Advanced Metric Deems Clippers Offseason Winners Over Rockets, Lakers

Now, with training camp underway, the Clippers have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. From a team that lacked a solid bench last season, the additions of Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and John Collins transformed their roster into a legitimate title contender if they stay healthy.

Why the Clippers Won the Offseason

According to a new ESPN article by Neil Paine, the Clippers were listed at the top spot for the team that gained the most value in the offseason, according to an advanced stat.

"The Clippers said goodbye to Powell, who was coming off the best season of his career (6.3 WAR), via a three-team swap in July. But they otherwise didn't lose much talent from a core that was already pretty good. (Simmons is no longer really an impact departure, sadly.)"

Paine continued to write, "They also added a quartet of players with a recent track record of producing at least 2.5 wins per season: the homecoming king CP3 -- who often improves his teams -- a steady vet with Lopez, and a couple of high-upside reclamation projects in Beal and Collins."

Wins Above Replacement is a statistic that is not usually seen in the NBA but rather in Major League Baseball, but it makes sense.

Chris Paul has essentially won everywhere he has played, Brook Lopez has been on a perennial playoff contender every year in the Bucks, and Bradley Beal and John Collins are both very valuable players.

Can the Clippers Capitalize?

"We've built something special here," team president Lawrence Frank said in a statement. "These moves weren't about headlines—they were about fit. Every player we brought in addresses a specific need and brings championship experience."

Adding four veterans with a combined 54 years of NBA experience shows that the Clippers constructed a roster built for the postseason grind.

As training camp progresses and the regular season approaches, time will tell if the veterans the Clippers brought in can mesh and deliver Los Angeles their first NBA championship. There is no doubt that they have positioned themselves as one of the Western Conference's most dangerous teams.