We know what the Los Angeles Clippers did last summer.
>> For six weeks, head coach Tyronn Lue was an assistant coach with Team USA.
>> All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who re-signed on a two-year deal, was host to a weekend mini camp, with each attending teammate receiving an iPhone 15 Pro Max, stylish gear and a seat at 5-star restaurants.
>> Point guard Bones Hyland released new rap songs. “I wanted to get some music out for the fans, let them hear what I’ve been going through lately, just how my life’s been going,” Hyland told the media cluster at the Stan Sheriff Center.
>> Kenyon “KJ” Martin Jr., one of the NBA’s most ferocious dunkers, joined in a trade with the Houston Rockets. “The juice, the pop, he brings a pop to the team,” Hyland said of his new teammate.
>> Terance Mann, an energetic and sartorial leader, was co-creator of a collared warm-up shirt. “I call it business casual,” Mann said.
But summertime is over, and the Clippers arrived at SimpliFi Arena at Sheriff Center — one superstar by chauffeured luxury car, another by Uber, several on chartered buses — for Tuesday’s first practice of training camp.
“We’re excited to be here, excited to be in Hawaii,” Mann said. “The weather’s great. It doesn’t get any better than this. You wake up, you look at the water, and you go straight to work.”
The six-day camp features two practice sessions a day and leads to Sunday’s preseason exhibition against the Utah Jazz. Proceeds will go to Maui relief.
“Heartbreaking,” guard Norman Powell said of the Lahaina tragedy. Powell was a member of the UCLA team that competed in the 2016 Maui Invitational.
Lue said the Clippers and Jazz also will put on a joint project for Maui residents.
“We’re excited to help any way we can,” said Lue, adding that under owner Steve Ballmer’s leadership the Clippers “do a good job taking care of communities. That’s who we are. That’s what we’re about. And we’re very excited to help.”
Mann said the “Clippers take pride in that, take pride in giving back in any way we can. I was here a couple weeks ago, doing my best to help out. We take pride in that. We’re excited to help out.”
On the court, Lue indicated, the camp goals are to master concepts and set the “foundation on both sides of the basketball.” As for the starting lineup, he said, “not talking about it now.”
While there is talk of All-Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George playing at bigger positions, Lue said both are great in any role.
“It doesn’t matter what position they’re playing,” Lue said. “With those two guys on the floor, we’re a really good team. It doesn’t matter what position we put them.”
While Mann, in his fifth season, has excelled on pick-and-rolls and cuts, his improved value is in his overall game. “I just want to bring energy,” Mann said. “I just want to be able to guard the best player on the other team, and make it tough for them. I want to be able to space the floor, take open shots, get downhill in transition. That’s basically my key goals for the season.”
The Clippers are hopeful Martin can accelerate the offense. Lue praised Martin on his “athletic ability, running the floor, getting behind defenses to get dunks. Another guy who’s versatile. He can play the three, four, five.”