The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to be a contending team next season, and many people believe they are the favorites to win it all. In the 2022-23 season, the team will recover superstar Kawhi Leonard from injury. at the ACL, and he’s shown he can win a championship as the No. 1 option on a team in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. Paul George is still an elite two-way superstar in the game, and he still plays at the All-NBA level. The Clippers also have elite role players on the roster, and generally having a deep team surrounding two superstars is a recipe for championship success.
Typically, competing teams have high payrolls as they pay key players to keep them on the roster. It’s no different for the Los Angeles Clippers, who have a lot of money owed to superstars and actors. Here’s what the salaries of all Los Angeles Clippers players look like for the 2022-23 season. (via HoopsHype)
Paul George – 42 492 568 $
Kawhi Leonard – 42 492 492 $
Norman Powell – 16 758 621 $
Marcus Morris – 16 372 093 $
Luc Kennard – 13 745 455 $
Robert Covington – 12 307 692 $
Reggie Jackson – 11 215 260 $
Nicolas Batum – $10,843,350
Ivica Zubac – $10,123,457
John Wall – 6 479 000 $
Amir Coffey – 3 395 062 $
Terrance Man – 1 930 681 $
Moïse Brown – 1 902 133 $
Xavier Lune – 1 637 966 $
BJ Boston – 1 563 518 $
Jason Preston – 1 563 518 $
Moussa Diabate – $508,891
Team Total – $195,331,757
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George earn nearly $85 million in 2022-23
Paul George – 42 492 568 $
Kawhi Leonard – 42 492 492 $
Obviously, championships are won by superstars, and it’s no surprise that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the Los Angeles Clippers’ highest-paid players. Both players are the kind of versatile forwards that are invaluable in modern basketball, and both players make defensive and offensive contributions. The two players earn nearly $42.5 million.
Paul George is generally regarded as one of the most talented players in the game. Offensively, Paul George has a fluid perimeter game that features shot creation both in the mid-range area and beyond. bow. George is also one of the best playmakers in his position. On the defensive end, George is known as an elite perimeter defender who can successfully switch a player from any position besides center. Last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul George averaged 24.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 5.7 APG.
While Paul George is a fantastic player, Kawhi Leonard is the player most often considered the face of the Los Angeles Clippers franchise. He missed the 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury he suffered against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 playoffs, but when healthy, Kawhi Leonard is truly a transcendent player. Leonard is an absolute force at both ends of the court and can sustain a team’s offense while providing DPOY-caliber perimeter defense in spurts. On offense, he can score from anywhere on the pitch, but is best known for his creation of mid-range shots and rim finishing. During the 2020-21 season, Kawhi Leonard recorded 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 5.2 APG.
Starters and key players
Norman Powell – 16 758 621 $
Marcus Morris – 16 372 093 $
Luc Kennard – 13 745 455 $
Robert Covington – 12 307 692 $
Reggie Jackson – 11 215 260 $
Nicolas Batum – $10,843,350
Ivica Zubac – $10,123,457
John Wall – 6 479 000 $
Los Angeles Clippers role players are all good players who meet specific needs. They have a number of players who make $10-17 million a year, and those contracts can probably be combined to match a max level contract in a potential trade for a star level player.
John Wall, Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell will likely start alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. John Wall is the kind of playmaker who fits in well next to the two superstars, and he’s also a good defender at playmaker. Norman Powell will likely provide extra points and ground spacing in the lineup. departure. Powell can be a defensive pest against guards and is also capable of guarding some small forwards. Ivica Zubac will likely start at the center position as the team’s best traditional big man. However, he probably won’t be the last center, as the Los Angeles Clippers often turn to the small ball in the fourth quarter.
Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington are both elite 3 and D players who can guard all five positions effectively, and either can be a small-ball center for the team. Luke Kennard is a player who offers 3PT sniping but doesn’t particularly excel in other aspects of the game. Reggie Jackson will be the sixth scorer off the bench, which is likely his optimal role in the roster next season. Marcus Morris is a solid player who can play a number of roles off the bench, but will likely be a physical enforcer who can also space the floor for the team. He would be a solid option if the Clippers needed to get big.
End of the Bench Actors
Amir Coffey – 3 395 062 $
Terrance Man – 1 930 681 $
Moïse Brown – 1 902 133 $
Xavier Lune – 1 637 966 $
BJ Boston – 1 563 518 $
Jason Preston – 1 563 518 $
Moussa Diabate – $508,891
The players at the end of the rotation all have affordable contracts for the Los Angeles Clippers, with none of them having contracts over $4 million. That means they don’t take up a ton of ceiling space, which is helpful for a tax-paying team like the Clippers.
Out of this group, Terance Mann is the player most likely to get rotational minutes, as he is a solid shooter and elite perimeter defender. He’ll likely be pushed to the end of the rotation due to all the good veterans on the roster, but it’s possible Mann could end up gaining minutes if some of the veterans don’t meet the high standards set by Ty Lue or due to wounds.
Moses Brown gives the Los Angeles Clippers another traditional big man behind Ivica Zubac, and Amir Coffey projects as a solid shooter. They could be solid options for minutes on the spot if injured and would likely get minutes in any Clippers blowout.
Xavier Moon, Jason Preston, BJ Boston and Moussa Diabate will likely get limited minutes throughout the season with the Los Angeles Clippers, but they are players who can soak up minutes when needed.
What the Clippers’ salary cap could look like next year and beyond
The Los Angeles Clippers have committed contracts to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George through the end of the 2024-25 season, but it should be noted that the final year on both players’ deals is a player option. The Los Angeles Clippers don’t have a long-term contract outside of Norman Powell’s, and it seems safe to say that this year will likely be the end of an era for the Los Angeles Clippers.
With $195,331,757 committed in player salaries, the Los Angeles Clippers have the second-highest payroll in the league, behind 2022 champions Golden State Warriors. They’re clearly in winning mode now, and it’s highly likely Governor Steve Ballmer expects the team to win at least one title with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
There’s no question the Los Angeles Clippers have the ability to win it all. A winning move now could potentially improve their odds even further, and as mentioned earlier, they could potentially regroup some of their players in a consolidation trade. Marcus Morris is probably a prime candidate to be moved. This is due to both his negotiable contract and also the fact that the Los Angeles Clippers have a large number of forwards on the roster. Marcus Morris’ skills obviously overlap those of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard (isolated midrange score, 3PT shot).
It remains to be seen what the Los Angeles Clippers’ salary cap will look like in the future. Which team wins a championship in the next season or two will likely determine how long the Kawhi Leonard–Paul George era lasts.
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