Hanifan’s offseason outlook: Evaluating the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2026 offseason

Los Angeles Clippers Offseason — MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MARCH 29: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on against the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 29, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The calendar has turned to September. You know what that means, right?! Our offseason outlook series is back for the third-straight year!

Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We will be going in alphabetical order, beginning with the Eastern Conference. Let’s look at the Los Angeles Clippers’ summer!

Previous offseason outlooks:

Evaluating the Los Angeles Clippers’ 2026 offseason:

Additions: Brandon Ingram, Rui Hachimura, Gradey Dick, Max Strus, Jalen Pickett, Johni Broome

Subtractions: Kawhi Leonard, Bennedict Mathurin, John Collins, Nic Batum, Bogdan Bogdanovic

Re-signed: Bradley Beal, Kobe Sanders

Draft: Keaton Wagler (No. 5 overall), Baba Miller (No. 36), Nick Martinelli (No. 55)

Hanifan’s outlook:

Last year was a tale of two seasons for the Clippers, who finished 42-40. Their season looked all but over after a dreadful 6-21 start. But a 39-game stretch, where they went 28-11 with Kawhi Leonard playing like an MVP, put them right back in the mix for a play-in spot in the West. Though they were not able to scratch across enough wins down the stretch to earn a play-in bid.

The Clippers traded Leonard, who was embroiled in a year-long scandal for cap circumvention, to the Toronto Raptors, the team he won the title with back in 2019-20. That said, the organization was levied one of the biggest punishments in NBA History as a punishment for cap circumvention. The NBA fined the Clippers $30 million, stripped them of five first-round picks and suspended multiple executives for up to a year. Leonard wasn’t punished, unless you consider going to Canada a punishment (it’s definitely not).

In the end, it was all detrimental.

Los Angeles stole a top-5 pick away from the Indiana Pacers (#ThankYouIvicaZubac) and drafted Keaton Wagler, one of the best point guards in a loaded class. They also signed Rui Hachimura on a team-friendly two-year, $28 million deal, and acquired Max Strus in the Peyton Watson sign-and-trade for essentially nothing. Those are all solid moves made around the margins to keep them somewhat competitive.

But the long-term ramifications of the Leonard scandal will rightfully cloud all of those aforementioned moves. The Clippers have no future — they don’t control their own picks for the next decade — and their roster isn’t good enough to change that in a 3-5-year window, at least.