What’s left of the Clippers? Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler, Tyronn Lue and a date with basketball purgatory

Nearly a year ago, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank sat before a host of reporters in Inglewood, California, attempting to get ahead of incoming questions about Kawhi Leonard. The team’s offseason had seen several names come through the door — Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and John Collins — but the inescapable elephant in the room hung over like a dark cloud. 

“I’m not naive,” Frank said, repeatedly adjusting and removing his glasses. “I know there are a lot of questions about our organization. I wish I could answer them all, but out of respect to the NBA’s investigation, I can’t. What I can do is answer what I’m able to share. We’re glad there’s an investigation and we welcome it. The assumptions that have been made are disappointing. We’re eager for the truth to come out.”

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Quite a bit has changed in the 11 months and change since Frank’s last public appearance. Gone is Paul, unceremoniously shoved out the front door by an organization with a checkered past. Collins is gone too, for basketball reasons, but reasons nonetheless. Leonard, who expects a pending trade to the Toronto Raptors to be completed, will soon follow suit. And Frank, now suspended by the NBA without pay for six months as part of the league’s historic punishment handed out to the Clippers for cap circumvention regarding Leonard, is barred from the building. 

A long season awaits Darius Garland, Ty Lue and the Clippers. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

(Katelyn Mulcahy via Getty Images)

What’s left is an awkward-fitting roster that technically should be operating in two timelines, now trapped in a vortex. A team slowly stripped of its talent, stripped of its identity and, now, its dignity, feebly held together by head coach Tyronn Lue and associate head coach Jeff Van Gundy. 

In just a few weeks, Lue will sit at that same podium he graced last year when the running themes were about growth, excitement and opportunity. Now the focus will be about survival and patience. He’ll be peppered with inquiries about the state of what’s left of a basketball team and how to properly chart a course…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/whats-left-of-the-clippers-darius-garland-keaton-wagler-tyronn-lue-and-a-date-with-basketball-purgatory-194000607.html

Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-09-04 19:40:00

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