A potential final piece of their championship puzzle may finally be attainable this summer for the LA Clippers.
For the past few years, if it wasn't the lack of talent, it was injuries. All in all, the LA Clippers haven't been that far off from a legit NBA Championship run. Heading into this offseason, the missing piece of the championship puzzle could finally be attainable for the Clippers. According to a recent report, the Clippers will express interest in Jrue Holiday if the Boston Celtics elect to place him on the trade block this summer.
Considering that Holiday has been considered the final piece of a championship puzzle for two different teams (the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and then the Boston Celtics in 2024), there's a reason to believe that he could represent much of the same for the Clippers next season. Down the stretch, LA emerged as one of the biggest threats in the Western Conference. If they didn't draw the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, they could've made a much stronger run than they actually did.
The Clippers closed the regular season by winning 18 of their last 21 games and were considered a real threat to make a dark horse championship run. Of course, all of that went sideways when they drew the Nuggets. Even though they pushed them to seven games, the Clippers didn't have enough to overcome them in that series. The biggest difference for LA down the stretch was health.
Why the LA Clippers could be a championship contender next season
If Kawhi Leonard and the rest of this core group can remain healthy, there's nothing stopping the Clippers from reemerging next season as just as strong a threat as they posed down the stretch. And the addition of another key player, perhaps one like Holiday, could also make all the difference for the team.
Logistically speaking, Holiday would be a great addition next to Kawhi and James Harden. Even though Holiday is not necessarily in the prime years of his career anymore, he could still be viewed as a strong fit in the backcourt. The Clippers don't need Holiday to carry the offense or to be the primary defensive stopper on the perimeter, but what he does still bring at this point in his career could be a huge assistance for a veteran-laden team that is looking to make the leap to championship contention.