LA Clippers: Biggest Questions For 2022-23

Kawhi Leonard is back. Paul George is back. And the Los Angeles Clippers are back as a top contender in the Western Conference.

The team also added veteran John Wall to run the point, and has a deep roster.

But that doesn't mean there aren't questions still to answer for this team heading into the 2022-23 season. We continue our series looking at the biggest questions each team is facing, with a look at the Clippers.

Big Question #1: Can Kawhi Leonard return to Top 5 Player status?

One thing we do know is that Kawhi is still Kawhi... at least off the court.

Kawhi: “Media Day, let’s get this over with” 🤣

(via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/P1kzBZnQot
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) September 26, 2022

“Media Day, let’s get this over with," is what Leonard greeted Clipper Nation with.

He sat out the entirety of last season recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the 2021 playoffs. He hasn't played an NBA game in 15 months.

Kawhi, now 31, already has two NBA Finals MVPs, one in San Antonio (2014) and one in Toronto (2019). Can he rise to that level again so many years later?

President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank says they're going with a cautious approach in getting Leonard ramped up as the season goes along. “His plan is, look, he wants to participate in everything,” Frank said recently. “And I think ... organizationally, we’re going to be cautious. So it will be a step-by-step approach.”

If he can return to the 27 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists Kawhi of his first year in LA, the Clippers should be just fine.

Big Question #2: Can they revitalize John Wall's career?

Wall is a former 5-time All-Star. But that was a long ago and far away time. He's only played 40 games total in the last three seasons. What will it take to get him back to full speed for a team that intends to compete for a championship?

He doesn't have to be the 20-point-a-game scorer that he once was, but if he can get back to posting double-digits in assists (in four of his All-Star seasons, he hovered right around the 10 assist-per-game mark), and make it easier for Leonard and Paul George to score, he'll have done his job.

George this summer said he's looking forward to Wall bringing “that fast-paced transition game that we kind of lacked."

Overall, summarizing the Clippers' outlook for the season, Robert Covington notes the "championship DNA" the team has.

“It’s championship DNA in the building.”

Robert Covington on having a chance to win with the Clippers this season. pic.twitter.com/OftmxnRF0s
— Clippers Lead (@ClippersLead) September 26, 2022