What happened
The Clippers open Wednesday against Sacramento while trying to navigate the Western Conference without Kawhi Leonard, James Harden or Ivica Zubac, and the focus now shifts to developing a younger core led by rookie Keaton Wagler and coach Tyronn Lue.
Los Angeles is also dealing with the NBA’s harshest salary-cap punishment, including owner Steve Ballmer’s yearlong ban, Lawrence Frank’s six-month ban and the loss of five first-round picks, after finishing ninth and losing in the play-in last season.
The roster shift makes the opener more about trialing young players than confirming a stable rotation. How much Wagler and the other newcomers play remains uncertain, especially with the team’s top-end talent and draft assets depleted.
Automated brief based on the linked report. Lineup context is analysis; official starting-five labels come separately from our game data provider.
Original reporting: Clippers rebuild includes developing young core alongside veterans — Yahoo Sports ↗