Clippers

Clippers News: 4 Young Players to Watch in Orlando

With the NBA season set to start by July 31, teams around the league look to solidify the rosters going to Orlando.

The Clippers find themselves in a unique position. Whether it is in the draft or on the trading block, the front office has done a fine job building a team poised for success.

The hope for the league is to protect players, especially the stars, through containment in the World of Sports Complex at Disney World. The Clippers want to make sure Kawhi and Paul George are safe at all costs. However, with the ever-present risk of infection, younger players may get to see more time on the court.

Here’s a look at some of the newer Clippers looking to make an impact in Orlando.

What the Johnathan Motley signing means for the LA Clippers

Johnathan Motley (F)

After becoming the first two-way player to be traded in NBA history, Motley has demonstrated a powerful presence for the Aguas Calientes Clippers. He showed prominence in the front court with an average of 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 block per game. Even more impressive is his dominance in the paint. Motley possesses an ability to power through tight defense and score through contact. His strength and follow-through would explain why he shot at a .517 FG% clip and averaged 24 points per game.

Although he is a long way from his 33 minutes per game in the G-League, Motley made the most of his time in the NBA. Despite averaging just over three minutes in his 13 games with the Clippers this season, Motley completed 11-15 from the field (.733 FG%) with 10 total rebounds and 8 total assists. With more time on the court, Motley’s performance thus far suggests he can give you a mile with just an inch.

Amir Coffey Off to NBA Early While Experts Doubt He'll be Drafted ...

Amir Coffey (G/F)

Like Motley, Amir Coffey is on the Clippers roster on a two-way contract. He showed he is a capable small forward in Aguas Calientes. However, the Clippers like him better in the two-spot. Coffey was an efficient shooter in the G-League, averaging 15.7 points per game on a .483 clip. He shot .400 from beyond the arc, making a threat from both mid- and long-range.

Coffey tried to make the most of his minutes with the Clippers, as well. He averaged about seven minutes in 13 games, shooting .394 from the field. While he struggled from beyond the arc, Coffey’s ability to play both the two- and the three-spot will make him dangerous from mid-range.

Terance Mann (G/F) and Mfiondu Kabengele (C)

Of the players on this list, Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele spent the most time on the Clippers roster this season. Both former Florida State Seminoles, they are a dual package for a reason. Let’s look at them individually first.

Demonstrating efficiency and elite court vision, Mann averaged 15.5 points per game on .532 field goal percentage with 6.4 assists per game. In 35 games in the NBA, he averaged 1.6 points, 1.1 assists, and nearly a rebound in just over seven minutes per game. And while 1.6 points don’t sound like much, he shoots at a clip of .407. This tells us that while he does not take many shots, he likes the ones he does take.

Kabengele plays the court with an aggressive focus. With his 6’9″, 250 lb frame, Kabengele is a prototypical center. The front court was his domain in the G-League as he averaged 2 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 9.3 rebounds per game. Kabengele can do more than just grab the ball off the board. He averaged 18.7 points per game, shooting .482 from the field. In his 12 games with the Clippers, he averaged 3.5 points on .438 shooting from the field and even shot .450 from 3-point range.

Individually, these two rookies are poised to make their own ways in the NBA. Together, however, they put on an absolute dynamite performance when they share the court.

From their time at Florida State, Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele are known for their high-flying teamwork. As the video above suggests, their dynamic lives beyond their time in Tallahassee.

While these players show great promise, extensive time on the court is not necessarily guaranteed. They will be in Orlando to provide support and relief for the starters from the bench. Yet, with eyes of the nation watching with joyful anticipation the return of the NBA, these young players eagerly await their chance to show their team why they deserve to be a permanent fixture on the roster.

Christian Camacho

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, I grew up cheering for the Dodgers and the Lakers. I went across the country to Florida State University (Go Noles!) to study Communications and Sport Management. Now, I'm back in the valley looking to contribute to the LA sports scene.

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