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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. It's crunch time on the West Coast. The Los Angeles Clippers have made a bunch of changes, and they could look completely different by the time the new season gets underway. After kicking off last season as one of the oldest teams in the league, the franchise appears ready to head in a new direction.
Everything starts with Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers agreed to trade the longtime franchise star to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that would bring back Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and a lot of draft picks. The trade is still waiting on the NBA 's investigation into Leonard before it can become official, but assuming it goes through, it marks the end of an era in Los Angeles.
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So, rather than trying to squeeze another run out of an aging roster, the Clippers are shifting toward younger players and future flexibility. That doesn't mean the team is starting from scratch, but the priorities have clearly changed.
The rest of the offseason reflects that approach, too. Los Angeles added Rui Hachimura in free agency. They selected Keaton Wagler in the draft, adding another young player to a team that suddenly has a lot more opportunities available than it did a year ago.
John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic both moved on, clearing the way for a different rotation. One situation still worth watching is Bennedict Mathurin, who remains a restricted free agent. Until that gets sorted out, there is still some uncertainty surrounding what the roster will look like when training camp opens.
The Clippers are probably headed for some growing pains, and that's understandable. Teams don't move on from a player like Leonard without expecting an adjustment period.
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The standings may take a hit in the short term, but that doesn't necessarily make this season a failure. If the younger players develop, the draft assets begin to pay off, and the new core starts to come together, the Clippers could look back on this year as the beginning of something much bigger.
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