The Los Angeles Clippers are sitting at 6-20, near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but don’t expect them to hit the panic button just yet. Despite the rough start, the front office isn’t looking to blow things up. According to league sources, the Clippers are turning down trade offers for Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac-three of their core pieces.
And here’s why: their 2026 first-round pick is headed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That means tanking isn’t on the table-not unless they’re comfortable handing OKC a lottery prize. So, instead of selling off veterans, the Clippers are holding firm, hoping they can right the ship and fight their way into the play-in mix once Derrick Jones Jr. returns from his knee injury.
Now, let’s talk about the guys they’re keeping.
Kawhi Leonard is still putting up All-Star numbers. He’s averaging 25.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting an efficient 48.7% from the field.
His 37.1% from deep and a jaw-dropping 97.4% from the free-throw line show that his scoring touch hasn’t faded. He’s making $50 million this season, and while the team’s record doesn’t reflect it, Leonard continues to play at a high level.
James Harden, meanwhile, is doing what he was brought in to do: create offense. He’s averaging 26.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game.
The shooting splits-44.0% from the field, 37.6% from three, and 88.5% from the line-are solid, and he’s still one of the most skilled offensive initiators in the league. At $39.2 million this season, Harden remains a high-usage, high-impact player.
And then there’s Ivica Zubac, the unsung anchor in the middle. He’s been quietly putting together a strong season, averaging 16.2 points and 11.5 boards per game, while shooting 61.3% from the floor.
He’s also handing out 2.5 assists per night, showing some growth as a passer. Zubac is earning $18.1 million this season, and at that number, his production is more than just serviceable-it’s valuable.
But the numbers don’t lie about the team’s struggles. The Clippers rank 27th in points per game, 22nd in offensive rating, and 26th in defensive rating.
Their net rating sits at 24th overall-an indicator that both ends of the floor need work. Even with three stars producing, the team hasn’t found a consistent rhythm.
Defensively, they’ve slipped. Offensively, the ball movement and spacing haven’t clicked the way you’d expect from a team with this much veteran talent. Injuries haven’t helped, and the absence of Derrick Jones Jr., who brings athleticism and defensive versatility, has left a hole in the rotation.
Still, there’s a reason the Clippers are holding the line. This is a franchise that hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2022.
The Kawhi Leonard era, for all its hype, has only produced one trip to the Western Conference Finals. That came in 2021, and since then, it's been a rollercoaster of injuries, roster changes, and missed opportunities-none more glaring than the 3-1 collapse to the Denver Nuggets in the 2020 bubble.
Leonard arrived in 2019 with championship pedigree and MVP-level expectations. The Clippers paired him with Paul George and, more recently, Harden, in an effort to build a title contender. But the results haven’t matched the talent on paper.
Now, with the season hanging in the balance and the standings unforgiving, the Clippers are betting on internal improvement rather than a fire sale. The message is clear: this team still believes it has enough to compete-at least for a play-in spot.
Whether that belief turns into wins remains to be seen. But for now, the Clippers aren’t folding. They’re holding their cards, hoping the hand they’ve built finally plays out the way they imagined.