Translator's Note: The original text was published on Yahoo Sports, the data in this article are as of the time of the original publication (November 19, local time), and the dates and times involved are local time

Amid all the drama in the Western Conference—the gambling scandal that rocked the Trail Blazers, the Mavericks firing the general manager, the Grizzlies’ disgruntled Ja Morant, the Pelicans firing the head coach, and another bad start for the Kings—the Clippers, who are under investigation, started the new season with 4 wins and 10 losses.

They performed very poorly, with a record tied for 11th in the Western Conference and a net efficiency of -4.6. At this pace, they could only win 29 wins in a single season. They have one of the most expensive lineups in the NBA and the oldest average age in the league, far ahead of other opponents. And they also owe the Thunder a first-round pick -- which could be a lottery pick -- and the creditor is the Thunder.

So, where should the Clippers go next? (This refers to the competitive level. Off the court, they are under investigation by the league for allegedly circumventing the salary cap.)

What they can rely on is this: In the last six weeks of the last regular season, they were arguably the best team in the Western Conference, achieving the league's best 18-3 record and a net rating of +13.3 - even with the eventual champion Thunder during this period. In the first round of the playoffs, they lost to the Nuggets in a seven-game series, and the Nuggets also reached a tiebreaker with the Thunder. The Clippers do have the strength at this level.

And in theory, they got stronger in the summer, trading away Norman Powell to make room for trading John Collins and signing former All-Stars Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez. These are reasonable decisions, assuming Beal can fill some of the firepower void left by Powell's departure and add versatility to the team's frontcourt when paired with Zubac. The Clippers' roster is even deeper, at least on paper.

However, Beal later suffered a pelvic fracture, although his initial performance was unremarkable. Lopez, a 37-year-old 7-foot-long man, is already showing his age. And Collins has been the same for the past nine seasons, never fully adapting to the traditional power forward role. He failed to provide much-needed spacing, averaging 2.6 attempts per game on 33.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc, and he couldn't keep up with the athletic wing on the defensive end.

Collins is like the Clippers, theory is stronger than practice. On the court, they were fighting on their own, as if they were a team built by Ballmer with a lot of money and that valued the star reputation more than the suitability of the lineup.

They are playing like a team led by a 36-year-old James Harden, who is still playing like he is a perennial MVP candidate. Few regular rotation players have a higher usage rate than Harden's 30.4%, and few teams have an assist rate as low as the Clippers' 60.7%. No team plays isolations more often than they do.

This style of play is not pretty. When Harden can't carry the load like he did when he finished in the top three for MVP in four consecutive seasons from 2017-20, the game becomes boring. When he was more of a liability than ever on the defensive end, the game became boring. And when a quarter of the league's teams average 300 passes per game, the Clippers' game becomes even more ugly.

The Clippers' tactics are easy to crack. Contain Harden and they collapse. It's a formula that works every year in the playoffs. And given Harden's advanced age, it's easier than ever to limit him.

Kawhi Leonard's injury again made the Clippers even worse. Leonard has missed the past eight games due to ankle and foot injuries, during which the Clippers had a record of 1 win and 7 losses. His return from injury -- which head coach Tyronn Lue called "not serious" -- should allow the Clippers to improve their 21st-ranked offense and even worse defense.

But how long can the Clippers count on Leonard staying healthy? This is a cliché for the Clippers, and as long as Leonard is in the lineup, this is their norm. It is now in its 7th year.

Every year we think it’s time to look down on the Clippers, but every year they give us renewed hope. After all, they ended last season with a wave of 18 wins and 3 losses, which makes us believe that they are expected to return to the Western Conference Finals, which will be the peak in team history they will reach in 2021. At least we think they're a fringe championship team every year.

This year feels different, and not just because they're off to their worst start of the Leonard era. With Harden approaching 37 years old and Leonard, who is riddled with injuries, already 34 years old, it is difficult to imagine that they can still find the magic needed to win a four-round series together. Don't forget, James Harden had two chances to beat the 76ers on the final possession of Monday's game, but both shots missed badly.

Obviously, this is a team with no future. It took us a while to figure this out, but we definitely know it now: The Clippers are no longer a championship contender. They have completely become a pseudo-strong team.

And they can't sink to the bottom of the standings, because they won't have their own first-round picks in the next four years, two of which will go to the Thunder and the other two to the 76ers.

The lack of draft assets also makes it difficult for the Clippers to participate in any substantive negotiations about superstars. Despite the Clippers' talent, the Bucks would never take over those premium Clippers contracts and send Giannis Antetokounmpo away without adequate compensation in draft picks.

More likely, the Clippers will have to take some risks to seek improvement and take on other teams' troubles. Injury-plagued Anthony Davis may soon be on the shelf for the Mavericks. Morant was unhappy with the Grizzlies. The Hawks have performed well without Trae Young. The Kings may have a sale. And Zion Williamson’s future with the Pelicans is unclear. If the Clippers are willing to give it a try, they still have recruiting targets.

But, given how much they would have to pay to acquire any of the available stars - likely in a three-way trade, do any of these names give anyone confidence that they can solve the Clippers' ills?

No, the Clippers are trapped. Not to mention they also face accusations of alleged salary cap circumvention, which the league is currently investigating. That's just one of their problems right now. The Clippers are still the same Clippers, and their current record is as bad as their future prospects.

Author: Ben Rohrbach

Translator: GWayNe