When the Los Angeles Clippers’ preseason schedule was revealed this week, there was a notable absence.
The Clippers, who have partnered with the Hawaii Tourism Authority for training camp visits and exhibition games in the Islands in five of the last eight seasons, are staying closer to home for the upcoming NBA preseason.
After last October’s sellout game against the Golden State Warriors at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, indications were strong the Clippers would return for another year. But the franchise, which moved into the $2 billion Intuit Dome last season, will play its four preseason games all in California — in Oceanside, Inglewood, Sacramento and San Francisco.
Clippers and University of Hawaii officials confirmed to Spectrum News on Thursday that there will be no Hawaii visit added to the calendar this year.
Last year, it was reported the HTA paid the Clippers $750,000 for their visit. Most recently, the HTA partnered with the Los Angeles Rams to bring the NFL franchise out for a minicamp on Maui in June.
The Clippers faced a fellow NBA franchise (Raptors, Rockets, Jazz, Warriors) on four of their visits and sold out each of them. The franchise also made a tech lab donation to an Oahu school in each visit to date (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024).
They are expected to contend in the Western Conference in the upcoming season with veterans like Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Bradley Beal and Ivica Zubac.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.