The upcoming season will be a very interesting one for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Since pairing up Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the roster, they have not been able to accomplish much.
Many thought that they would be contending for titles or even have won one by this point, however, they still have not made a Finals appearance.
While it has only been two years of the duo being together, it has still been disappointing up to this point.
It has been reported that Leonard will miss most if not all of the regular season due to an injury.
BREAKING – The Clippers fear Kawhi Leonard has suffered an ACL injury, sources tell @ShamsCharania.
He is out indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/l4bnRrSIcl
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 16, 2021
However, with both stars under contract for the next four seasons, it is clear they are not in a huge rush to accomplish their ultimate goal of winning a championship.
Despite the lowered hopes for this season, there are still three major storylines for the Clippers heading into the 2021-22 season.
3. When Will Kawhi Leonard Make His Return?
The first storyline for this season is questioning when Leonard will make his return to the team.
He is one of the best players in the entire NBA when healthy and without him, the Clippers have little to no hope of contending for a championship.
While the Clippers have a very talented supporting cast, it is not enough to make a deep playoff run and reach their ultimate goals.
It is still very up in the air when Leonard will make his return.
Some are speculating that he will be back in time for the final weeks or month of the regular season.
Others believe that he will miss the entire 2021-22 regular and postseason.
Likely, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
While the rehab process could run quicker or slower than expected, Leonard will likely make his return right before the ending of the regular season.
He will probably come back with just enough time to get his feet wet and acquainted with playing at game speed again before he is forced into the playoffs.
2. Can They Get Out Of The Lakers’ Shadow?
Since their creation, the Clippers have been treated as the little brothers of the Lakers.
Many thought that this would come to an end when Leonard and George joined the team.
It was the common belief that the era of the Clippers running Los Angeles would begin in the 2020 season, however, up to this point, that still has not happened.
While the Clippers may end up having a winning record against the Lakers in the regular season, like they did last season, this narrative will only be changed when the Clippers beat the Lakers in the playoffs, or win a championship.
Last season, the Clippers swept the Lakers in the regular season, however, they are still treated like a JV team in Los Angeles.
It is likely that this narrative will not be changed this season, but the Clippers will once again be trying to break out of that shadow.
1. Can Paul George Still Carry A Team?
During his time with the Indiana Pacers, George was able to carry the team to the Eastern Conference Finals twice, in 2013 and 2014.
However, that was seven years ago and the Clippers have much stiffer competition.
Although they were able to make it to the Western Conference Finals last season, it will not be as easy this season.
CLIPPERS COME BACK TO BEAT THE JAZZ 😤
They've secured a spot in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history 💪 pic.twitter.com/sIOhYO3SXH
— ESPN (@espn) June 19, 2021
The Clippers will have to worry about a healthy Lakers and Golden State Warriors team this season.
It will be very interesting to see if George is still able to play the alpha role and still lead a franchise for an entire season.
NEXT: Clippers Still Have No Clue If Kawhi Leonard Can Play This Season