The first real clue to Tyronn Lue’s starting five is out, and it does not include Brook Lopez, at least for now. After Clippers training camp Day 3 on Thursday, October 1, at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Gym II, Lue said Darius Garland, Max Strus, Derrick Jones Jr., Rui Hachimura and Isaiah Jackson have worked together as the first unit through the opening days of camp, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported. Lopez has been running with the second group. Lue was quick to add that the groups will change, but the look tells us a lot about how he wants this team to play.
Here is what the first unit says about Lue’s thinking, plus the other news from Mānoa three days before Sunday’s preseason opener against the Golden State Warriors.
Clippers Training Camp Day 3: The First Unit So Far
Garland at point guard was expected. Strus, Jones Jr. and Hachimura give Lue spacing and size on the wing, and Jackson gives him speed at center. In Thursday’s official media availability, Lue pointed to the group’s shooting and to Jackson’s ability to run the floor, roll hard and get to the basket.
That matches what Lue has said all week. He has insisted the starting jobs will go to the best fit, not simply the best players, and he has said this team needs shooting and players who can move without the ball. A Garland-Strus-Jones-Hachimura frontline around a mobile center fits that plan. It also keeps Garland and Strus together after three seasons as teammates in Cleveland. For the Day 1 background on how Lue is picking starters, revisit our Clippers camp opener.
Brook Lopez and the Center Question
Asked directly whether Lopez had been with the second group, Lue confirmed it but said that is “all going to change.” That matters, because center is the thinnest spot on the roster. Lopez, 38, is still the most experienced big in camp. Jackson is an athletic, undersized option. Second-year big Yanic Konan Niederhauser is recovering from foot surgery and is expected to miss the start of the season.
Starting Jackson would give the Clippers more pace and rim-running, which suits Lue’s push for early offense. Starting Lopez would give them more size and rim protection, which matters for a team Lue has already called “a smaller team in height and size.” The answer may change by opponent. We broke down the depth chart in our look at the Clippers’ center depth, and the Day 2 rebounding concerns in yesterday’s report.
What It Means for the Bench
If the first unit holds, the second group becomes a mix of experience and youth: Lopez, Kris Dunn, rookie Keaton Wagler, Gradey Dick and Kobe Sanders all need minutes. That could make the bench one of the more interesting parts of Sunday’s game. Dunn and Jones Jr. have been two of Lue’s most trusted defenders, and Lue has said he wants to put the ball in Wagler’s hands in pick-and-roll even when he plays next to Garland.
It is also worth remembering that camp lineups are not final. Lue used the same “it’s going to change” message about Lopez, and preseason games will give him a chance to test other combinations, including smaller lineups.
Gradey Dick: “Iron Sharpening Iron”
Gradey Dick, who came over from Toronto in the Kawhi Leonard trade, described the camp as “iron sharpening iron.” In Thursday’s media availability, he said the Clippers have been playing competitive games to seven in practice and that players expected the third day to be the hardest yet. With so many injuries on the roster, Dick said he is keeping a “next man up” mindset and trying to figure out his role quickly. He also said he has been working on his shooting after practice with Hachimura.
Yuki Kawamura Is Fighting for a Contract
One of the more interesting names in camp is Yuki Kawamura, the Japanese guard who signed an Exhibit 10 training-camp deal with the Clippers in August after spending last season with the Chicago Bulls. He is excited to face Stephen Curry on Sunday, but he knows what is at stake. “He’s a superstar, so I’m super excited to play against him, play against them,” Kawamura told reporters. “But I have to prove myself during the preseason to get the contract, you know. But I don’t want to focus on it. I just want to play the right way every single possession for the team.”
Kawamura also said he is learning from Garland and Wagler. “I’m learning from great point guards right now,” he said. “I’m figuring out how I can help the team.” He averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 assists in 18 games for Chicago last season, and 10.8 assists in 11 G League games with the Windy City Bulls.
Injury Watch
Brandon Ingram remains out to start the season while he recovers from heel surgery that also repaired a partially torn Achilles. Bradley Beal was held out at the start of camp with right knee inflammation, and the Clippers have not given a timeline. Jordan Miller (shoulder) is set to be re-evaluated in five months, and Niederhauser is still working back. Full details are in our Media Day injury report.
Clippers Return to KTLA
There was off-court news too. The Clippers announced that their games are coming back to KTLA, with coverage starting with the October 14 preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome. KTLA is set to carry 10 regular-season Clippers games in 2026-27, giving fans a free over-the-air option for part of the schedule.
Watch: Clippers Day 3 Media Availability
Hear from Lue, Dick and the players in the Clippers’ official Day 3 media availability:
Preseason Lead-In: Warriors on Sunday
The Hawaiʻi camp runs through Saturday, October 3. Then the preseason begins:
- Sunday, Oct. 4: vs. Golden State Warriors, Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu, 1 p.m. Hawaiʻi time (4 p.m. PT)
- Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Toronto Raptors in Vancouver
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: vs. Denver Nuggets, Intuit Dome (KTLA)
The regular season opens October 21 against the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome. On Sunday, watch who starts at center, whether the Garland-Strus-Jones-Hachimura group stays together, and how Kawamura and Wagler handle Curry and the Warriors. Watch the media availability above and follow InfanityTV for daily Clippers training camp coverage.
