The Clippers’ offseason training is underway

The hunt for the franchise’s first championship has already begun.

The Los Angeles Clippers’ 2021-22 campaign was full of vicissitudes and uncertainties — and a few hiccups along the way, of course. And to the team’s dislike, their championship hopes were yet again dismissed as they suffered a premature exit from the postseason two months ago.

Now, however, the Clippers, with the return of previously injured players, are back at full strength and are in the gym in preparation for their next, and possibly strongest, campaign.

The team released footage of veterans Reggie Jackson and Robert Covington shooting hoops alongside the younger core of Amir Coffey, Terance Mann, and Jay Scrubb. More noticeably, Jason Preston, the promising 33rd pick from last year’s draft was seen back in action after missing the entirety of last season due to a right foot injury.

It should also comfort Clippers fans that Nicolas Batum, too, was present in these training sessions despite recently declining his $3.3 million player option with the Los Angeles team. His appearance at Honey Training Center is another indication that further corroborates his presumed return to the Clippers.

Another snapshot of the team’s offseason was posted on Paul George’s Instagram a couple of days ago: George and six of his teammates smiled and posed after what seems like a more personal workout outside in the California sun. To this, former Clipper Patrick Beverley jokingly complained about not being invited to these workouts anymore.

Regardless of age, experience, or even the team they play for, it seems like the modern-day Clippers have established a special camaraderie that connects them beyond basketball. And we can only wait to see how this type of brotherly bond will manifest itself on the hardwood.

Until then, the Clippers will undoubtedly continue to hone their game and continue their pursuit of the Larry O’Brien trophy. Perhaps to an already star-stacked squad, what happens in the gyms over the summer might be just as important as — if not more than — the business decisions the front office makes in the following weeks.

There’s no denying that the Clippers have the right pieces to take them to the promised land. It’ll only be a matter of how well these fragments mix, bind, and win together. And up until this point, they look to be doing just fine.