Kawhi Leonard is arguably the biggest star of the Los Angeles Clippers and the NBA as a whole. The Clippers however have been without Leonard since April 26th in the 1st Round matchup of the NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Los Angeles Clippers have played 3 games without Kawhi Leonard in the 2024/25 season so far to a 2-1 record with the only loss being to the Phoenix Suns in overtime.
They look impressive on the defensive side of the ball, yet it is difficult to win in the NBA without your proven superstar.
I will present three different players on the Clippers roster who I think will step up and provide ways to win for the LA squad.
Honorable Mentions: Ivica Zubac, Kris Dunn, and Terance Mann
Zubac should be an easy pick here as someone who will step up in the midst of Kawhi’s absence, yet that seems like too easy of a pick.
Zubac has started in every game he played in for the Los Angeles Clippers since 2021 and has shown exactly what he can bring to the team. Zubac should very easily be the defensive leader without Kawhi on the court and should shoot effectively in the paint.
He will be extremely consistent and doesn’t exactly need to step up for LA to be successful. He just needs to be himself.
Kris Dunn however is a mystery when it comes to what he can bring to the Clippers.
Dunn is a new-age journeyman with the Los Angeles Clippers being his sixth team in 8 years. Playing for the Atlanta Hawks last year, Dunn’s minutes dropped tremendously as his efficiency on the offensive side of the ball wasn’t exactly the best aspect of his game.
If Dunn can return to his level of play during his time in Chicago and Utah, he could offer an interesting role coming off the bench for the Clippers.
Terance Mann has been a glue piece for the Clippers since being drafted in the Second Round of the 2019 NBA draft and almost made my top three.
Mann has fully established himself in the 3-spot while Kawhi rehabs his knee injury and has the potential to evolve his game and take the attention of the entire league if he can continue to improve his play on the offensive side of the ball.
Case Number One For The Los Angeles Clippers: James Harden
James Harden is BY FAR the biggest name on my list and possibly the most obvious.
Harden is a 10-time all-star and garnered one of the most incredible seasons for the Rockets in 2018 which led to his first and only MVP. He has always been a competitor in his 15 years in the league with this being his 16th and 2nd with the Clippers.
Harden averaged 16.6 points per game in the 72 games he played for LA last year which is the lowest since his Sixth Man of the Year Campaign in 2012.
The biggest question for Harden is of course his age. He is 35 years old and showed his age quite a bit last year.
If the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be competitive this season, they need James Harden to show at least a portion of his high-scoring playmaking ability that has surely made him a future Hall of Famer.
Case Number Two: Norman Powell
Norman Powell has been the most dominant player for the Clippers in the first three games of the season.
Powell is averaging 24.7 points per game including an insane performance against the Denver Nuggets where he dropped 37 points and made a whopping 7 3-pointers leading to a 5-point victory.
The offensive superpower that Powell has brought to the team has left him as a finalist for the 6th Man of the Year two years in a row.
The question for Powell revolves around whether he can be a consistent starter until Kawhi returns. If Norman Powell can continue to put up performances like he did against the Nuggets this past weekend, the sky may very much be the limit for Powell and the Clippers.
Case Number Three: Derrick Jones Jr.
Derrick Jones Jr. is one of the Clippers’ newest acquisitions this offseason.
Last season for the Dallas Mavericks, Jones Jr. shocked the world with what he could contribute in Dallas after signing on for the veteran minimum the previous offseason. He brought defensive dominance and an ability to make threes that led the Mavs to an NBA championship appearance.
This success led Jones Jr. to be a hot commodity in the 2024 offseason eventually agreeing to a 3-year $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
This season Jones Jr. has put up decent numbers, but what stands out is his defensive presence.
Derrick Jones Jr. offers possibly the most unique skill set that can not only keep the Clippers afloat but also keep LA in the winning column.