Clippers' Center Problem Overshadows a Big Under-the-Radar Weakness

The Los Angeles Clippers' desperate need for better center depth and quality is well-documented. They have no starting-caliber centers on their roster. Brook Lopez is 38. Yanic Konan Niederhauser will miss the start of the season recovering from foot surgery. Isaiah Jackson is undersized. Johni Broome is unproven. How the Clippers are going to put together 48 minutes of decent center play out of this group is a big question mark.

The problem is that it is not the only question mark surrounding the team. It's just such a glaring weakness that it overshadows everything else.

The Clippers also have a big weakness on the wing. Specifically, they don't have a defender who can consistently and reliably guard forwards.

Clippers Lack a Defensive Stopper On the Wing

Once the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through, the Clippers will have replaced Leonard and John Collins with Brandon Ingram and Rui Hachimura. That is a significant defensive downgrade.

Ingram obviously doesn't have Leonard's defensive chops. He has good positional size and length, but lacks the physicality, intensity, and consistent effort. He has been up-and-down as a defender throughout his career. Even at his best, he doesn't have the physical tools to guard power forwards.

Collins is not a defensive stopper, but at least he had the size and strength. He could hold his own against most non-elite power forwards. Hachimura is a much better shooter and floor-spacer than Collins and could be an offensive upgrade. Defensively, however, he doesn't have the athleticism and physicality required to guard big forwards.

The same is true for Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn. They are the two best perimeter defenders on the team, but they are better at guarding smaller players. Dunn is an excellent point-of-attack defender and can do a good job against most guards. Jones Jr. is better at guarding 1 through 3. He doesn't have the necessary size and strength against elite wings.

This will be a big weakness for the Clippers on most nights. Let's look at some of the bigger offensive engines the Clippers will face night in and night out: Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown, Deni Avdija, Pascal Siakam, Paolo Banchero, and Cooper Flagg.

Sure, a lot of these players are in the Eastern Conference, but the NBA is full of wings with size who can handle the ball, run a pick-and-roll, create their own shots, and score efficiently.

The Clippers don't have a single player on their roster who has a chance against most of the aforementioned players.

That is why it makes sense for LA to be pursuing the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson. The Clippers lack size, strength, and athleticism on the wing. Without a major upgrade there, they will be at a disadvantage on any given night.

It's not getting as much attention as their center needs, but this is a crucial area of weakness for the Clippers. Let's see whether they will be able to solve it between now and the start of the season.

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