The Clippers are in a tailspin-but don’t expect a fire sale just yet.
Despite sitting at 6-20 and buried near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly turning down trade inquiries for Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac. According to league sources, the front office isn’t ready to hit the reset button-at least not while Oklahoma City still holds their 2026 first-round pick.
That’s the key here. If the Clippers were to blow it all up now, it wouldn’t even benefit them in the long run.
The Thunder, who own that 2026 selection thanks to the Paul George trade, would be the ones cashing in on a full-scale rebuild. So instead of tanking, the Clippers are trying to find a way-any way-to salvage the season.
There’s still some internal belief that a turnaround is possible. Team officials are reportedly holding out hope for a push toward the play-in tournament, particularly once Derrick Jones Jr. returns from a knee injury. That’s a big ask, especially when the numbers suggest this team is far from competitive right now.
The Clippers rank near the bottom of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and they’re sitting 27th in points per game. That’s not just bad-it’s the kind of production that leaves you needing near-perfect nights just to have a chance.
And yet, the stars are still putting up numbers.
Kawhi Leonard, despite the team’s struggles, continues to be a steady force when he’s on the floor. He’s averaging 25.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting efficiently across all categories. He’s earning $50 million this season, and while availability has always been the question with Kawhi, the production is still very much there.
James Harden, in his first full season with the Clippers, has also been productive. He’s putting up 26.0 points and 8.1 assists per game over 25 appearances and earning $39.2 million. It’s clear that Harden can still create offense at a high level, even if the team around him hasn’t quite gelled.
Then there’s Ivica Zubac, maybe the most consistent presence on this roster. The big man is averaging 16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, shooting better than 61 percent from the field. Night in, night out, Zubac is doing his job-and doing it well.
But the reality is, individual numbers haven’t translated to team success.
The Clippers haven’t missed the playoffs since 2022, but this current era-headlined by Leonard-hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations that came with it. Since Leonard signed in 2019, the team has reached the Western Conference Finals just once. And of course, the low point remains the 2020 bubble collapse, when the Clippers infamously blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in the second round.
That moment still lingers in the background, a reminder of how quickly championship hopes can unravel.
Right now, the Clippers are hanging on to the idea that this season isn’t over. They’re not ready to sell off their stars, not when the alternative would only benefit a rival.
But with each loss, the margin for error shrinks. If there’s a turnaround coming, it needs to start soon-because time, and the standings, aren’t waiting.