The Los Angeles Clippers will enter the 2024-25 season without All-Star swingman Paul George for the first time this decade. With a championship-winning head coach (Ty Lue) and franchise star (Kawhi Leonard), they could certainly be in a worse position. Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that George’s absence will have a significant effect on how L.A. plays. The ever-competitive Lue isn’t afraid of the challenge, even seeing it as a motivation. However, by failing to replace George with an equal talent, there’s a perception that the Clippers will struggle next season.
Kevin Porter Jr., for all the trouble he makes off the court, is a special player. In his last NBA season, he averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game as the Houston Rockets’ starting point guard. Starting his career as a wing, it was a development period for the Seattle native. Yet, at 6-foot-4, it was arguably his best chance to continue his upwards trajectory.
Next season, Porter may come off the bench behind Harden. Having missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season in what was essentially a suspension for his domestic violence conviction, nothing is guaranteed for the 24-year-old. Regardless of these circumstances, the Clippers need to replace George’s variegated impact. There isn’t any one player on the roster that can do that, but Porter could come close.
With all of that being said, L.A.’s biggest addition may not be Porter or any other player. Instead, signing Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy appears to be their best offseason move.
Why Clippers’ Biggest Offseason Addition Might Not Be A Player
“Jeff (Van Gundy) is not afraid to share his opinion,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few says, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “What you need as a head coach is somebody that’s strong as an assistant that’ll give you a different opinion if needed, try to change a coverage, an approach, how you deal with a player. It’s just so healthy to have somebody that’s had so many experiences like Jeff.
It was just a great move. It was brilliant,” the two-time Naismith Coach of the Year says of the move.
Lue and the Van Gundy brothers have had a substantive relationship for two decades. The former NBA guard has played for both, giving him a different level of understanding of their philosophies. Though Lue is now the one manning the sideline, Van Gundy’s teams “ranked in the top six in defensive efficiency, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information.” Having a coach beside him where familiarity, experience, and success are all rolled up into one is invaluable.
Lue even runs his offense similarly. Van Gundy has long lamented team’s hyper-focus on the 3-ball, a wave created by the Golden State Warriors. To that point, Van Gundy coached in a different era, one in which scoring inside the arc and keeping opponents out of it took precedence.
Lue, who coached LeBron James’s Finals-bound Cleveland Cavaliers, took advantage of the simple idea that James thrives in offenses that space the floor. However, he didn’t try to stop James or Kyrie Irving from taking midrange shots. Meanwhile, the Clippers took 33.2 3-point attempts per game last season, 21st in the NBA. At no point has L.A. ranked higher in 3-point attempts per game since Lue has took over.
Improving The Clippers’ Defense
As the Clippers’ top assistant and defensive coordinator, Van Gundy’s focus will be on the other end.
Fortunately, for he and L.A., the team has several high-level perimeter defenders. However, the defensive slippage in recent seasons has to be corrected. This could be accomplished in large part through improving their transition defense. Last season, the Clippers’ transition defense was ranked 21st in the NBA, giving up 1.13 points per possession.
An aspect of the game that requires hustle and communication more than schematics, Van Gundy will be both teacher and motivator. He’ll have to play that same role to get L.A. to crash the glass. So, while Van Gundy is “a little nervous and on edge” and wants to “blend in with the other coaches,” he has to take command and stand out.
“…Starting over with a younger team and doing things the right way — it’s going to take both of us to really get our guys on track,” Lue says. “The addition of Jeff is going to be huge for us.”
