The Clippers’ offseason has been anything but calm, and the roster now has a very different look. With the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration investigation costing Los Angeles five first-round picks, plus fines and suspensions for the front office and owner Steve Ballmer, the team is moving into a new phase fast. And with Leonard officially out of Los Angeles, per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Clippers and Raptors can now complete the deal that sends Leonard to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a pick swap.
That leaves LA with seven newcomers to sort through, and the biggest question is simple: who matters most?
At the top of the list is Ingram, and it’s not especially close. The 6'8" forward comes in as the most intriguing piece on the roster, and if the Clippers are going to get anything meaningful out of this group, it starts with him.
Ingram has scored 20+ points per game for seven straight seasons, and that kind of consistency is hard to find. He’s a high-volume shooter, but the production has been steady for years.
He may not match Leonard’s all-around talent, but he’s now the player who gives this team its clearest path forward.
Right behind him is Keaton Wagler, the top-five pick LA is counting on after the punishment that left the franchise short on future draft capital. The Clippers need him to play like a player worthy of that investment.
It’s not yet clear whether he’ll open the season in the starting lineup or come off the bench, but the expectation is that he’ll have a real role. If Wagler turns into a star-level talent, that would be a major win for the organization’s future.
Rui Hachimura also looks like someone who can make an immediate difference. Signed quietly this offseason, the former Lakers forward brings a strong playoff resume with him.
He averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 57 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs, production that stands out in any setting. He should give LA a reliable wing option who can defend and help steady the forward spots.
Max Strus arrives with a different kind of value. Acquired in a three-team trade that sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland, Strus brings shooting and defense to the Clippers. He doesn’t fill a glaring need, but he does add a veteran presence in the backcourt, and that still matters on a reshaped roster.
Gradey Dick’s situation is less straightforward than it looked when the trade was first announced in June. At that point, he had a real opening for playing time.
Since then, the guard rotation has gotten more crowded, and that path has narrowed. Dick was taken in the 2023 first round for his shooting, but the 23-year-old hasn’t broken through yet.
He shot 30 percent from three last season, and while a change of scenery could help, he now looks more likely to get buried on the depth chart.
Baba Miller, LA’s second-round pick this year, offers an interesting frame at 6'11" and a lot of athleticism, but his role should be limited. The former Cincinnati forward is expected to spend most of the season in the G League, with a possible look late in the year if things break that way. For now, fans shouldn’t expect much.
Johni Broome is in a similar spot. The 76ers traded him and a 2027 second-round pick to LA for cash considerations after he saw limited action in his rookie season. At 24, he has less developmental runway than most second-year players, and like Miller, he should spend most of the season in the G League.
In Other News...
Clippers Face Huge Pressure As Their Next Moves Shape Playoff Hopes
The Clippers are spending this stretch juggling more than just roster decisions. After the penalties tied to a cap-circumvention scandal, the organization has been forced to navigate front office changes while trying to keep its basketball plan on track, with Trent Redden handling basketball operations as the team works through its next leadership steps.
On the court, the pressure has only intensified. Los Angeles has already finalized the delayed blockbuster trade to bring back Brandon Ingram, and the goal remains clear: find enough stability to stay in the playoff race despite losing Kawhi Leonard and multiple draft picks. With an interim governor still to be named and more roster moves likely, the Clippers are trying to build for the present while the fallout from the scandal still lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Brook Lopez Just Became The Clippers Biggest Season Swing Factor
Brook Lopez has quickly become one of the most important variables in the Clippers long-term plan, which says plenty about where this roster stands heading toward the 2026-27 season. The idea is simple enough: if Lopez gives them steady center play, Los Angeles should have enough structure to stay in the playoff conversation, even if the top of the West remains crowded.
Tyronn Lue does not have much margin for error behind him, either. The roster does not offer an obvious power forward swap to cover for Lopez if things go sideways, and the center depth could get thin in a hurry. If Lopez falls short of expectations, the Clippers may be left waiting on Yanic Konan Niederhausers recovery from a Lisfranc injury before they have another real option in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Punishment Just Raised A Brutal Question For The Franchise
The NBAs punishment of the Clippers landed with the kind of force that gets the whole leagues attention, not just because of its size but because of the way commissioner Adam Silver framed it. He said the historic discipline was built on past salary-cap circumvention cases, a reminder that the league has long treated this type of violation as a fundamental line it will not let teams cross. The result is a steep cost for the franchise: five future first-round picks gone, a $30 million fine, a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for team executives.
What makes the situation even more uneasy for the Clippers is that Silver made clear the penalty is meant to stand as is. There is no hint of a softer landing or a renegotiated resolution, which leaves the franchise facing the next phase of the fallout without much room to maneuver. For a team trying to keep its competitive window open, the question now is how much damage a punishment this severe can do before the roster-building consequences start to show. [Read more 🡒]