LA Sports Hub
Fansided

Los Angeles Clippers: Biggest competition in 2019 is in the same city

By Jason Reed

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 06: Los Angeles Clippers executive board member Jerry West (L) and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer talk as they attend a 2018 NBA Summer League game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Suns defeated the Mavericks 92-85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 06: Los Angeles Clippers executive board member Jerry West (L) and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer talk as they attend a 2018 NBA Summer League game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Suns defeated the Mavericks 92-85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Los Angeles Clippers are primed for big things this summer, as are the Los Angeles Lakers, which could create a fun rivalry in 2019.

The NBA season is officially over and now all of the focus can shift to this summer and the deep free agent class. This is primed to be one of the most interesting offseasons in recent years and right in the middle of all of it is the Los Angeles Clippers.

After a very promising season, the Clippers enter the offseason with enough cap space to sign two max superstars. It is more than just having space, though, as NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard, has been heavily tied to the Clippers since being traded to the Toronto Raptors.

Leonard has options and him being a Clipper is not a foregone conclusion. He could stay in Toronto after winning a title but the longevity of the roster is not there and this probably was the only year they could realistically win the title.

More from LA Sports Hub

There are other teams with cap space that could throw money at him, such as the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Heck, the Los Angeles Lakers can even afford to throw a max contract at Leonard, as they have the same Southern California advantage as the Clippers.

The most likely outcome for the Lakers, or at least it seems, is that the team will trade for Anthony Davis this summer. With that impending move, and the Clippers bringing in Kawhi Leonard and several other pieces, the Western Conference very well could be the battle of LA next season.

A Los Angeles Clippers team with Kawhi and then some is easily a title contender, as we just saw with the Raptors, who had a great supporting cast but no second all-star this season. On the other hand, a Lakers team with both LeBron James and Davis, and whoever else they bring in, is also a title contender.

The West looks to be wide open as well. Klay Thompson suffered a torn ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and won’t return to action until February/March. Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles and might not see game action until the next NBA Playoffs.

So even if the Warriors retained both guys, which nobody really expected to happen but now seems like what is going to happen, they are going to have to fight to make the playoffs in the tough West.

They have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to lead the way but the problem with having four stars is that the roster is very top heavy. This team lacks serious depth and with both Thompson and Durant returning, the team would have no money to really spend to fill out that depth.

So we are looking at a Warriors team that might be a sixth-eighth seed but very well could fall out of the playoff picture. Houston is good but has flaws, OKC has not performed in the playoffs and Portland is still one piece away from realistically making a run.

The West is primed to be wide open and that is going to create an epic rivalry with the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. Nobody outside of LA really cares about this rivalry but they will care in 2019 as the two teams duke it out for a chance at NBA gold.

Next. Durant injury won't affect Clippers' offseason. dark

The first step to this is signing Kawhi Leonard and that is what the Clippers need to focus on. If that can happen, the front office has to love their chances.

Home/Los Angeles Clippers