NBA Rumors: LA Clippers intend of keeping core of Paul George, James Harden together

NBA Rumors: The LA Clippers will head into the NBA offseason with the intention of re-signing both Paul George and James Harden as they look to keep their core together.

After such a disappointing end to what looked like a promising season, it's only natural to question what could be next for the LA Clippers heading into the offseason. Both Paul George and James Harden are free agents and after losing in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the chance for big changes is available for LA.

However, at least for now, the Clippers aren't all that interested in significantly shaking up their roster. At least not the heart of it. According to a recent report, as the NBA offseason quickly approaches, the Clippers are "determined" to re-sign both PG and Harden as the team intends on keeping their core together.

Whether or not that ends up being a bad idea or not remains to be seen. Entering the summer, that appears to be the plan for a Clippers team that left much to be desired late in the season and into the NBA Playoffs.

Considering that the trio of Harden, PG, and Kawhi Leonard didn't get a full year together, this report isn't that surprising. On the other hand, it's somewhat surprising that their performance down the stretch and into the NBA Playoffs wasn't a red flag for the team.

Can the LA Clippers emerge as a contender in the West?

Looking at the rest of the Western Conference, there's no guarantee that the Clippers will be able to compete with the young emerging contenders. However, it's pretty safe to assume that keeping their core together gives them the best chance to do so.

And it looked promising halfway through the year in which the Clippers emerged as one of the best teams in the West. However, it all fell apart down the stretch as injuries began to catch up with the team.

Ultimately, that's probably the biggest concern for the Clippers. If their core can't remain healthy, they don't have much of a shot to compete in the West. With the way the last few years have gone for the team, you'd have to wonder if that's a real possibility for LA.

When healthy, there's no question that LA has one of the most talented rosters in the league. But they're almost never fully healthy and haven't been at the end of the season at any point in the Kawhi-PG era.

At the same time, the Clippers have to keep their core intact. With little other flexibility, this is the bed that they've made for themselves. It's time for them to continue to lay in it.