Los Angeles Clippers fantasy basketball season recap

Previous team recaps: DET, WAS, POR, CHA, SAS, TOR, MEM, UTA, BKN, ATL, CHI, HOU, SAC, GSW, MIA, PHI, ORL, LAL, IND, CLE, PHX, NOR, MIL, NYK

At a Glance:

Record: 51-31 (4th, West)

Offensive Rating: 117.9 (4th)

Defensive Rating: 114.6 (16th)

Net Rating: 3.4 (7th)

Pace: 97.93 (20th)

2024 NBA Draft Picks: 46

The 2023-24 season was the last for the Clippers in downtown Los Angeles, as they’ll move into the Intuit Dome in Inglewood in October. The expectation was that Tyronn Lue would preside over a title contender, especially after James Harden was acquired from the 76ers in November and the team went on a nine-game win streak in December. However, the Clippers would not produce a streak of more than five wins from December 20 onward, with the rugged Western Conference having much to do with that. And Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury in April made matters even worse for a team that would finish fourth in the West, as he missed the final eight games of the regular season and was shut down for good after Game 3 of the team’s first-round series against Dallas.

The eventual Western Conference champions eliminated the Clippers in six games, and they now face significant questions this offseason. While Leonard agreed to an extension in January, Harden will be an unrestricted free agent, and Paul George has a player option. The bench rotation will also need to be addressed, as Russell Westbrook and P.J. Tucker have player options, while backup centers Mason Plumlee and Daniel Theis will be unrestricted free agents.

From a fantasy standpoint, we know the expected studs: Leonard, George, and Harden. The concern, especially for Leonard, is the availability. Ivica Zubac finished the regular season ranked just outside the top 100, while Norman Powell was most valuable on nights when one of the Clippers’ stars was sidelined. Who can be relied upon beyond Leonard and Zubac in 2024-25 will depend on what happens with Harden and George in free agency.

Fantasy Standout: Kawhi Leonard

Leonard may not have been available for the stretch run, as he missed the Clippers’ final eight regular season games (and four of six playoff games) with a knee injury, but he was elite when available. Appearing in 68 games, the most for him since the 2016-17 season, the Klaw averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 2.1 3-pointers in 34.3 minutes. Shooting 52.5% from the field and 88.5% from the foul line, Leonard barely missed out on a 50/40/90 season (41.7% 3PT) while earning second-team All-NBA honors. That production was good for top-10 per-game value in 8-cat and 9-cat formats, and he was also a top-10 player in totals.

The knee injury was a lousy way for Leonard’s second to conclude, but he’s expected to be healthy enough to represent the United States in the Paris Olympics in July. The Clippers signed him to an extension in January, so Kawhi’s future with the franchise is secure. After injury concerns lowered his Yahoo ADP (26.8) ahead of the 2023-24 season, how Leonard looks in Paris will impact where he lands in the fall. Given the 2023-24 production and the fact that he’s another season removed from the ACL tear that sidelined him for all of 2021-22, the Klaw should not slip outside the second round in standard leagues.

Fantasy Revelation: Ivica Zubac

There weren’t any significant fantasy surprises on the Clippers roster this season; maybe Leonard being able to play 68 games would qualify. But Zubac is the pick here, as he finished the regular season ranked just outside the top 100 in 9-cat per-game value. In 68 games, the 7-footer averaged 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 26.4 minutes, shooting 64.9% from the field and 72.3% from the foul line. Zubac’s scoring average was the highest of his career, and he’s corralled at least nine rebounds in two consecutive seasons.

Zubac exceeded his Yahoo ADP (120.2) in 9-cat while matching it in 8-cat per-game value while ranking just outside the top 100 in totals per Basketball Monster. He and Harden established good chemistry in the two-man game throughout the season, with one of Zubac’s best performances coming in the Clippers’ Game 1 win over Dallas in the first round. He tallied 20 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 10-of-17 from the field. The combination of no Leonard (knee) and the mastery of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving was too much for the Clippers to overcome, but Zubac’s play throughout the season was encouraging. Harden’s status as an unrestricted will impact the Clippers’ center’s fantasy value if he decides to sign elsewhere.

Fantasy Disappointment: Terance Mann

Mann is in a difficult spot with the Clippers, as his fantasy ceiling is already capped despite being in the starting lineup. He shared the court with three ball-dominant scorers (Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden) for most of this season, and the positional versatility can also keep his ceiling low. A starter in 71 of the 75 games he played, Mann averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.9 3-pointers in 25.0 minutes, shooting 51.5% from the field and 83.2$ from the foul line. That production placed him well outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats, ranking lower than reserves Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell.

With a Yahoo ADP of 141.3, most fantasy managers did not expect Mann to be much more than a late-round option before the season began. However, they likely expected higher value than what they received. With the free agencies of George (player option) and Harden, Mann is a player whose value could be boosted heading into the 2024-25 campaign. However, counting on him for consistent fantasy value would be risky, given the overall track record. While Mann was close to a top 100 player in totals during the 2021-22 campaign, he only has one top 200 season (also 2021-22) to his credit regarding per-game value.

Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads

Paul George:

After playing no more than 56 games in any of his first four seasons with the Clippers, availability was not a concern for George in 2023-24. Making 74 appearances, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 3.3 3-pointers in 33.8 minutes, shooting 47.1% from the field and 90.7% from the foul line. Three percentage points in the FG% category shy of being a 50/40/90 player, George provided top 20 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats. As for roto, he was a top 10 player, as the improved availability countered a slight decrease in production.

With the Clippers adding James Harden to the mix in November, George’s numbers taking a slight hit was unsurprising. Still, he continued to play efficiently while also being a productive defender. He has a player option for the 2024-25 season, and while it was expected in the immediate aftermath of Leonard’s extension that PG-13 would be next, the two sides did not get a deal done. It has been reported that teams such as Philadelphia and Orlando could be interested in adding George this summer, and he’ll ultimately be in a place where he can continue to provide high fantasy value.

James Harden:

After making it known last offseason that he wanted out of Philadelphia, Harden got his wish on November 1, with the 76ers working out a three-team trade with the Clippers and Thunder. Back in his hometown of Los Angeles, The Beard played in 72 games, averaging 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.6 3-pointers in 34.3 minutes, shooting 42.8% from the field and 87.8% from the foul line. While there were decreases in production in multiple statistical categories, Harden still offered top-25 per-game value in 8-cat formats and was ranked 26th in 9-cat, according to Basketball Monster. And he was also a top 25 player in roto, with availability (most games played since 2018-19) being a factor.

Harden now hits unrestricted free agency for what may be the last significant payday of his career, as he’ll turn 35 in late August. The expectation is that he’ll remain with the Clippers as the team begins its new era in Inglewood, and getting more time to play alongside Leonard and George could boost the assist number. However, Harden is unlikely to approach the top-5 fantasy heights of his prime. He exceeded his Yahoo ADP (31.3) this season, with that number being impacted by the uncertainty during the preseason. Using a third-round pick on Harden would be a safe course of action in most leagues.

Norman Powell:

One of the best bench scorers in the NBA, Powell matched his career-high with 76 games played this season. However, the scoring decreased in comparison to his 2022-23 production. Powell averaged 13.9 points, his lowest number since the 2018-19 season (8.6 ppg with Toronto), with 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.2 3-pointers in 26.2 minutes. While the percentages (48.6% FG, 83.1% FT) were improvements compared to 2022-23, the decrease in scoring output sent Powell sliding down the fantasy rankings, finishing outside the top 150 in 8- and 9-cat per-game value. Because of the improved availability, he was a better option in roto formats. If the Clippers were to lose George this summer, Powell is one of the players in a position to benefit, depending on how the team would fill that massive void. However, remaining in the sixth-man role would make him a late-round option in most leagues.

Russell Westbrook:

Westbrook entered the season with a Yahoo ADP of 109.3, but this was before the Clippers completed the acquisition of Harden. The arrival of The Beard decreased Westbrook’s fantasy value significantly, especially after he voluntarily moved to the bench. In 68 games, Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 3-pointers in 22.5 minutes, shooting 45.4% from the field and 68.8% from the foul line.

The scoring and assist averages were the lowest of Russell’s career, and he finished ranked outside the top 150 in 8-cat per-game value and outside the top 200 in 9-cat, according to Basketball Monster. Westbrook has a player option for next season worth a little over $4 million, and it was reported in late May by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report that he could opt out in hopes of finding a more prominent role elsewhere. Such a move could give Westbrook’s fantasy value new life, but he’s a late-round pick at best in most leagues.

Amir Coffey:

After appearing in 50 games during the 2022-23 campaign, Coffey played a career-high 70 games this season. Making 13 starts, he averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.0 3-pointers in 20.9 minutes, shooting 47.2% from the field and 85.9% from the foul line. While Coffey did have some moments when he was worth the risk as a deep-league streamer, his season-long value did not crack the top 300. He reached double figures in points in eight of the Clippers’ last 10 games before the All-Star break and tallied at least 11 points in the team’s last five regular season contests. However, becoming a viable fantasy option with the Clippers will be difficult as long as Leonard, George, and Mann are all under contract.

Mason Plumlee:

Plumlee’s first full season with the Clippers was knocked off course in early November as a knee injury sidelined him for nearly two months. When healthy, he served as Zubac’s backup on most nights, offering minimal fantasy value. In 46 games, Plumlee averaged 5.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 14.7 minutes, shooting 56.9% from the field and 70.7% from the foul line. One positive from his time with the Clippers has been the improved foul shooting, as Plumlee shot 73.1% from the charity stripe in 69 total appearances. However, the backup role meant there weren’t many opportunities for fantasy managers to benefit from the improvements made at the line. Plumlee did not crack the top 300 in 8- or 9-cat formats, and he’ll likely need a change of scenery to do that in 2024-25. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Restricted Free Agents: Brandon Boston Jr., Moussa Diabate, Xavier Moon

Unrestricted Free Agents: James Harden, Mason Plumlee, Daniel Theis

Player Option: Paul George, P.J. Tucker, Russell Westbrook