After numerous promising seasons, the Clips aim to finally take the leap into legit championship contenders
Clippers’ newest star James Harden on a scoring drive against the New York KnicksCredit: (Photo courtesy of L.A. Clippers)
For those who stay updated on offseason NBA drama, it goes without saying that the LA Clippers, specifically small forward Kawhi Leonard and franchise owner Steve Ballmer, have certainly found themselves in a pickle.
Although this scandal does concern those two primarily, and nothing has been set in stone in terms of what has or hasn’t happened, one can’t help but feel sorry for the franchise and their freshly revamped image after just dealing with a previous scandal with former team owner, Donald Sterling. With the amount of moving cogs in play here, the full investigation is expected to last until the end of the upcoming season, so fans shouldn’t hit the panic button just yet.
In their first game of the preseason, the Clippers will test the waters of their newly readjusted roster against the Guangzhou Long-Lions in a highly competitive scrimmage.
During the offseason, we saw a plethora of roster moves, including our beloved sixth-man shooting guard Norman Powell being shipped off to the Miami Heat as part of a grander package deal that also included the Utah Jazz. Other NBA veterans, such as small forward Ben Simmons and guard/forward Amir Coffey, decided to opt out of resigning with the team.
The team was able to resign offensive guru and future Hall of Fame shooting guard James Harden to a 2-year, $81.5 million contract, giving the Clippers an offensive pillar they can rely on during crunch-time games.
Defensive anchor Nicolas Batum is also returning on a 2-year, $11.5 million signing, ensuring the Clippers have one of the best utility players in the league at their disposal.
However, the juicest offseason moves are centered around the stellar new additions to the roster that thankfully fill the woeful voids plaguing the team for years now.
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Ever since we saw the departure of Clippers legend Blake Griffin back in 2018, the power forward position has become a weakness among the various roster compositions since. As part of the 3-team trade that featured Norman Powell, LA received the high-flying slam dunker John Collins from the Jazz, who averaged a superb 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds on 52% shooting, proving to be the biggest addition to the power forward position since Griffin.
Another major signing is former NBA champion and All-Star center Brook Lopez on a 2-year, $18 million deal. Lopez, who averaged 13.0 points and 5.0 rebounds last season, will add even more championship pedigree to the roster and further bolster the towering back-court presence alongside starting center Ivica Zubac, who himself just had a breakout season, averaging 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds.
Coming off a failed stint with the Phoenix Suns that ended with a buyout, shooting guard Bradley Beal struck a deal with the Clippers on a 2-year, $11 million contract. Before playing in Phoenix, Beal was regarded as a top 3 shooting guard during his time with the Washington Wizards, averaging upwards of 21 points, even 30 points, in those respective seasons.
But when he arrived at the Suns, Beal became the third offensive option behind Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, a position unknown to him after being the sole focal point in Washington for a decade. If Beal returns to anywhere near the form of his days with the Wizards, he could be the scoring x-factor that would propel the Clippers into serious championship contenders in tandem with Harden and Leonard.
Finally, the most exciting acquisition of the offseason was the return of the “Point God”, the “Mayor of Lob-City,” our beloved Chris Paul, who was the core of the Clippers’ revitalization back in the 2010s, along with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
Paul’s skill and leadership were central to the rebirth of the franchise, dispelling the ancient negative mantras that shackled them for decades prior. During that “Lob-City” era, the franchise saw its best games of basketball played in its history, producing numerous All-Stars and All-NBA players, deep playoff runs, and a surging Clippers culture still felt today.
While it hasn’t been directly stated, it is highly speculated to be Paul’s final season in the league, so it’s fitting for him to sing his swan song in Los Angeles. And with such a tantalizing arsenal of weapons at his fingertips, Paul’s last season could be one of his most productive yet as one of the greatest playmakers and passers to ever lace ’em up.
There is a lot to love about this team heading into the 2025-2026 season, and we’re ecstatic to see how these faces, old and new, will hopefully mesh into a championship contender.
Catch the Clippers’ preseason debut on Thursday, October 9th, and the first game of the regular season on Wednesday, October 22nd at the Utah Jazz.