3 Clippers players who won’t last the entire 2024-25 season

With the 2024-25 NBA season right around the corner, the LA Clippers are deciding the personnel that will accommodate the team throughout the year. With so many new faces, judging the best fits may be more difficult than meets the eye.

The last several weeks have given the coaching staff plenty of time to determine who they think is best to begin the year in a Clippers uniform. Taking note of preseason form and trades that may happen before the deadline, here are three currently-rostered players that Clippers fans should not get too familiar with, and are unlikely to last the entire season with the team.

Kris Dunn

Kris Dunn, who was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2016, had a solid three-year run in Chicago but then bounced around the league before finding his form with the Jazz. The eight-year pro out of Providence joined the Clippers in July 2024 via the Russell Westbrook trade.

The team, which was already loaded with young guards such as Terance Mann, Amir Coffey and Bones Hyland, acquired another combo guard in Kevin Porter Jr. They also drafted yet another shooting guard in Cam Christie. With so many talented guards on the roster, it's unlikely that Kris Dunn will be cracking the rotation anytime soon, making his departure from the team expected.

Mo Bamba

Once viewed as the second coming of Dwight Howard, Mo Bamba had a lot of promise when he was drafted sixth overall by the Orlando Magic back in 2017. After four long seasons of mediocrity, they finally gave up on him and started to find playoff success. Mo found himself playing for four different teams in just two years, struggling to find minutes with any of them.

Now, Bamba is with the Clippers, at least for the start of the 2024-25 regular season. He hasn't been able to prove himself in the preseason due to a knee injury, but Kai Jones' impressive play and the team's belief in Kobe Brown's potential have probably closed the window of opportunity for the big man.

Nic Batum

The last entry on the list might surprise a lot of people, because Batum has been a Clippers favorite for about four years. The 16-year NBA veteran was loved by the fans for his three-point ability, defensive efforts, and leadership. But it's time to face the fact that Nic is now 35 years old, with his best days behind him.

Some people believe that his veteran presence can keep him on the roster as a mentor and leader, but with more decorated veteran players such as James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, that role is also covered. The addition of Derrick Jones Jr., maybe the best role player in the league, proved that the French forward is no longer expected to be part of the rotation come April.