The Clippers were supposed to use the preseason to answer a pretty simple question: can Kobe Sanders handle the backup power forward job?
Now that answer is on hold.
Sanders, who has the size to cover almost every spot on the floor except center, is dealing with a left hip impingement and won’t play in Sunday’s preseason opener against Golden State. Ohm Youngmisuk reported that Sanders “will do individual work but will not participate in Saturday’s practice.” For now, no timetable has been given for his return, though the expectation is that it’s day-to-day.
That matters because Los Angeles’ options behind Rui Hachimura are thin. Nicolas Batum, last year’s backup, retired over the summer, leaving the Clippers with Sanders as the most obvious player to test in that role. At six-foot-eight and 208 pounds, he got the first look by default, and the preseason was the cleanest chance to see whether he could provide real minutes there.
The main things the Clippers want to see are pretty clear: rebounding and defense. Sanders has the offensive tools to fit at the four. He shot 40.8% from three-point range in 2025-26 on nearly three attempts a game, and he also showed he could attack close-outs, create some separation in the mid-range, and finish at the rim with relative ease despite being a rookie.
The concerns are on the other end and on the glass. Sanders has never played meaningful minutes at power forward, and he averaged just 2.3 rebounds last season. That number won’t cut it if Tyronn Lue needs him to spell Hachimura, who also isn’t strong on the boards.
Sanders looked healthy at Clippers media day, which suggests the injury happened during training camp. If he’s able to return for the team’s second preseason game against Toronto on Oct. 10, that would give the Clippers their first real chance to see whether he can handle the job.
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