NBA: Breaking down the Lakers, Clippers after a dramatic offseason

Los Angeles Clippers – Weaknesses

Defense coming off the bench

Unlike the potential starting lineup, there isn’t a whole lot of defense in the supporting cast, primarily in the backcourt of Lou Williams and Landry Shamet. Rivers will probably have to sub out either George or Leonard, early on in the first and third quarter, and have them play spot minutes with the second unit to cover up for their defensive limitations.

Depth

Going 9 or 10 deep is not really necessary for most teams, especially in the playoffs where everyone goes 7.5 deep, but throughout the regular season, the Clippers will likely not always have their two best players on the court.

This summer, George underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and had several ounces of blood drained from his elbow. Not only might durability become an issue for him, at some point, but Leonard also showed that he requires load management during the regular season (it paid off for him last season).

If both players were to miss significant time, scoring and defense might become an issue since bench players would be forced into the starting lineup.

Center position

Ivica Zubac is a solid player. Last season, he gained the Lakers fans’ respect through his strong play. That being said, he also has never been asked to play heavy minutes at the starter position or even been to a single playoff game. Zubac proved he can be a major contributor to most teams but adding a veteran big man via trade or free agency would serve as great insurance, especially come playoff time.