The Los Angeles Clippers have the second worst record in the Western Conference. Bradley Beal has been ruled out for the year, Chris Paul was sent home, and investigation over payments made to Kawhi Leonard looms over the franchise.
Sitting 23rd in net rating with a geriatric roster, and sending this season’s pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the situation is bleaker than even the most pessimistic Clippers fans could have imagined.
Three teams (the woeful New Orleans Pelicans, the rebuilding Washington Wizards, and the drastically depleted Indiana Pacers) have fewer wins than Los Angeles at the time of writing.
Ty Lue has increased the minutes of Cam Christie, Kobe Brown, and Kobe Sanders with Paul away from the team, Beal ruled out, and Brook Lopez suddenly looking over the hill. It’s a veteran-laden roster, so even without Beal and Paul, Lue is limited in how many minutes he can give to the youngsters.
At risk of stating the blindingly obvious, the 2025-26 Clippers aren’t going anywhere. It’s a hopeless situation, signalling the end of a window of contention that grossly disappointed. The franchise remains strangled by the trade to acquire Kawhi Leonard, and effectively, Paul George, that saw the maximum amount of draft capital go out the door along with reigning MVP and Finals MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Accept Picks are Gone
Los Angeles doesn’t control its first-round pick until 2030. Bottoming out is much less appealing as a result. While the optics are terrible, the Clippers’ front office must do as much as it can to forget about the picks owed to the Thunder and Sixers.
Avoiding the repeater tax, which requires cutting almost $7 million in salary, is one reasonable goal. The Clippers should also be trying to collect young players they like, regardless of their NBA performances to date.
Look at how the Brooklyn Nets restocked their roster after the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade. At some point, a franchise must accept its picks are out the door. The only way forward for the Clippers is to think about 2027 and beyond.
Some inside the organization might think the Clippers should stand pat and see if the standings move in their direction. It’s certainly possible with how shallow the pool of good teams is in the Western Conference, but what does Los Angeles really gain from weakening the value of the pick which goes to the Thunder?
The focus has to be on making the best long-term moves for the franchise.
Explore Veteran Trade Market
The Clippers won’t get a haul for James Harden or Kawhi Leonard. The latter might even have negative trade value considering his long-running health issues and the pending investigation.
Harden has been playing at a generally high level this season, and a fringe contender could talk themselves into him. It’s not going to lead to first-round picks or high-upside young talents but shedding his salary (Harden has a player option for next season) would grant some flexibility going forward.
The Clippers also have around $50 million in expiring contracts. Such deals are particularly appealing in the apron era, allowing teams to offload long-term money. Per ESPN, executives around the NBA suggested the Kings as a trade partner, with the Clippers taking on Zach LaVine and his almost $50 million player option for next season.
LaVine wouldn’t elevate the Clippers into contention. He would be insurance against Leonard missing more time and help to replace the scoring punch lost by Norm Powell’s departure.
Perhaps the Clips test the resolve of the Nets for Michael Porter Jr. with a couple of second-round picks. Could the Hornets be tempted to trade Miles Bridges or Collin Sexton?
If Steve Ballmer is really committed to trying to win-now, what about sending their lone tradeable first-round pick to the Mavericks for Anthony Davis? That’s the ultimate way to double down.
Search for Young Talent
Harden, Leonard, or the Clippers’ expiring contracts aren’t going to land any elite prospects. The $50 million in expiring salaries could give the Clips a shot at a former lottery pick or a more recent second-round pick.
It’s hard for a front office to be passive in a situation as dire as this. There will be a temptation to try something. If they feel a need to make a move, moving one or multiple of John Collins, Brook Lopez, Nicolas Batum, and Bogdan Bogdanović for young players is the lowest risk path.
It doesn’t carry the downside of trading an asset for Davis. There won’t be the same long-term financial commitment that comes with Porter or Bridges.
Any return for Collins, Lopez, Batum, or Bogdanović would be better than seeing them walk for free in the summer. Whether that’s a future second-round pick or a young player, it gives the Clippers something for the remainder of the decade that they so desperately need.
Being able to accept, let alone pursue, a deal of this nature requires an acknowledgement that the damage has been done with the George trade.
There Are Options
The 2025-26 season isn’t going to be joyous for the Clippers. Sending one of the sport’s greatest point guards home hasn’t endeared the Clippers to the basketball-watching public, and scrutiny remains over the alleged payments to Leonard.
Making the playoffs is possible, despite a 6-18 record. It won’t take much for the Clips to sneak into the play-in tournament. The only way is up from here.
It is, however, crucial that any positives on the court don’t lead to the Clippers getting carried away. This season is about limiting damage, whether that’s through taking on a veteran for expiring deals or flipping those expiring contracts for second-round picks and flyers on young players.
There aren’t any quick fixes for a team in such an agonizing position, but other franchises have shown it is possible, through perseverance and shrewd thinking, to climb out of such a deep hole.