The Los Angeles Clippers are stuck in neutral as they prepare for the 2015-16 season with the loss of Deandre Jordan. The Clippers are clearly going to take a step back in the western conference in the NBA. It is possible that even with superstar duo Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, the Clippers could miss the playoffs.

The lack of cap room for the Clippers make it impossible to the fill the glaring holes in their roster, in order to become a championship contender. The free agent market is scarce with capable players to help them in the short term, but signing young players with the potential to improve will be the only way for the Clippers to sustain success in the league.

Doc Rivers has always been resistant of playing younger players and has instead played veteran player well past their prime. These players were unable to help the Clippers’ depth and led them to an embarrassing playoff exit. Jamal Crawford has been the Clippers’ best man off the bench, but every year his production and efficiency have decreased, so it makes sense to find a team willing to trade for him. The Clippers’ youngest player on the team is Austin Rivers who has a similar skillset to Crawford. He is a ball-dominant scorer but plays much better defense then Crawford.

Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder take pride in developing their young players and letting them grow to contribute to their team. The Clippers need to take the same approach in taking chances to acquire young players to develop and grow with Griffin and Paul. A down year for the Clippers doesn’t have to be a lost year for this franchise.