The Clippers have moved on from Johni Broome, waiving the former Auburn star as they trim down a crowded roster heading into the fall.
Broome’s release was first reported by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line and Bleacher Report and Law Murray of The Athletic, and the team later announced the move at 4:38 pm.
Los Angeles had been staring at a roster squeeze, and Broome was the clearest odd man out. He was the 35th overall pick in last year’s draft, but the Clippers acquired him this summer largely because Philadelphia attached a future second-round pick to move his contract. His deal technically runs through 2028/29, though only the $2.15MM for ’26/27 was guaranteed.
If no other team claims him off waivers, the Clippers will still owe Broome his full $2.15MM salary for this season.
The cut doesn’t alter the club’s cap picture. The Clippers already have 16 players on guaranteed contracts and still sit with room below both the luxury tax line, about $15.1MM, and their first-apron hard cap, $23.7MM. Broome’s guaranteed money was already baked into that math.
The 24-year-old big man spent last season with Philadelphia, where he appeared in 11 NBA games as a rookie and averaged 0.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game. He also logged 26 games with the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ G League affiliate, putting up 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes a night while shooting .464/.287/.656.
His G League season ended early in late February when he suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. Broome underwent a partial meniscectomy a few days later. He later returned during the NBA playoffs and saw garbage-time minutes in a pair of blowout losses to the Knicks in the second round.
The Clippers still have one more roster decision looming. They have until October 15 to decide whether to guarantee Cam Christie’s $2.3MM salary for this season, and barring a trade, he appears likely to be waived before that deadline.
In Other News...
Clippers Fans Have One Big Reason To Watch Toronto's Next Move
Torontos front office still sounds like it believes theres room to keep pushing. Bobby Webster said the Raptors have enough draft capital and financial flexibility left to make another major addition if the opportunity comes along, even after the franchise paid a steep price to land Kawhi Leonard in the first place. For Clippers fans, that keeps the old Leonard trade tree from feeling like a closed book, especially with Webster also pointing to healthy signs around Jakob Poeltl and the clubs ability to keep RJ Barrett in the fold.
Webster also addressed the process behind the Leonard deal itself, saying Toronto completed its due diligence while the NBA was investigating the Clippers and never tried to reopen or renegotiate the trade after the leagues sanctions. Leonard later signed a two-year extension with the Raptors, but the lingering context around that move still gives this another layer of intrigue for anyone in Los Angeles watching how the fallout continues to echo around the league. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Open A Two-Way Spot With Camp About To Start
With training camp about to get underway, the Clippers are making room on the back end of the roster by planning to waive Jamarion Sharp to open a two-way contract slot. Sharp, a 7-foot-5 center, joined Los Angeles on a two-way deal in August after building his case with a strong G League and college career, but the move gives the team more flexibility as it sorts out its camp roster.
If Sharp clears waivers, he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. The Clippers already have two other players on two-way contracts and are not actively looking to replace Sharp, which suggests this is more about preserving roster flexibility than making an immediate addition. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Lost A Frontcourt Fix They Really Needed
The Clippers have been searching for a better answer on the glass in their frontcourt, where Brook Lopez and Rui Hachimura have carried much of the load but have not given them the rebounding edge they need. That made Julian Reese an interesting name for LA, especially after the rookie big man showed he could help on the boards during his first season with the Wizards and looked like a sensible developmental fit for a team trying to shore up a glaring weakness.
Now Reese is off the board after landing with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-way deal, which takes another potential frontcourt fix out of the Clippers' reach. With training camp approaching, the focus turns to the current two-way group and whether one of those players can emerge as the rebound-minded option this roster still needs. [Read more 🡒]