Clippers Face Crisis After Turbulent Start and Mounting Off-Court Issues

The LA Clippers are dealing with one of the roughest opening stretches in franchise history. At 6-16 and sitting 13th in the Western Conference, the team has mixed poor results with a pile of off-court turmoil. The Aspiration scandal, the salary-cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard, and the public split with Chris Paul created a constant wave of bad news. A blowout win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday eased the tension, but only slightly.

The Clippers also owe their 2026 unprotected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which makes losing even more costly. As one executive joked, “We might need to get everyone in the league on a Zoom and brainstorm some ideas… Invite everybody except Sam.”

Path 1: Add Players and Try to Salvage the Season

Several insiders believe the Clippers should use their more than $50 million in expiring contracts to find help. One rival executive told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, “They can just wait for a blue light special.”

The roster lacks athleticism, yet James Harden and Kawhi Leonard have produced solid numbers. A West scout said, “They aren’t the problem.” Another scout floated Zach LaVine as a target, noting his scoring punch and athleticism. LaVine also holds a $49 million player option for next season and could be acquired without damaging the team’s 2027 cap-space goals.

Path 2: Explore Trading Stars

Some executives argue that LA should consider a reset similar to what the Brooklyn Nets did a decade ago. “I would be trying to get rid of the old guys,” one East executive said. But sources noted the challenges. Harden has “maybe neutral value,” while Kawhi has “negative value” due to injuries and the ongoing investigation.

Free-agency flexibility remains a motivator. Moving Harden or Leonard to teams with cap room could help the Clippers reset their repeater-tax clock.

Path 3: Stay the Course

Veteran insiders leaned toward patience. “They are not as bad as their record says they are,” a longtime scout said. Several teams ahead of LA could shift into stealth tanking later in the season. With Ty Lue coaching and Ivica Zubac playing well, front-office voices believe the Clippers still have enough talent to climb the standings.

As another West scout put it, “You have to hold… It’s got to be better than this.”

If you want, I can also optimize this article for readability, SEO, or a publication tone like ESPN or The Athletic.