The Clippers’ Collapse: A Veteran Roster, a Lost Draft Pick, and a Front Office Under Fire
If there’s one team that’s fallen flat this NBA season, it’s the Los Angeles Clippers - and not just by a little. After a headline-grabbing offseason that had many thinking they’d make another serious run in the Western Conference, the Clippers have stumbled to a 7-21 start.
And the worst part? There’s no clear path out of the mess.
Let’s rewind for a second. Last season, the Clippers won 50 games and looked like a team still in the mix.
Then came the summer overhaul. They brought in Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, and Brook Lopez - all big names, all seasoned vets.
On paper, it looked like a smart move: surround Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with experienced talent and make a push while the window’s still cracked open.
But instead of creating a contender, the Clippers built the oldest roster in NBA history - and one with no future assets to speak of. This isn’t just a slump.
This is a full-on freefall, and it’s happening with no parachute. The team doesn’t even control its own first-round pick this season.
That belongs to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, thanks to the Paul George trade - a deal that continues to haunt LA with every loss.
And that brings us to the bigger issue: there’s no easy out. The Clippers can’t tank - the pick’s already gone.
They can’t trade for youth - their stars are aging, and the market for them isn’t exactly booming. It’s a roster built for yesterday, stuck in today, and with no clear plan for tomorrow.
Even former Laker and seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry couldn’t help but take a jab at the situation. Speaking on Spectrum Sportsnet, Horry quipped, “I guess you got to find more trees to cut down or something. It’s just so much going on over there.”
That wasn’t just a random metaphor. Horry was referencing the controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s signing - specifically, allegations that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by funneling money through a company called Aspiration.
The company, known for its environmental work like planting trees, allegedly paid Leonard millions in sponsorship money for little to no actual involvement. Horry’s comment was a not-so-subtle nod to that situation, suggesting the Clippers might need to “cut down more trees” if they want to keep adding talent under the radar.
It’s not just the roster or the record that’s troubling - it’s the lack of flexibility. The Clippers are stuck in a corner, and they don’t have the assets to maneuver their way out.
No draft picks. Minimal trade value.
Aging stars. And a front office that’s now firmly in the spotlight.
“You can’t blame the coaching staff,” Horry added. “They didn’t get rid of Ty Lue.
They didn’t get rid of Norman Powell. There’s a problem from the top.”
That “top” is President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, who now finds himself at the center of one of the NBA’s most frustrating rebuilds - or lack thereof. The Clippers aren’t bad enough to bottom out, and they’re nowhere near good enough to contend. That’s the worst place to be in this league: no direction, no leverage, and no light at the end of the tunnel.
The Clippers went all-in on a win-now strategy. But now, with the chips down and the hand revealed, it’s clear they’ve overplayed it.
The question now isn't whether they can salvage the season - it’s whether they can salvage the future. And right now, that future looks as murky as ever.