Breaking Down the LA Clippers' Full 15-Man Roster for the NBA Restart
Mark your calendars, LA Clippers fans: After four long months of waiting, the restarted season is just around the corner. And now, we finally know who all will be suiting up for the team for the rest of the year.
On Monday, the NBA released official 15-man rosters for every team in the bubble. Unless a team is forced to sign a substitute player, those listed are the only ones that are able to participate in the resumed season.
Let's take a quick look at who LA will have available.
Guards
Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams stand out from the crowd of Clippers guards and are two of the team's most important players. While Beverley is notorious for his fearless style of play and lockdown defense, Williams impacts the game with the ball in his hands. He's always good for a quick bucket and has become quite the playmaker in LA, averaging a career-high 5.7 assists per game in 2019-2020.
Reggie Jackson and Landry Shamet are a step below Pat and Lou, but both have been impressive this year off the bench. Together, they average a combined 3.8 makes from three-point range and shoot 39% or better from range, meaning they can space the floor with ease.
Rodney McGruder, Terance Mann and Amir Coffey round out the group of guards, and while it's unlikely that these guys see a lot of minutes once the seeding games and playoffs begin, they should get plenty of reps during the scrimmages.
Forwards
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are two of the best basketball players in the world, and the LA Clippers are fortunate enough to have them both on the roster this season. Each is terrific on both ends of the floor and can score better than most from all ranges — particularly Leonard, who is considered by many to be the best mid-range scorer in the game today. Their health will be vital to LA's success in the bubble.
Marcus Morris and JaMychal Green are next, and like Jackson and Shamet, they're terrific floor-spacers. Both check-in around 230 pounds and stand six-feet-eight-inches, though they have different skill sets. Morris is a more versatile defender and better scorer, while Green is an above-average rebounder and finisher in the paint.
Patrick Patterson was essentially pushed out of the rotation after the Clippers acquired Morris at the trade deadline, and while he's probably there to stay, he can still supply a quick bucket when need be.
Centers
Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell are the familiar faces in this group, as each player has appeared in virtually every game the Clippers have played this season. Zu is an extremely underrated defender and rebounder, but plays just 18 minutes per contest. Harrell, on the other hand, is a dominant scorer in the paint and supplies the team with plenty of energy off the bench.
Joakim Noah is the new face here, and there's a chance he earns more minutes in Orlando than previously anticipated. As it stands, he's the only center on the team in the bubble, meaning he should make his long-awaited debut in LA's first scrimmage game this Wednesday. The veteran big is well-known for his defense and energy.
When to Watch
The LA Clippers will play their first scrimmage game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, July 22, at 3:00 p.m. ET. All three of the team's scrimmages will air on Fox Sports Prime Ticket.
