
via SI.com
Key Players: Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams
Lonzo Ball has resurrected the Los Angeles' fanboys the NBA world happily thought were gone. Yes, Los Angeles belongs to the Lakers again; it was a nice run Clippers. It was also an eventful summer. Chris Paul did what Chris Paul does--rebuilds a franchise into almost contending, only to leave for a better situation elsewhere. Doc Rivers was relieved as the team's Head of Basketball Operations; his last major move was resigning star forward Blake Griffin to a 5-year $173 million deal. Was it smart? Time will tell. However, Rivers did go out with a bang; he managed to save the offseason by bringing in Patrick Beverly, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Sam Dekker, Milos Teodosic, and draftee Sindarius Thornwell. Yes and yes, the Clippers are the Rockets and they do have a lot of new names.
Best Case Scenario

Via The Source Magazine
No Chris paul no problem. Los Angeles has the potential to reach the greatness of the Chris Paul era--a second round exit. The Clippers' starting lineup has league-leading defensive potential, thanks to a Patrick Beverly-Austin Rivers backcourt and a Deandre Jordan led frontcourt. Beverly, Rivers, and Jordan all have All-NBA level defense--each received at least one vote for last year's team. The team's defense alone could carry Los Angeles to the playoffs, but the weight of the team's success weighs mostly on Blake Griffin. Numbers suggest the star forward should thrive as a leader; Griffin averaged an impressive 21.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per 36 minutes without Paul on the floor. A healthy Griffin backed up by pure scorers Danilo Gallinari(18.2 points per game) and Lou Williams(17.5 points per game) should lead to an offense that compliments their premier defense.
Worst Case Scenario

Via USA Today
The setting is the Clippers' practice facility on one of the first days of training camp. Living up to his reputation as a defensive pest, Patrick Beverly picks up Lou Williams full court throughout the scrimmage. Williams eventually becomes fed up and shoves Beverly. Blake Griffin being the captain of the team comes to break it up, but in the midst of being peacemaker he accidentally nudges Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari knows he has to live up to his summer reputation, so he socks Griffin. Gallinari's hand now hangs like the classic 'Deadpool' scene. Infuriated by being punched, Blake Griffin finds and decks the nearest Equipment Manager. Gallinari and Griffin are now out months, leaving the Clippers with no consistent offensive weapons.
Fake fight scenes aside, an injury to Blake Griffin and/or Danilo Gallinari can prove catastrophic for the Clippers' offense and season. Without Griffin and Gallinari, no one in the Clippers' starting lineup even averages more than 12.7 points per game. The team's defense leaves room for offensive struggles, but even the greatest of defenses can't lead a Deandre Jordan led offense to victory.
Prediction: 46-36