Nearly 14 months after his last meaningful NBA game, Kawhi Leonard has entered training camp with a noticeably more muscular frame. (@LAClippers on Instagram)

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After a grueling, injury-marred 2021-22 season, in which the Los Angeles Clippers clawed their way into the play-in games but failed to advance any further, the Clips have returned for NBA preseason with a clean bill of health and championship expectations. We’ve brought back our friend Law Murray, Clippers beat reporter for The Athletic, to help us delve into the team some are calling the deepest in the NBA. He discusses the highly anticipated comeback of superstar Kawhi Leonard, what to expect from John Wall, the task ahead for coach Tyronn Lue and much more in this in-depth conversation.

5:34-6:11: “We always talk about “if healthy.” We always talk about that being such a big swing factor for all teams, but the Clippers, everyone’s more sensitive because they’re just waiting for something bad to happen. Well, this is a pretty injury-proof team. Obviously you don’t want critical injuries that cost guys months or injuries that guys can’t return from within the season, but you got a minor injury or you have recurring repeated injuries, yeah, that’s disruptive. But this team is going to roll out talent every night; there’s just too many guys.”

8:40-9:17: A head coach has to be able to be an effective communicator, with the media, with his star players, with his young players, with his veterans, with the role players who have those roles where they could play 30 minutes or 10 minutes in the same week. And that’s where Ty [Lue] excels better than any other place. Ty can get his message across and Ty can keep guys together and Ty can get guys to play hard for him. That’s where he’s at in his tenure with the Clippers. It’s a great spot to be in, but that’s an earned spot to be in.”

18:05-18:33: “I think Kawhi has an even greater appreciation of where he’s at. I think Kawhi has an even greater appreciation of the guys that he’s doing it with. He’s been much more open and much more engaging. … Kawhi knows that he’s a great player with a finite amount of time to be great going forward.”

21:48-23:35: “John [Wall] said it himself…he ain’t gonna be Batman anymore, OK? And I don’t even think he’s gonna be a Robin…When John played for the Rockets, that was his age-30 season. It was the first time that he came off of not one but two procedures on his Achilles, on his heel. … John also had to deal with his heart too: losing his mom, losing his grandmom, losing his career, losing his original NBA city, all that. … Physically he’s going to be different. Emotionally, he’s a different person. Mentally, he said he needed help, and he’s gotten it, and we expect him to be supported over the course of the year. And with that in mind, the Clippers ain’t gonna roll him out there being like, ‘Hey, be the No. 1 pick John Wall, be All-NBA John Wall.’ He’s about to be Role Player John Wall, and we’ve never seen that before. I don’t think John’s ever seen that before.”

25:47-26:03: “I don’t expect John to be a blur like he was in Washington, but they are counting on John Wall to improve their transition game…and the Clippers were horrible in transition last year.”

35:59-36:08: “The thing about Terance Mann is that he is not a master of anything, but he is a jack of all trades.”

38:37-40:32: “Norm[an Powell] is going to be a great teammate. Norm has won a championship; he knows what it takes. Norm has improved parts of his game every year. Norm works like a guy who’s in his early 20s, and I think he turns 29, 30 years old next year. I can’t believe the Clippers acquired this dude. I really can’t. He addresses everything, bro. He’s like the cheat code for them. Norman Powell is basically a mini version of what they’re going to get from Kawhi. You want more free throws? Norm should do that. You want to end some scoring droughts ‘cuz you need a bucket? Norm can do that. Norm’s another catch-and-shoot 3-point option. … I don’t know if Norm’s going to be a starter or an All-Star, but I think he could be a Sixth Man of the Year, and that’s going to be valuable.”

*John Wall’s Players Tribune piece referenced in the discussion

*Law last appeared On the NBA Beat on May 27, 2021, when the Clippers trailed the Mavericks 2-0 in the opening round of the playoffs. The Clippers would go on to win that series and subsequently defeat the Jazz before falling to the Suns in the conference finals. 

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Music: “Who Likes to Party” by Kevin MacLeod.