Clippers offseason outlook: Los Angeles is in need of a direction

What a weird season for the Los Angeles Clippers.

They started 6-21, only to rally and finish 42-40 on the year, traded James Harden, sent Ivica Zubac to the Pacers, saw free agent guard Bradley Beal play just six games, shut down point guard legend Chris Paul on his farewell tour, and also became the subject of alleged salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard, who coincidentally had the best individual season of his career.

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Deep exhale.

That’s just a lot, however you decide to slice it. The Clippers basically always had something going on, making their late run all that more impressive, especially as they were incorporating Darius Garland, whom they acquired from the Cavs in the Harden deal.

With the Golden State Warriors knocking them out in the Western Conference 9-10 game in the play-in tournament on Wednesday, the Clippers now face an offseason in which they seek more stability and — hopefully — far less drama.

Maybe that’s a dream when you consider how often they find themselves involved in, well, something. But nevertheless, this is the offseason to swing for it.

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2025-26 finish

Record: 42-40, ninth in the Western Conference. Lost to the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament.

Highlight of the season

Unquestionably, it’s the run after their embarrassing 6-21 start. They were dead in the water, and entirely written off — justifiably so given the strength of the Western Conference — and yet found a rhythm that put them into position to fight for a spot in the playoffs. While the effort ultimately failed, that was nevertheless an enormous display of quality basketball.

Players signed for next season

Kawhi Leonard

Darius Garland

Derrick Jones Jr.

Isaiah Jackson

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Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Key free agents

Bennedict Mathurin (RFA)

John Collins (UFA)

Brook Lopez (team option)

Projected salary

$112,823,660

Projected draft picks

Nos. 36 & 53

Draft focus: The Clippers are constantly one of the oldest teams in the league, and even their young players are approaching their mid-20s. They need young blood, and both picks should be used to finding players coming off freshmen…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/clippers-offseason-outlook-los-angeles-is-in-need-of-a-direction-161329873.html

Author : Morten Stig Jensen

Publish date : 2026-04-16 16:13:00

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