1. Has Doc Rivers Learned His Lesson?
After years of relying on his veterans and giving absolutely no regard for any young players on the roster, Doc finally gave in last year and played some inexperienced players. The results were positive. Guys like Ty Wallace, Montrezl Harrel, and CJ Williams played big minutes and produced.
Who can forget CJ’s game winning three against the Atlanta Hawks this past year? Wallace only played 30 games for the Clippers but started 19 of them. In only 28 minutes a game, Wallace poured in 9.7 points and 3.5 rebounds a game.
I already discussed how impactful Harrell was this past season in my last piece. Has Doc finally learned that developing young talent on his roster is key? After letting Brice Johnson, Reggie Bullock, and CJ Wilcox rot on the bench after being first-round draft picks, Doc allowed second round guys Juwan Evans and Sindarius Thornwell play extended minutes this year. They showed flashes and Thornwell in particular I think will continue to grow if he stays in L.A.
This lesson was important to learn because the Clippers just had two first round picks in the same year for the first time since 2002. In Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson, the Clippers have two young guards that can be big assets moving forward.
Both of them showed awesome flashes in the Summer League. SGA averaged 19 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.3 steals a game. He showed that he has a monster two-way potential. At 6’6 with a tight handle and spindly frame, he can guard 1-3 and score over smaller guards. His shot looked smooth, although still needs to be fine-tuned and he showed go-to leadership. I fully believe that he has the potential to be the starting point guard this season and moving forward.
Robinson put up solid numbers as well. Averaging 13.7 points and 2.7 rebounds a game. He was battling a little bit of knee soreness and thus only played in three games. In those 3 games, however, Robinson made 7 three’s, shooting 36.8% from three, both Summer League team highs. Jerome’s rookie year ceiling is as a consistent three-point shooter and athletic wing who can get to the lane. Jerry West obviously saw something special in him to reach for him with the thirteenth pick.
Moving forward, for the Los Angeles Clippers to both be successful on the court and as a potential free agent destination, they need to keep developing their younger players. Playing SGA and Robinson in important roles this year would be smart. Robinson may need a bit more time than SGA but I expect both of them to be important for the Clips this year and beyond.
