Clippers begin with veteran depth

And their longtime star Leonard is healthy. But this roster will be the oldest in the league

- STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

KAWHI LEONARD is a six-time All-Star but has struggled with injuries. He played in 37 games last season.

(ERIC THAYER Associated Press)

The Clippers made an offseason push with a winnow perspective, adding a pair of former All-Stars in the backcourt and a pair of veterans up front, plus a promising 6-foot-l rookie center.

The two areas of concern for the Clippers as they again take aim for the playoffs — and the hopes of advancing past the first round for the first time since their trip to the Western Conference finals in 2021 — are age and chemistry. When they open the season Wednesday against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, the Clippers likely will have the oldest team in the league with an average age of 33.2 years. By contrast, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the title last season at an average age of 24.7 years.

Can coach Tyronn Lue fit all the pieces of the puzzle together?

“It’s going to take us 15 to 20 games into the season to really understand our rotations, our chemistry, how we want to play, who fits,” Lue said after the Clippers’ first preseason game.