The Clippers are only seven games into the season, but a 1-6 start has already pushed the conversation somewhere uncomfortable: what exactly should this team be willing to move before February’s trade deadline?
That’s the case Cem Yolbulan of Clippers On SI makes, and it starts with a simple idea - if the season is already wobbling this badly, the front office should at least spend the coming months figuring out which veterans can be turned into draft capital and younger pieces.
It’s not as if seven games should be treated like a final verdict. Injured players can come back and change the picture fast.
But there’s a real gap between getting healthier and becoming a group worth keeping intact. That’s the line the Clippers have to sort out.
Yolbulan points to Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Brook Lopez as the most obvious trade candidates. Dunn and Jones bring perimeter defense and are on expiring deals, which makes them natural names to watch. Lopez, who is 38, could appeal to a contender looking for another center option.
The returns Yolbulan mentions - including the possibility of a first-round pick for Dunn or Jones - are his own evaluation, not reported offers.
The bigger swing decisions involve Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram. Garland’s $42.1 million salary makes any move involving him a heavy lift, while Ingram would first need to return and prove he can help a team. Even so, his expiring contract could still draw interest.
There’s also a wrinkle that makes this whole process more complicated. As Yolbulan notes, Lawrence Frank and Steve Ballmer are suspended until after the deadline because of the Kawhi Leonard investigation. That means interim decision-makers could be the ones weighing moves that might alter the franchise well beyond this season.
Trading a veteran reserve is one thing. Deciding the organization needs a reset is something else entirely.
The Clippers’ thin stash of draft assets gives them a reason to at least listen on veterans. But a bad start doesn’t mean they should take the first offer that comes along. If they do sell, the point has to be improving what comes next.
So a full fire sale isn’t a lock. But a hard look at who fits the next version of this roster absolutely should be. February is still ahead, and the Clippers need to use the time between now and then for more than just waiting on health to fix everything.
In Other News...
Clippers Game Set Off An Awkward Bay Area Championship Debate
The Golden State Valkyries are still getting used to life as champions after winning their first WNBA title with a Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Dream, and the celebration rolled into the Bay Area the very next day. During a Golden State Warriors game, the new champions were recognized in front of the home crowd, with Warriors players and staff showing support for the franchises milestone moment and fans weighing in online afterward.
But the scene also carried a strange edge, the kind that only a shared arena and a fresh title can create. With the Clippers in town, the moment turned into an awkward little Bay Area debate over how much noise the crowd should have made for a team that just delivered a championship, and the reaction from the stands made the whole thing feel a lot less like a coronation than the home side probably expected. [Read more 🡒]
Ty Lue May Have Unlocked A New Clippers Rotation Weapon
Ahead of the matchup with Toronto, Tyronn Lue had to reshuffle the Clippers lineup because of injuries, and the move gave Gradey Dick a chance to step into a larger role against his former team. It was the kind of spot start that can get lost in the shuffle over a long season, but Dick made it count, bringing energy on both ends and looking comfortable in extended minutes.
He finished with a season-high 29 minutes and turned in what was easily his most complete showing of the year, mixing efficient offense with active defense. For a Clippers team always searching for useful rotation answers, the performance offered a reminder that Lue may have stumbled onto a piece he can lean on again if the lineup stays thin. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers May Have Let A Promising Two-Way Forward Slip Away
A promising two-way forward appears to be on the move again, and the Clippers are part of the backdrop. Minnesota intends to sign Norchad Omier to a two-way contract, a deal that should be finalized soon and would give him a chance to appear in up to 46 regular-season games for the Timberwolves. Omier went undrafted in 2025, spent time in the G League and NBA last season, and has continued to build momentum as a developmental piece.
For the Clippers, the interest is in how quickly a player like Omier can turn a brief opening into real value elsewhere. Minnesota is making room for him by waiving Enrique Freeman, and Omiers path has already included a stop with Los Angeles before he drew more attention in Summer League after not receiving a qualifying offer. It is the kind of roster churn that can make a young forward easy to overlook, until another team decides there is still something worth betting on. [Read more 🡒]