Whenever it seems like things can't get any worse for the Los Angeles Clippers, they find new ways to top themselves while they race toward the bottom.

The Clippers are now 5-16 and the second-worst team in a Western Conference that has some of the heaviest hitters in the NBA in the form of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets. Their season hit a new low on Monday in a 140-123 loss to the Miami Heat, their fifth-straight loss, where they suffered a 30-2 run against the Heat at one point.

The way this season has gone so far for the Clippers with their combination of injuries and talent not catching up to age has warranted a lot of discussion across the league. Now, a retired NBA veteran and icon of the Clippers, Lou Williams, has given his two cents as well. 

"Offensively they're among some of the best in the league. But, when you're ranked 19th in defense you can't just expect to outscore everybody and try to go out there," Williams said (via FanDuel TV). "So, for the age of this team and not being elite defensively, that's where you're starting to see some of the red flags."

Williams' observations about the Clippers defense are not unfounded. Los Angeles is tied for the ninth-most points allowed in the NBA at 118.8 point per game. The kind of deficit that creates makes any semblance of an advantage difficult.

This poor defensive performance paired with the Clippers' paltry offense that's 25th in the NBA in points per game despite having talent like James Harden and Kawhi Leonard on the team has been the toxic recipe that's put the Clippers so far in the hole this season.

Los Angeles still has the opportunity to add to their team via trades this season and attempt to turn their season around with three quarters of the season still remaining. Williams is confident this is something the Clippers will pursue, but he also believes they already had the answer to their problems on their team last season, but traded him away.

"i'm sure they're going to be active before the deadline, trying to get some scoring or trying to get somebody. But, you had Norman Powell right there in uniform. You had that guy that would have gave you that balance," Williams said. 

Powell was instrumental in the Heat's win over the Clippers on Monday, scoring 30 points. Before joining the heat, he was a four-year veteran of the Clippers before they traded him away to Miami, in part to make space on the roster for Bradley Beal, whom the Clippers signed this offseason and is now out for the rest of the season with a hip fracture.

There's a lot going wrong for the Clippers and their troubles don't show any sign of letting up. There is more than just one issue to tackle and at the end of his comments, Williams summed up everything he thought was an issue for the team.

"For me, it's bench productivity... the age of the team and them not having a defensive mentality and presence at this point in the season," Williams said.