Six hours on a plane changed the conversation. One day after an emotional Media Day in Inglewood, Clippers training camp opened Tuesday, September 29, inside Gym II at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Tyronn Lue’s message was all basketball. “No excuses, control what you can control,” Lue said. “We can’t control injuries, we can’t control a lot of things right now off the court, but we can control playing hard every single night competing.” Then he set the bar: “Our main goal is to make the playoffs.”
Here is what Day 1 in Hawaiʻi revealed about the Clippers’ mindset, their open starting jobs and the week ahead before Sunday’s exhibition against the Golden State Warriors.
Clippers Training Camp Is a “Business Trip”
The setting is postcard-perfect, and the players noticed. “It’s like a breath of fresh air,” Darius Garland said of being in Hawaiʻi. “Beach across the street.” But Lue made sure nobody confused camp with vacation. Asked what the coach told the team, Garland said the message was that this is a business trip. “Take it seriously, we’re not going to be here long. Take it as a professional,” Garland said.
That focus matters for a franchise coming off the harshest offseason in its recent history. The NBA fined the Clippers $30 million, took five future first-round picks and suspended owner Steve Ballmer from team and league activities for a year, with other executives also suspended. Kawhi Leonard is now in Toronto. Max Strus answered one of the few sanctions questions Tuesday the same way his coach did: “We’re going to control what we can control.” For the front-office side of that story, revisit our look at Lue and Redden’s interim leadership.
Starting Jobs Are Open, and “Fit” Decides Them
Lue was more interested in finding the right starting five than in talking about lost draft picks. He did not say how many spots are locked or which ones, but he made it clear that some are up for grabs.
“Yeah for sure, got some new players,” Lue said. “Guys will get opportunities to compete for starting jobs… It’s not really about the best players, it’s about the best fit.”
That line could shape the entire preseason. Garland is presumed to be one of the locks after averaging 19.9 points and 6.4 assists in 19 games with the Clippers following his February trade from Cleveland. Beyond him, the candidates are many. Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. were part of the lineup Lue leaned on late last season, Brook Lopez returns at center, and Rui Hachimura arrived as a proven forward. Strus, Gradey Dick, Kobe Sanders and rookie Keaton Wagler all want minutes too. With Brandon Ingram recovering from heel surgery and a partially torn Achilles, and Bradley Beal held out at the start of camp with knee inflammation, the “best fit” may look different on opening night than it will later in the season. We covered those injuries in detail in yesterday’s Media Day story.
Garland: “We’re Going to Shock a Lot of People”
The Clippers finished 42-40 last season and were eliminated by the Warriors in the play-in tournament. For the first time in years they are not a trendy pick, and Garland likes it that way. “I think we’re going to shock a lot of people,” the two-time All-Star said Tuesday.
His teammates are putting a lot on him. “A lot is on DG’s shoulders, [but] he has the ability to control the whole room,” Strus said. The two played together in Cleveland for three seasons, so Strus has seen Garland’s leadership up close.
Max Strus Brings a Winning Résumé
Strus is one of the most interesting new pieces in Mānoa. The undrafted, eighth-year pro has averaged 25.5 minutes per game in his career but played just 12 games last season because of a broken foot. He credits much of his development to Anthony Carter, a Hawaiʻi basketball legend who coached him when the Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals in 2023.
“I’ve been a part of winning everywhere I’ve been,” Strus said. “One of the hardest things to do is have a group of guys who all play hard.” He added that this Clippers group has that kind of energy. If Lue is really choosing starters by fit, Strus’s shooting and experience give him a strong case.
Lue’s Hawaiʻi Homecoming
Being on the Mānoa campus also brought back memories for the coach. Lue scored 36 points against Virginia at the 1997 Rainbow Classic, and he still remembers the matchup. “That was a long time ago, playing against the helicopter, Anthony Carter, having a chance to play in that tournament against Virginia…” Lue said. “Those were the good ole days when I could actually play, just coming back now 20-30 years later, it’s unbelievable, I’m happy to be back, I love Hawaii, it’s a great place to be.”
Warriors Are on the Island Too
The Clippers are not the only NBA team on Oʻahu. The Warriors, the team that ended the Clippers’ season in the play-in, opened their own camp at BYU-Hawaiʻi in Lāʻie. It is the first time both teams have trained in the islands since 2024.
“What it means for us bonding wise, family wise, a lot of the guys brought their significant others, kids, parents,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Stephen Curry has a personal goal for Sunday after not making a 3-pointer in the 2024 preseason game in Honolulu. “I’ll try to make up for that on Sunday,” Curry said. “Hopefully I can knock at least one down.”
The Clippers and Warriors meet Sunday, October 4, at 1 p.m. Hawaiʻi time (4 p.m. PT) at the Stan Sheriff Center, just steps from where the Clippers are practicing this week.
Watch: Clippers Training Camp Media Availability
Hear from Lue and the players after the first practice in the Clippers’ official Day 1 media availability:
What Comes Next
The Clippers stay in Hawaiʻi through Sunday’s game, then continue a three-game preseason before the regular season opens October 21 against the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome. That gives Lue about three weeks to sort out who is healthy, who fits and who starts. For the bigger picture on how this roster is supposed to win without Leonard, see our post-Kawhi blueprint.
Lue’s standard is set: no excuses, compete every night, make the playoffs. Garland’s prediction is set too. Watch the full media availability above, and follow InfanityTV for daily Clippers training camp coverage from Mānoa.
