering under Sterling--WE DESERVE THIS

wco81 · Post #13 » by **wco81** » Sat Jul 2, 2022 4:27 am

Yeah I just heard that today.

Warriors payroll set the previous record at $175 million before luxury taxes.

So $191 million is the new high water mark.

Kawhi and PG13 are under contract for 3 more seasons but the third season, 2024-25, both of them have player options for almost $49 million.

They will be 33 and 34 at the start of that season.

Super max extensions signed this week by players like Jokic, Beal, Booker and others are $50 million a year and more. So if both are healthy, they'd probably want extensions to take them out to their late 30s.

But as much money as Ballmer has, would he keep bankrolling a huge payroll if the Clippers haven't won at least one title in the next two seasons?

Kahi and PG13 could both still be all-NBA or even MVP level players 3 years from now. But if they were to get extensions then, 5-year extensions, they might each be getting a $300 million 5-year extension.

What could mitigate that for Ballmer and the other owners would be that there could be a new CBA and the NBA could be on a new TV deal. NBA is trying to triple the size of their TV contract, from $24 billion to $80 billion over 7-10 years.

TheNewEra · Post #14 » by **TheNewEra** » Sat Jul 2, 2022 3:26 pm

Feels like 2 or 3 more years

madmaxmedia · Post #15 » by **madmaxmedia** » Sat Jul 2, 2022 8:11 pm

For the KL/PG core, it’s currently 2 years as a real title contender. But it could be extended if the FO makes really good moves. Somehow we added 3 new significant pieces in the last half year, without giving up much of significance.

But obviously there’s gonna have to be some sort of major transition when PG and/or KL start declining.

M2J · Post #16 » by **M2J** » Tue Jul 5, 2022 9:21 am

2 years would be my guess.... As constructed.

Though that can change

donemilio21 · Post #17 » by **donemilio21** » Wed Jul 6, 2022 6:40 pm

3 years ago, it was 3 years. Now we say 2 years, but we'll see.
We had Kawhi and PG in their prime (age 28-31 and 29-32) years which got us a conference finals appearance, and 2nd round exit in a very embarrassing fashion, and a playoff miss. So nothing is certain.

clipsfever · Post #18 » by **clipsfever** » Fri Jul 22, 2022 8:32 pm

Factoid: of the 14 guys with full deals on the roster at present, only Reggie will be a full UFA next summer. I don't believe there are any RFA's next summer.

(Preston and Boston's deals not fully guaranteed, but team has full control)

Pretty sure I've never seen a Clips roster so locked up like that.

illastrate · Post #19 » by **illastrate** » Sat Jul 23, 2022 5:33 am

2 year window is the obvious answer. Both Kawhi and PG can opt out after 2023-24 season, as well as John Wall in a contract year if Clips pick up his option for '23-24.

esqtvd · Post #20 » by **esqtvd** » Sat Jul 23, 2022 5:50 am

clipsfever wrote:Factoid: of the 14 guys with full deals on the roster at present, only Reggie will be a full UFA next summer. I don't believe there are any RFA's next summer.

(Preston and Boston's deals not fully guaranteed, but team has full control)

Pretty sure I've never seen a Clips roster so locked up like that.

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