The Clippers Are Back in the Fight - But One Wrong Move Could End It All
The Los Angeles Clippers' season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster - and as we head into the trade deadline, the stakes couldn’t be higher. What started as a disaster has turned into a revival, but with February 5 fast approaching, the question now isn’t just can the Clippers keep this going - it’s should they make a move at all?
Let’s rewind. This season began in flames.
An 8-15 start. The worst November in franchise history.
Injuries piled up, and the much-hyped Big Three never got off the ground. Bradley Beal fractured his hip early and was ruled out for the season before the calendar even flipped to December.
The Clippers looked old. Slow.
Fragile. And frankly, finished.
Then came the twist.
From mid-December through late January, something clicked. The Clippers ripped off 16 wins in 19 games and clawed their way back into the Western Conference play-in picture.
Kawhi Leonard found his rhythm again, averaging 27.7 points per game while playing elite defense. James Harden, written off by many as a fading star, turned back the clock with 25.4 points a night and steady late-game orchestration.
Suddenly, the Clippers were 22-25 and sitting 10th in the West. Not great - but alive.
And in a season that looked lost, that’s no small thing.
But here’s the catch: this turnaround, as gutsy and impressive as it’s been, is hanging by a thread.
This is the oldest roster in NBA history, with an average age of 33.2. That’s not just trivia - it’s a nightly reality.
Durability is a constant concern. Role players like Derrick Jones Jr. and Bogdan Bogdanovic have missed time, though both are nearing returns that could bring some much-needed stability to the rotation.
Now the Clippers face a brutal dilemma. They can’t tank - their 2026 first-round pick belongs, unprotected, to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Every loss potentially strengthens a division rival. But they also can’t ignore their flaws.
The Clippers rank dead last in assist rate and 25th in scoring. That’s not a profile built for postseason success, especially when your stars are in their mid-30s and logging heavy minutes.
So what do you do?
Right now, the front office is scouring the market for backcourt help - someone who can provide scoring punch and take pressure off Leonard and Harden. They’ve been linked to names like Coby White, Anfernee Simons, and Collin Sexton.
The assets in play? Bogdanovic’s $16 million expiring contract, or potentially John Collins’ salary.
The logic is clear: add offense, brace for the grind, and push for the postseason.
But here’s where things get dangerous.
Contenders - most notably Boston - have reportedly expressed interest in big man Ivica Zubac. And while the Clippers have pushed back on those calls, the temptation is real.
Zubac doesn’t grab headlines, but he’s been the defensive anchor during this run. Since December 1, the Clippers have ranked in the top 10 defensively, and Zubac is a massive reason why.
Trading him for more scoring might solve one problem - but it could create a bigger one.
Because if the Clippers lose their defensive identity, they lose everything.
This team isn’t built to win shootouts. Strip away Zubac’s rim protection or Jones’ perimeter defense, and suddenly you’re asking an aging roster to win games 130-128. That’s not just unsustainable - it’s fantasy.
The irony? The very things that sparked the Clippers’ resurgence - defensive grit, physicality, and role-player discipline - are the same things they risk sacrificing in a panic move. Instead of protecting Leonard and Harden, a misguided trade could leave them exposed, forced to shoulder even more two-way responsibility in high-leverage minutes.
And the consequences wouldn’t stop in April.
If the Clippers flame out after dealing a key defender, they could be handing the Thunder a lottery pick in a loaded 2026 draft. That’s the nightmare scenario: a franchise with no control over its draft future making a short-sighted move that benefits a division rival for years to come.
The truth is, the Clippers’ comeback has been real. It’s been hard-earned.
But it’s also been fragile. The danger isn’t in standing pat - it’s in overreacting.
Sometimes, the best trade is the one you don’t make.
Right now, what’s working for the Clippers is defense, cohesion, and survival. That’s their identity.
That’s their edge. Lose that, and this wild ride could end the way so many others have - as a cautionary tale of what might’ve been.