The Los Angeles Clippers’ “213” era officially ended on July 6. when paul george signed with the philadelphia 76ersOver the past five seasons, “213” has referred to the jersey numbers of the Clippers’ two best players: Kawhi Leonard (#2) and Paul George (#13).
Leonard and George both joined the Clippers in the summer of 2019. Immediately after their arrival, the Clippers were touted as title contenders. Although the team had not won a title since its founding in 1970, fans believed that Leonard and George would finally lead the Clippers to their first title.
At the time, Leonard and George were coming off big seasons and were big stars. It seemed like the Clippers were finally winning it all, and that was the end of the world. Yet five years later, the Clippers haven’t even made it to the Finals with Leonard and George. George’s departure marks the end of the failed 213 era. but with Leonard under contract until 2027The Clippers must look to the future and the upcoming 2024-25 season.
So what can fans expect?
Without George, the Clippers are helpless, but they have several internal options to fill his absence. James Harden will play the role of the “second star” behind Leonard. Harden, a former league MVP, was acquired from the 76ers in a massive trade just after the start of last season.While Harden isn’t the same player anymore due to age and injuries, he remains someone who can both score and facilitate his teammates at a high level.
However, George averaged 22.6 points last season, and it’s likely that Harden will have a hard time making up for those lost points on his own. Instead, the Clippers will have to rely on their “supporting cast” to replace George’s scoring. Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, and Terance Mann are three candidates to make a big leap forward in the scoring department. Powell averaged 13.9 points per game last year, but the year before that, he averaged 17.0, proving that he has the ability to score in volume when needed. Zubac and Mann averaged 11.7 and 8.8 points, respectively, last season, and while neither of them have had scoring seasons at Powell’s level, they’ve both been with the Clippers since 2019, making them reliable veterans to rely on.
The Clippers have been busy this summer, making multiple additions to best replace George’s production. They signed Derrick Jones Jr., Mo BambaAnd Kevin Porter Jr., and also made a trade with the Utah Jazz to acquire Kris Dunn. In addition, the Clippers concerningunited with fan favorite Nicolas Batum in free agencywho spent three seasons with the Clippers before being sent to the 76ers as part of the Harden trade.
Jones Jr., who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks after being part of their run to the Finals last season, is an excellent defender. In fact, when the Mavericks eliminated the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs last year, Jones’ defense on George was a big reason why George struggled to shoot. It’s very possible that Jones ends up replacing George in the starting five this upcoming season because of his defensive abilities.
Bamba, a 6-foot-4 center, hasn’t quite lived up to expectations since being selected sixth overall by the Orlando Magic in 2018. However, Bamba’s size allows him to be effective on defense, and he also has the ability to shoot from 3-point range. He won’t have much competition to be the backup center behind starting center Ivica Zubac, so Bamba should be given a consistent role this coming season.
Porter Jr.’s role on the team is the most obscure of the Clippers’ offseason acquisitions. After averaging 19.2 points per game with the Houston Rockets in 2022-23, Porter, a point guard, didn’t play at all last season due to a domestic violence charge. He’s shown his ability to score, but after not appearing in an NBA game in more than a year, it’s unclear whether he’ll play a significant role, much less get regular playing time. The Clippers’ acquisition of Dunn, another point guard, could make it difficult for Porter to get minutes.
Dunn, for whom the Clippers traded Russell Westbrook, is a noted defender, as is Jones. He had a “career renaissance” with the Utah Jazz last season after struggling with injuries in previous years. Dunn will likely serve as Harden’s backup, the starting point guard, and the Clippers hope he can stay healthy on the court.
Batum, a power forward, fills a position in need, as the Clippers struggled to find a power forward who could play a lot of minutes last season after trading Batum. While Batum doesn’t score much, he is fast, makes great passes, battles for rebounds, and defends well. Clippers fans are very familiar with Batum’s skills, which is why he has remained popular among the fanbase even after his departure.
The Clippers acquired several players this summer who could make significant contributions, but their two best players, Leonard and Harden, are both aging and injury-prone. While their offseason acquisitions improve the Clippers’ defense, the team’s offense and scoring are likely to suffer without George.
There’s a question mark over whether this team can actually contend for the title. They finished fourth in the Western Conference last season, but that was with Leonard, George and Harden — all healthy and available for most of the season. It remains to be seen whether Leonard, 33 and prone to injury, will be able to play as much as he did last season. Plus, Harden, 35, has an injury history of his own. With the combination of aging, injury-prone stars and the loss of their second-best player, it could be tough for the Clippers to get a fourth-place finish next season.
While it’s entirely possible that they could make the playoffs, teams below fourth place almost never win the championship. Only six teams in NBA history have reached the Finals while ranked lower than fourth in the conference, and of those six teams, only one actually won the championship. It will be interesting to see how the Clippers handle their first season without 213 since 2018-19, and whether Leonard and Harden can both stay healthy and lead the team deep into the playoffs.
