Ty Lue Teases Changes in the Clippers Rotation Before Final Stretch

The Los Angeles Clippers head coach will dig deep into his bench in the final 28 games of the season.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are entering a crucial 28-game stretch after the All-Star break that will not only determine their postseason seeding but will also have long-lasting consequences on Kawhi Leonard's future and where the franchise will go from here.

Entering the final two months of the season, the Clippers have a ton of questions surrounding the team. LA underwent significant changes at the trade deadline, so they have new faces they need to incorporate into the rotation. While Darius Garland remains sidelined with an injury, the Clippers have to integrate Ben Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson. Replacing James Harden and Ivica Zubac's impact will be nearly impossible, but Ty Lue has to put together a rotation that makes up for some of the lost production.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Lue provided an insight into his rotation decisions for the rest of the season. He said that he is looking to play a three-man center rotation with Brook Lopez, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, and Isaiah Jackson all having a role, per The Athletic's Law Murray. Lue added that he doesn't like Lopez playing over 30 minutes per game, as he did after Zubac's departure before the All-Star break.

Nicolas Batum & Isaiah Jackson Will Be in Clippers' Rotation

Per Murray, the Clippers head coach also said that Nicolas Batum will be back in the rotation after being a healthy scratch in the last two games against Houston. Lue added that the team wanted to give Batum additional time off for rest. Bogdan Bogdanovic, on the other hand, remains out of the rotation.

Lue also said that Leonard will not play over 36 minutes in a game. The 34-year-old superstar had seen his minutes reduced after suffering a knee contusion in January, and he seems to be on a light minutes restriction.

Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Brook Lopez will start. Niederhauser and Jackson will back Lopez up off the bench. Ben Mathurin and Nicolas Batum will also have a role in the rotation. If Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders continue to see minutes off the bench, the Clippers may have an 11-man rotation.

Things will be further complicated by Garland's return. Since running a 12-deep rotation doesn't seem feasible, the Clippers will have to remove Miller or Sanders, potentially both, from the rotation. For two players who have exceeded all expectations and carved out a role for themselves against all odds, that will certainly be disappointing.

A lot can change between now and when Lue has to make that decision. The Clippers have a deep and healthy roster and should be able to make a run in the final stretch as long as Kawhi Leonard continues to be on a tear.