The Clippers enter free agency with a couple of glaring needs staring them in the face: shooting and rebounding. That much is clear.
What isn’t clear is how Los Angeles will navigate an offseason clouded by trade chatter around Kawhi Leonard, whose future with the team remains uncertain. If Leonard is moved, the Clippers would be staring at a full rebuild.
For now, the front office has to think about how to patch the roster, and the fit starts in the frontcourt. New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson looks like the cleanest answer. The 7-foot big man was an important bench piece in the Knicks’ championship season, putting up six points, nine rebounds and a little over a block per game in about 20 minutes a night.
The raw scoring doesn’t jump off the page, but Robinson’s value shows up where the Clippers were hurting most. He protects the rim, cleans up the glass and brings immediate impact the moment he checks in.
Those are exactly the kinds of traits Los Angeles lacked last season. The concern, of course, is obvious: he shot just 40 percent from the free-throw line in the regular season, which can make him tough to trust late in games because opponents can foul him on purpose.
He’s also dealt with injuries, though he did appear in 60 games in 2025.
Another name that could fit what LA needs is Jonathan Kuminga, even if he’s a more unexpected option. The Atlanta Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option for next season, which opened the door for him to become an unrestricted free agent. Kuminga, who is 23, averaged 12 points and six rebounds last season and has the kind of athletic profile the Clippers could use on the wing.
If Leonard is gone, the opening at forward becomes even more obvious, and Kuminga would fit the direction of a younger timeline. He also flashed enough last season, including several 20-point games with the Hawks, to make him worth a look if the price is right.
There’s also help available at center beyond Robinson. Robert Williams III is another possible target for Los Angeles, and he brings the same sort of defensive punch. The 28-year-old played 59 games for the Portland Trail Blazers last season and averaged seven rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Williams would give the Clippers another shot-blocking presence and some much-needed muscle inside. Right now, LA is working with Brook Lopez and Yanic Konan Niederhauser at center, but the roster still lacks the kind of physical rebounders who can really control the paint. That matters for a team that finished with the second-fewest rebounds in the NBA during the regular season.
The risk with Williams is familiar. Injuries have followed him over the last few seasons, so nothing about the fit is clean.
Even if the Clippers bring him in, they’d probably still need more frontcourt help. But as a player who can change the energy around the rim, Williams would address a problem LA can’t afford to ignore.
In Other News...
Clippers Quietly Locked In A Young Wing Fans Should Notice
While much of the offseason buzz around Los Angeles is centered on the Lakers and their search for frontcourt help, the Clippers made a quieter move that still matters for their own wing rotation. The team has agreed to a four-year deal with restricted free agent Kobe Sanders, a young wing who has already shown enough promise to earn a longer look after beginning his career on a two-way contract.
Sanders rookie season offered a glimpse of why the Clippers wanted to keep him in the fold. He averaged 7.3 points and shot better than 40 percent from three, production that fits neatly with a roster always looking for cost-controlled depth on the perimeter. For a team trying to stay ahead of roster churn in a crowded market, locking in a young wing like Sanders is the sort of move that can look more important later than it does on the day it is announced. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans May Not Like Where This John Collins Situation Is Going
John Collins has given the Clippers exactly the kind of frontcourt versatility they tend to covet: enough shooting to stretch the floor, enough athleticism to finish plays, and enough defensive ability to make him more than just a spacer. That is why the team is interested in bringing him back after his latest run, with his blend of size and skill fitting neatly into what L.A. wants around its core.
The problem is that Collins is not a simple retain, because the market is expected to push hard in a way the Clippers may not love. If the price climbs beyond what L.A. is comfortable matching, the team could be left trying to replace a player whose impact is not easy to duplicate, especially in a frontcourt that already depends on functional, two-way pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Rumored Kawhi Preference Could Define Their Next Era
Brandon Ingram has emerged as a name worth watching in the Clippers thinking as they consider how to reshape the roster around a potential Kawhi Leonard move. The fit is easy to see on paper: Ingram brings a smooth scoring game, size on the wing and the kind of offensive versatility that could slide into a team trying to stay competitive while leaning younger and more flexible.
The appeal also says something about the direction this next phase could take, with draft capital and at least one young piece likely part of the conversation if the Clippers decide to get serious. There are still other paths they could explore, but the fact that Ingram keeps surfacing suggests the front office may be looking for a more polished return than a simple reset, and that choice could shape the franchise's next era. [Read more 🡒]