The Clippers had their eyes on Cason Wallace, and now that path is closed.
Before the Oct. 19 deadline, the Oklahoma City Thunder locked up Wallace on a five-year, $139 million extension, wiping out what had been shaping up as a real free-agency target for LA next summer. Wallace was viewed as the kind of guard the Clippers could build around with Keaton Wagler over the long haul, thanks to his two-way impact. The price tag may not have scared them off either; Wallace was expected to be looking for something near $30 million, and the Clippers would have had the cap space to chase it.
But that opportunity is gone, and the front office is back to scanning the board. Wallace wasn’t the only name the Clippers had been tracking, either. They’ve also seen Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, Keyonte George, and Brandin Podziemski come off the table.
Even with those losses, the 2027 restricted free agent class still offers plenty to watch. Brandon Miller, Anthony Black, Scoot Henderson, Bilal Coulibaly, Derrick Lively II, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Michael Porter Jr. all remain names worth monitoring, and some of them have the kind of upside that could push into All-Star territory.
For the Clippers, the fit matters as much as the talent. The idea is still to put Wagler next to someone who can help anchor the backcourt and add a wing presence that strengthens the team’s core for the long run.
Among the remaining names, Henderson and Jaquez Jr. stand out most.
Henderson brings the loudest ceiling of the group. He has already flashed star potential with the Portland Trail Blazers when healthy, and the coming season looks like another chance for him to show more of what he can do with greater usage and responsibility. Put his offensive game alongside Wagler’s two-way profile, and the Clippers would be looking at a starting guard pairing with real juice.
Jaquez Jr. is a different kind of prize, but just as appealing. In his third season with the Miami Heat, he took a real leap, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting better than 50% from the field over 75 games last season.
Those two names sit near the top of the Clippers’ watch list now, but they aren’t the only ones. Coulibaly and Lively II are also worth a look if the price is right.
In Other News...
Clippers Get An Early Crosstown Test Against A Former Laker
The early part of the new season is going to give Los Angeles basketball fans a familiar subplot, with the Lakers opening against Golden State before turning right around to face the Clippers and one of their former rotation pieces in Rui Hachimura. Hachimura landed with the Clippers in free agency after leaving the Lakers, while Austin Reaves stuck in purple and gold on a four-year extension, setting up a little more cross-town familiarity than usual when the teams meet early.
Reaves already offered a lighthearted view of Hachimura during a practice interview, which only adds to the intrigue of seeing him in a different uniform so quickly. For the Clippers, it is an early chance to see how a recent addition fits into a rivalry game that tends to carry extra weight anyway, especially when the opponent across the hallway knows the player almost as well as they do. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Open Against A Kings Team Already Facing Rotation Trouble
The Kings are heading into their season opener in Los Angeles already short-handed, with three players ruled out and another on the questionable list because of injuries. Sacramento will have to navigate the first night of the season without Ben Simmons, who is out for the year with a right Achilles tendon rupture, while the Clippers will also be dealing with their own availability issues, with five players ruled out for the matchup.
That leaves some uncertainty on both sides before the 7:30 p.m. PT tip, but Sacramentos backcourt situation is the one worth monitoring closest. Malik Monk is the questionable name after missing preseason and getting back to practice this week, and his status could shape how the Kings handle an opener that already comes with some rotation pressure. [Read more 🡒]
John Collins Pistons Debut Reminded Clippers Fans Why They Moved On
John Collins first game in a Pistons uniform offered a quick reminder of why the Clippers were comfortable letting him walk. After signing a three-year deal in Detroit, Collins stepped into a new role and immediately found himself under the microscope, with his debut turning into a rough early snapshot of the same uneven play that followed him out of Los Angeles.
The bigger issue for Detroit was how hard it was to keep him on the floor when the game tightened up. Collins had trouble with defensive switches and positioning, and J.B. Bickerstaff eventually turned to Javonte Green as the Pistons mounted their comeback. For Clippers fans, it was the kind of debut that made the separation look a lot easier to understand. [Read more 🡒]