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After a disastrous start to the season, the Los Angeles Clippers righted the ship in the last two weeks, winning six straight to improve to 12-21. All the way up to 11th-seed in the Western Conference, the Clippers are only 5.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors. This recent surge all but cement what the Clippers’ approach will be come February 5 trade deadline.
Even when the Clippers were seemingly headed to a lost season, there was never any indication that the front office was ready to pivot and rebuild. Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, and Ty Lue never sounded willing to give up on this Clippers core. With the team playing much better and in chase for a postseason spot now, it’s hard to imagine that the top brass would change course.
There is a special relationship between the Clippers organization and Leonard. James Harden reportedly has no interest in asking for a trade. The Clippers are unlikely to trade either superstar unless they specifically request to be moved mid-season.
Things can obviously change. One injury to Harden and Leonard can completely alter the Clippers’ plans for this season and beyond. When the All-Star Weekend is at Intuit Dome and the team is playing well behind MVP-caliber performance from Leonard, however, the Clippers will almost certainly hold onto their star duo.
Clippers Will Almost Certainly Be Buyers at the Trade Deadline
The more likely scenario is that the Clippers will be buyers at the deadline. Changing the core around Leonard and Harden to give this group another run seems more in line with the organization’s overall vision. Whether Ivica Zubac will be a part of that group will be the most fascinating question, especially since the recent win streak came when he was sidelined with an ankle sprain.
The Clippers can trade their 2030 and 2032 first-round picks at the deadline. They can add swap rights to their 2031 first-rounder in a trade package to maximize the draft capital they can include in a deal. In terms of matching salary, John Collins’ $26.5 million and Bogdan Bogdanovic’s $16 million salaries are the two biggest trade chips the Clippers have. Using both players and their draft capital could net the Clippers another high-level starter or two.
Whether it’s a good idea to give up significant draft capital to chase a Play-In spot is another question, but if the Clippers want to bring in another player with a near-max salary, they have enough assets to do so. Perhaps splitting the difference and moving on from one first-rounder for a more minor upgrade on the margins is the smarter strategy. Regardless, it’s safe to assume that anyone who was expecting the Clippers to move on from their stars will have to wait at least until the offseason.