Los Angeles Clippers 2024-25 Season Preview, Predictions, & Odds

The Los Angeles Clippers lost Paul George in free agency during the offseason after winning 51 games last season.

NBA futures odds are available at the BetMGM online sportsbook, including basketball odds for NBA champion, division winner, and player awards.

Los Angeles Clippers Futures Odds

Win Total: 40.5

Pacific Division: +900

Western Conference: +4000

NBA Championship: +8000

The Clippers’ NBA Finals odds are their longest since the 2018-19 season, as they were +2000 last preseason.

Their win total is also six games fewer than last season.

Los Angeles Clippers Offseason Moves

George moved on to the Philadelphia 76ers after five seasons with his hometown team on a four-year, $211,584,940 contract, a deal that exceeded what the Clippers were willing to offer.

They re-signed James Harden to a two-year, $70 million deal, signed Derrick Jones Jr. to a three-year, $30 million contract, and brought in defensive-minded guard Kris Dunn.

Los Angeles Clippers Additions

Los Angeles Clippers Departures

Los Angeles Clippers 2024-25 Betting Prediction

Prediction: Over 40.5 Wins (-110)

I predict that the Clippers will win over 40.5 games.

Kawhi Leonard is still one of the best two-way players in the game, given his ability to score in many ways and defend at a high level.

'Whi Wednesday 🖐️

'23-24 Season Recap: Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/Njbq6tnHiP

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) May 22, 2024

Leonard is a mid-range assassin, given his ability to create off the dribble, go to the stepback or fadeaway jumper, and create space by backing down his defenders.

Defensively, The Klaw’s brute strength allows him to absorb contact, his length and lateral quickness keep him attached to his opponents on the drive, and active hands force steals and misses.

Leonard suited up for just two games in the playoffs last season and withdrew from the Olympics for Team USA during the Las Vegas minicamp due to a knee injury. He’ll likely take the court for training camp, though, which suggests he should be good for opening night, barring a setback.

The loss of George is going to sting, as his shot creation and defence will be tough to replicate.

The Clippers will ask Harden to step up in the absence of PG-13 and provide the same type of scoring he’s provided during the greater portion of his career, which could prove problematic, given a loss of explosion on drives to the rim in recent years and trouble with his conditioning.

The Beard is still a threat in isolation to take defenders off the dribble, and generate a ton of scoring off the stepback and pull-up jumper, especially from downtown, but don’t expect him to get to the rim or free-throw line at the same rate nor provide the same type of efficiency on a higher volume that he’s accustomed to.

Harden is also still a pick-and-roll maestro, as he uses screens to create his own scoring opportunities, makes the skip pass in the corner, feeds it to his rolling big by perfectly placing a pass through tight windows, or lobs it to his teammate, who is cutting backdoor, given the space created.

The 2018 MVP is better than some fans and media personalities make him out to be, but expecting him to return to his Houston Rockets form might be overly ambitious — perhaps more so than building the next spacecraft to launch out of Space City.

Harden’s playmaking will be instrumental in maximizing the talent of each of his teammates, as has been the case in years past. 

Norman Powell, Jones, and Terance Mann will be heavily relied upon providing the scoring load of George, but their 3-point shooting and overall offence rely heavily on having a playmaker set them up rather than creating their own shot. Ivica Zubac will also continue to be a beneficiary of assists from Harden, especially on the pick-and-roll.

Losing Russell Westbrook will also sting, as he provided a ton of energy off the bench with his all-around skill set on both ends of the floor. Dunn and Kevin Porter Jr. will be tasked with replacing Westbrook’s production on the floor.

The Clippers will no longer be one of the favourites to win a championship in the immediate future, but this team is still built to win at least 41 games next season.