ESPN left both of the team's new stars outside its top 60, and the ranking gives the Clippers something to prove after a hard offseason.
Neither of the two stars the Los Angeles Clippers are counting on this season cracked the top 60 of ESPN's new NBA Rank.
Guard Darius Garland landed at No. 62 after sitting at No. 38 a year ago, and forward Brandon Ingram came in at No. 65, which was up from No. 77.
The two players the Clippers gave up to get them both ranked higher, with forward Kawhi Leonard at No. 15 in Toronto and guard James Harden at No. 32 in Cleveland.
How the Clippers Got Here
The Clippers put this pairing together in two big moves.
They traded Harden to Cleveland for Garland on Feb. 4, and they sent Leonard to Toronto for Ingram and guard Gradey Dick in a trade that became official on Sept. 14.
Los Angeles went 42-40 last season and finished ninth in the West.
Garland played only 45 games last season, but he was good for the Clippers.
He averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists and made 43.8% of his 3-pointers in 19 games after the trade, and ESPN noted that the Clippers went 13-6 in those games.
Ingram made the All-Star team in Toronto and averaged 21.5 points in 77 games while shooting 38.2% from three.
Why ESPN Was Hard on Them
ESPN wrote that Garland slid down the list after playing just 45 games and getting traded, and its write-up on Ingram said his overall impact does not match his scoring totals.
Health is a question too, since Ingram had surgery in May to remove a spur in his right heel, and more on his status should come at media day on Monday.
Garland does not sound worried about any of it.
When he was asked in an August interview with HoopsHype whether people had forgotten what he can do, he said yes and explained why.
"It usually happens like that, especially when you have a couple of injuries. They tend to forget about you."
He went on to say another full season is his chance to show everybody what he can do, and that is the right way for him to look at it.
A guard who shot that well right after a midseason trade should fit nicely next to a scorer like Ingram, who has the tools to be an All-Star again if the Clippers hand him a bigger role.
A Chance to Prove Everyone Wrong
The ranking stings more because of everything else the Clippers have been through.
The NBA took five first-round picks and $30 million from the team this month and suspended owner Steve Ballmer for a year, after its investigation found the team broke salary cap rules in its dealings with Leonard, and with fewer ways to add talent, even more falls on the players already here.
Sure, the national media is not expecting much, but that is fine for a group with two proven scorers.
If Garland stays healthy and Ingram's heel holds up, this pair has the talent to make ESPN's list look wrong.
A look back at the full offseason shows how much changed after Leonard left, and Garland and Ingram now have a real reason to play with a chip on their shoulders this season.
