Category: Los Angeles Clippers Blog

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Clippers need improvement, says Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers are 6-4 this season. Not bad. But if they want to look like a championship contender, there’s much more work to do. Via the Los Angeles Times:

For the fourth time in 10 games, a Clippers lead of at least 22 points was gradually whittled away in Friday’s 115-105 loss at Golden State. This was the first time it ultimately cost them, after being outscored by 30 points in the final 15 minutes.

“We just got to come in and be able to execute,” said Kawhi Leonard, who scored 24 points. “If the other team is scoring that easy, you’ve got to come down and get into something on the offensive end. That’s it, but I don’t know — we just have to change, pretty much.

“We’ve got to change it. We’ve got to get better.”

The Clippers offense has been on point this season. Team defense has been the issue.

Mike Conley steps up for Jazz in win over Clippers

The Jazz beat the Clippers 106-100 Friday night. And Jazz point guard Mike Conley did serious work. Via the Salt Lake Tribune:

The Jazz are gonna need Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic to perform offensively at the level they’re capable of. Neither is right now, but on Friday, it didn’t matter so much with Mike Conley playing arguably his best game in a Jazz uniform.

He didn’t grab the game by the throat — he just let it come to him, making the smart, patient reads he talked about after the Phoenix loss. When he needed to swing the ball, he did. When he needed to let it fly, he did. The former earned him six assists. And when it was the latter, he was incredibly efficient: 33 points on 11-for-20 shooting, including 7 of 14 from deep.

After Conley’s 33, the second-leading Jazz scorer was Donovan Mitchell with a modest 15 points on 14 shots.

In the loss for the Clippers, Paul George had 25 points on 22 shots, plus eight rebounds, four assists, six steals and five turnovers, while Kawhi Leonard had 20 points on 19 shots, plus 16 rebounds, nine assists and three blocks.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is day-to-day

One week into the new season, the Clippers are a work in progress. And per ESPN.com, forward Kawhi Leonard is currently out on a day-to-day basis:

The LA Clippers will attempt to rebound from their most lopsided loss in franchise history without Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard will not suit up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night as the All-Star forward misses his second straight game due to a mouth laceration. Leonard suffered the injury midway through the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ win in Denver on Christmas night. The injury required eight stitches to close.

The Clippers are at home tonight, hosting the 2-1 Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kawhi Leonard receives stitches after catching elbow to mouth

The Clippers enjoyed a Christmas Day win over the Nuggets yesterday, but the victory wasn’t quite as fun for forward Kawhi Leonard. Via the Los Angeles Times:

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard received eight stitches Friday after suffering a lacerated mouth while attempting to grab a rebound during the team’s 121-108 victory in Denver.

A timetable for his return is not yet known. The Clippers next play Sunday at Staples Center against Dallas, with games on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well.

Leonard fell to the court inside Denver’s Ball Arena after the left side of his face was hit by the right elbow of teammate Serge Ibaka halfway through the fourth quarter. Television replays showed blood coming from Leonard’s mouth as the Clippers’ medical staff huddled around him.

Leonard walked off the court under his own power with 6:07 remaining in the game and did not return.

Full Article

Clippers sign Luke Kennard to contract extension

The LA Clippers have signed guard Luke Kennard to a multi-year contract extension.

Per the Los Angeles Times, Kennard’s extension is “a four-year contract extension worth up to $64 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.”

According to the Times, “the deal includes $56 million guaranteed, along with $8 million in bonuses, and was reached before Monday’s deadline for extensions to be signed, which comes one day before the team’s season opener against the Lakers. It will keep Kennard, 24, from becoming a restricted free agent next summer.”

“We are excited to secure a commitment from a dynamic, emerging young player who continues to grow every day,” said Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. “We have been impressed with Luke’s versatility and maturity, and it’s been a privilege to get to know him better during this training camp. We believe he is a fantastic fit for our organization and we are delighted he feels the same.”

“Today is a great day. I couldn’t be more excited to play for the LA Clippers, and am thankful for Steve Ballmer, my teammates, and the entire Clippers organization for giving me the opportunity to be part of this world-class franchise,” said Kennard. “I am inspired by Steve’s unwavering commitment to winning and look forward to contributing to the team’s success on the court.”

Kennard, 24, appeared in 28 games for the Detroit Pistons last season and averaged a career-high 15.8 points, 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Acquired as part of a three-team deal on Nov. 19, Kennard ranked second on the Pistons last season in free throw percentage (.893), third in points and 3P% (.399) and fourth in assists. The 6-foot-5 guard was selected by the Pistons as the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and holds career averages of 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 164 career games.

