The Clippers are running out of time, but they aren't out of options.
Most aging contenders eventually face the same question: tear it down or find a new timeline.
This isn't the case for the Clippers.
The Los Angeles Clippers have made big changes to their roster over the past few seasons.
It all started when Paul George left in free agency and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. This departure left a hole in the roster that needed to be filled, and Norman Powell stepped up for the job.
Powell's scoring output exploded, with him averaging almost 22 ppg on elite efficiency. This explosion built up Powell's trade value enough for the Clippers to trade him for John Collins in the 2025 offseason.
This trade didn't pan out too well. John Collins had a disappointing season, and Powell was named an all-star. With Collins struggling at the start of the season, and Kawhi Leonard missing a bunch of games, the Clippers started the season 6-21, later reaching 25-28 at the trade deadline after Kawhi Leonard's return.
This poor start, along with questions surrounding the future of the Clippers regarding age and scandals, likely contributed to James Harden requesting a trade and later being traded for Darius Garland.
It's easy to argue whether the Garland trade was good or bad, but there is an undeniable fact: The Clippers got significantly younger. James Harden is a decade older than Garland. Moving towards a significantly younger star PG, and having an incoming 5th overall draft selection, the Clippers are plagued with one question: Is it time to rebuild, or can we retool and run it back with Kawhi Leonard?
This is a difficult question.
Leonard and Garland have had issues staying healthy, and Kawhi's age raises questions about his ability to remain at an elite level. There have been discussions online regarding a potential Kawhi trade, and the Clippers can certainly get a good haul, especially with the season Kawhi just had.
However, despite the real concerns, the level of play Kawhi just showed is undeniable. Kawhi might make the All-NBA First team. He led his team through a historic mid-season turnaround, going from the bottom of the West to a potential playoff team. Even through the trade of arguably his two best teammates in Harden and Zubac, Kawhi managed to lift his team to relevance.
So the answer?
Retool with the goal of one last championship push while not sacrificing young talent.
How do you do this? Well, it's simple; look for selling teams and take in short-term contracts, and utilize free agency to fill out depth.
The Moves:
Dallas Mavericks receive: (G) Cam Christie, (G) Bradley Beal, (C) Isaiah Jackson, 2 2026 2nd-round picks.
Los Angeles Clippers receive: (C) Daniel Gafford.
NBA Draft: Draft (G) Kingston Flemings with 5th overall selection
Free Agency:
Decline options on: Nicolas Batum, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Brook Lopez (Free's $29 million)
Resign (F) John Collins to a 3-year, $45 million contract,
Resign (F) Bennedict Mathurin to a 3-year, $75 million contract
Resign (F) Jordan Miller to a 4-year, $28 million contract
Resign (G) Kobe Sanders to a 3-year, $15 million contract
Sign (C) Robert Williams III to a 2-year, $10 million contract
Why this works:
This basically sums up retooling.
Let's start with the trade. Daniel Gafford has been in league-wide trade talks for the whole season. He fits in basically any team's starting center role, providing rim finishing and protection.
To get him, the Clippers send out Bradley Beal, along with 2nd round picks to compensate for his contract, Isaiah Jackson to fill the center spot, and Cam Christie, who is the brother of current Mavericks forward Max Christie, and a promising young guard.
In the draft, the Clippers draft Kingston Flemings as a backcourt partner with Garland, who can provide perimeter defense that Garland lacks, and be an efficient off-ball scorer and secondary ball handler.
It is in Free Agency where the Clippers really clean house.
Declining the options on Batum, Bogdanovic, and Lopez clears $29 million while pushing the roster younger.
Using freed-up salary, the Clippers re-sign John Collins on a team-friendly deal, and secure a long-term young core by resigning Bennedict Mathurin, Jordan Miller, and Kobe Sanders to multi-year deals, all at a reasonable salary. These players, specifically Miller and Sanders, have each progressed into solid role players who can give the Clippers real minutes.
After the trade, the draft, and all of the extensions, the Clippers have around $5 million left in Apron Space. This space is used to sign Robert Williams III to serve as a backup center who fits really well with the Clippers bench unit.
All of these moves create a roster with championship potential, while going all-in on a youth movement to secure a future for the Clippers.
Winning now doesn't mean sacrificing your future.
You don't always need to rebuild; sometimes, all you need is a retool.
It's time to get to work.
Los Angeles Clippers potential 2026-27 starting lineup + bench:
PG: Darius Garland SG: Bennedict Mathurin SF: Kawhi Leonard PF: John Collins C: Daniel Gafford
G: Kris Dunn, Kobe Sanders F: Derrick Jones Jr., Jordan Miller C: Robert Williams III, Yanic Konan Niederhauser