Los Angeles has a new-look roster heading into its first media day since the Kawhi Leonard trade, and three topics need clear answers before camp starts in Hawaii.
The Los Angeles Clippers sit down for media day at Intuit Dome on Monday with a roster that barely looks like the one that ended last season.
The team went 42-40, finished ninth in the West and lost to Golden State in the play-in tournament.
Since then, forward Kawhi Leonard has been traded to Toronto in a deal that brought back forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick and draft picks, and training camp starts Tuesday in Hawaii.
That leaves three things the players and coaches need to clear up before camp opens.
Where Is Brandon Ingram's Heel?
Ingram is the new top option, and he comes in after an All-Star season in Toronto where he averaged 21.5 points in 77 games.
The problem is his heel.
Ingram had surgery this offseason to remove a heel spur, and ESPN's Brian Windhorst said last week that there was no update on how he is doing and that fans would hear more at media day.
The Clippers are expected to keep Ingram, and a slow start from him would hurt a team that does not have much room for error this season.
If Ingram says he is fully healthy, head coach Tyronn Lue can build the offense around him from the first day of camp.
If he needs more time, Garland and Dick will have to carry more of the scoring early.
Who Plays Center?
Center Ivica Zubac was traded to Indiana in February in the deal that brought center Isaiah Jackson to Los Angeles, and the depth at the position has thinned out since.
The only players on the roster who can play center are center Brook Lopez, Jackson and center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, and that Konan Niederhäuser is not expected to be ready for the start of the season after foot surgery in March.
That puts a lot on Lopez and Jackson to start the season, and there has already been talk about adding another big man.
Lue should be asked how he plans to handle the middle, because this is the weakest spot on the roster.
Is Darius Garland Ready to Lead?
Guard Darius Garland came over from Cleveland in February in the trade that sent guard James Harden to the Cavaliers, and he averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists in 19 games with the Clippers.
He dealt with a toe injury that needed surgery, and he said in August that he is fully healthy.
"But I'm all good now," Garland told HoopsHype.
With Leonard gone, the ball will be in Garland's hands more than ever.
He is 26, he has a full offseason behind him, and this is his chance to be the leader of a new group that includes Dick, forward Rui Hachimura and guard Max Strus.
Not many people expect much from this team after the summer it had, and clear answers on these three questions on Monday would be a good first step toward changing that.
They play their first preseason game against Golden State in Honolulu on Oct. 4 and open the regular season at home against Sacramento on Oct. 21.
