The Clippers’ offense already has a warning light flashing, and it all comes back to Brandon Ingram.
Ingram was brought in to be the kind of reliable scoring presence this team can lean on night after night. That part of his game is obvious.
He has scored 20-plus points in seven straight seasons, and his value is clearest when the Clippers need someone who can simply get a bucket. But he’s still working back from an undisclosed partially torn Achilles that was revealed during the team’s media day, and that leaves head coach Tyronn Lue without another proven scoring threat alongside Darius Garland.
Right now, the burden appears to fall on Rui Hachimura, and the early signs are shaky. Hachimura flashed in the preseason opener, but the next game against the Toronto Raptors painted a less reassuring picture. He scored 14 points in 19 minutes, but he shot just 37.5% from the field and coughed it up three times.
That’s not exactly the kind of line that calms nerves about an offense in transition, especially with the regular season closing in and no easy fix available.
The deeper issue is that the Clippers don’t really have a true second option waiting in the wings. Hachimura is a good player and absolutely knows how to score, but his best work has long come as a spot-up threat rather than a creator. He’s never even averaged 14 points in a season, which says plenty about the role he’s being asked to fill.
If the roster were fully healthy, Bradley Beal would be the obvious candidate to handle some of that load while Ingram is out. He’s the veteran with the experience and the track record, and he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands. But Beal is dealing with knee inflammation, disclosed at media day, and may not be ready to open the season either.
That leaves the Clippers hoping someone unexpected can step forward. Unless Hachimura, Derrick Jones Jr., or Keaton Wagler starts producing 20 points a night, the scoring concerns are going to linger.
For now, the reality is simple: outside of Garland, there isn’t anyone on this roster who can consistently attack mismatches, get to preferred spots, drive the lane, draw contact, and still knock down a contested jumper when the possession breaks down.
In Other News...
Clippers Just Made A Tough Call On A Guard Fans Noticed
The Clippers trimmed their camp roster by waiving point guard Yuki Kawamura, a move that fits the usual churn around preseason as teams sort out the back end of the roster. Kawamura had been on an Exhibit 10 contract, the kind of low-risk deal that gives a player a chance to stick through camp while keeping doors open for a potential G League path.
Los Angeles has been making the same kind of housekeeping moves other teams around the league are making, with New Orleans waiving Caleb Houstan, Dallas signing Matt Cross and Memphis bringing in Zach Cleveland. For Kawamura, the next step is now tied to where he lands in the system, and the Clippers still have that developmental route available if he stays in their orbit. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Opened A Roster Spot With Yuki Kawamura Decision
The Clippers have made another early roster move, waiving Japanese point guard Yuki Kawamura and trimming their preseason group to 20 players. Kawamura had been with Los Angeles on an Exhibit 10 contract after previous two-way stints with the Grizzlies and Bulls, giving him a chance to compete for a deeper look while the team sorted through its backcourt options.
For now, the path appears to lead back toward the G League, where the Clippers affiliate can keep him in the organization if he chooses to continue there. His brief preseason run was enough to show why the team brought him in, and this next decision will determine whether that stay becomes more than just an audition. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Keep Giving One Young Big Man Another Look
The Mavericks have spent the last stretch churning the back end of their preseason roster, cycling through a string of short-term additions and waives as they sort out the 21st spot. Matt Cross, Darin Green Jr. and Chris Mantis all passed through, and Jorge Diaz Graham was the latest to land there, with the young big man assigned jersey No. 23 and expected to stick around for a bit longer as Dallas keeps taking another look.
Around the league, other teams are making similar housekeeping moves. The Clippers brought back Fletcher Loyer on an Exhibit 10 deal after waiving him last week, while the Jazz waived Mohamed Wague and opened up another preseason slot of their own. For a team like Los Angeles, those kinds of moves matter because the margins at the end of the roster can shift quickly, and every opening can change the shape of the competition behind the main rotation. [Read more 🡒]