The Los Angeles Clippers are coming into the 2026-27 season with a timeline that prioritizes a franchise reset over rapid competition, in response to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Windhorst mentioned the Clippers are “someplace within the 30-ish win vary” as they transfer past a veteran-heavy period that produced restricted postseason outcomes regardless of vital expectations.
The shift accelerated in the course of the 2025-26 season. Los Angeles completed 42-40, ninth within the Western Convention, and reached the play-in event quite than the playoffs. The Clippers ranked seventh in field-goal share at 48.4% and twenty fourth in scoring at 113.8 factors per sport.
Kawhi Leonard remained productive earlier than his departure, averaging 27.9 factors, 6.4 rebounds and three.6 assists in 65 video games whereas taking pictures 50.5% from the sector, 38.7% from three-point vary and 89.2% from the free-throw line. He completed seventh in MVP voting and tenth in Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting.
The Clippers additionally moved James Harden on the February commerce deadline, sending the 36-year-old guard to Cleveland for 26-year-old Darius Garland and a second-round pick. Garland averaged 19.9 factors and 6.4 assists in 19 video games for Los Angeles after the commerce.
Leonard’s subsequent move to Toronto represented the biggest step within the reset. The reported deal introduced Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a first-round choose swap and two second-round picks to Los Angeles, giving the Clippers further long-term property whereas eradicating their highest-paid veteran centerpiece.
The Clippers’ roster building now displays that change. Ingram joins Garland as probably the most established items of the brand new group, whereas Rui Hachimura arrived on a two-year, $28 million contract and Los Angeles added Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 pick within the 2026 NBA Draft. The Clippers additionally retained Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders on multiyear contracts.
Ingram averaged 21.5 factors and 5.6 rebounds in 77 video games for Toronto final season, whereas Dick has averaged 9.2 factors and a couple of.5 rebounds over his first three NBA seasons. The mixture provides Los Angeles a 28-year-old former All-Star and a 23-year-old wing coming into his fourth season, alongside Garland and its youthful draft choices.
The Clippers have continued including youthful items quite than changing Leonard with one other veteran star. They acquired Johni Broome from Philadelphia on July 28 for money concerns and a 2027 second-round choose, one other transfer that matches the broader asset-building method.