The Franklin, Ohio native spent two collegiate seasons at Duke University, averaging 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. During his sophomore season at Duke in 2016-17, Kennard was named second team All-American and first team All-ACC, a John R. Wooden Award Finalist and the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Clippers re-sign Reggie Jackson

The LA Clippers have re-signed free agent guard Reggie Jackson.

Jackson, 30, appeared in 17 games for the Clippers last season, averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc. Prior to being signed by the Clippers on February 20, Jackson appeared in 14 games for the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20, averaging 14.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds.

The 6-foot-3 guard holds career averages of 12.8 points, 4.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 561 appearances across nine NBA seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Pistons and Clippers.

Born in Pordenone, Italy, Jackson played three collegiate seasons at Boston College before being selected by the Thunder with the 24th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. At Boston College, Jackson was named All-ACC First Team during his junior season in 2010-11.

Clippers sign Nicolas Batum

The LA Clippers have signed free agent Nicolas Batum.

According to the Orange County Register, “the 6-foot-9 Batum brings height and length on the perimeter, multi-positional defense, ball-handling and playmaking abilities, 39 games of postseason experience and, of course, he’ll be available to be signed on a minimum deal.”

And per the Los Angeles Times, “Batum is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-low 3.6 points and played 23 minutes per game, his fewest since his rookie season in 2008-09. He shot 34% overall and a career-worst 28% on three-pointers in 22 games, missing Charlotte’s final 19. Batum is just one season removed from making 38% of his threes. Yet that was the first time in five years that Batum shot better than the league average from behind the arc.”

Batum, 31, has appeared in 789 career games with averages of 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists over 12 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets. He appeared in 22 games for the Hornets last season with averages of 3.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. The versatile forward has nine career triple-doubles, which is currently tied for 16th among active players. The 25th overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, Batum has appeared in 39 career playoff games with averages of 10.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 29.9 minutes.

From Lisieux, France, Batum has been a member of the French National Team since 2009, representing his country in the 2012 Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship, 2014 FIBA World Cup and 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 FIBA European Championships. He led France to a gold medal in the 2013 European Championship, a silver medal in the 2011 European Championship and bronze medals in the 2014 FIBA World Cup and 2015 European Championship.

Batum will wear No. 33 for the Clippers.

Clippers sign rookie center Daniel Oturu

The LA Clippers have signed rookie center Daniel Oturu.

Selected 33rd overall in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, Oturu led the Big Ten with 11.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks to go along with 20.1 points in 33.9 minutes during his sophomore season at Minnesota for the Golden Gophers. The 6-foot-10 center shot 56.3 percent from the field last season, which also led the Big Ten. The Woodbury, Minn., native was named to the 2019-20 Big Ten All-Defense team and 2019-20 All-Big Ten second team for the Gophers.

Clippers re-sign Patrick Patterson

The LA Clippers have re-signed free agent Patrick Patterson.

Patterson, 31, appeared in 59 games for the Clippers last season, averaging 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds while connecting on 39.0 percent of his three-point attempts.

The 6-foot-8 forward holds career averages of 6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 44.8 percent in 10 NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers.

A native of Huntington, W.V., Patterson played three collegiate seasons at the University of Kentucky, before being selected by the Houston Rockets with the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. At Kentucky, he was a three-time All-SEC honoree, the 2008 SEC Rookie of the Year and a member of the 2010 All-SEC Defensive Team.

Clippers re-sign Marcus Morris

The LA Clippers have re-signed free agent Marcus Morris Sr.

The Clippers acquired Morris, 31, during the 2019-20 season from the New York Knicks. He appeared in 19 games as a Clipper, averaging 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 28.9 minutes. In the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Morris shot a playoff career-high 47.5 percent from behind the arc and averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 29.8 minutes.

“We are delighted that Marcus has chosen to continue his career with the Clippers,” said Frank. “We obviously depend on his scoring, shooting ability, and defensive versatility. With his experience, toughness, and team-first approach, we will look to him as a leader as well.”

Before joining the Clippers, Morris appeared in 43 games for the Knicks and averaged career-highs in points (19.6), three-pointers made (2.7) and three-point field goal percentage (43.9).

The Philadelphia, Pa., native holds career averages of 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in nine NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Knicks and Clippers.

The 6-foot-8 forward played three collegiate seasons at the University of Kansas, where he was named Big 12 Player of the Year as a Junior in 2011, before being selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. Kansas retired his No. 22 jersey in 2020.