The LA Clippers’ 2025 offseason additions may be in the tier of role players to high-end contributors, but at some point in the past, they were an All-Star or had the potential to be in another city. This could have been a reason why Lawrence Frank hired them, as accumulating these types of talents makes the championship route easier to handle.
However, each player has their own history regarding why their stint with their previous team ended and how they landed with the Clippers. The decisions of Chris Paul and Brook Lopez were straightforward, as a ring was a priority, especially for the point guard who had a major role in ‘Lob City.’ However, for Bradley Beal and John Collins, availability was likely one of the concerns.
Furthermore, navigating the league and attending meetings with a mid-level exception and space in the veteran-minimum cap room could go either way. The best-case scenario is a title, or even a run to the NBA Finals, but the worst nightmare that possibly exists is what went wrong with the Philadelphia 76ers last season.
In the end, the Clippers made a gutsy call this summer. If what is constantly being feared unfolds into truth, the championship contention era will likely be over next summer.
The LA Clippers may conclude their window of trying to win a title if the worst occurs next season
The team that won the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder, intentionally held on to the same roster. They preferred to keep their winners together, rightfully so, and handed out major deals to Shai Gigeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, and Chet Holmgren.
It could be a risk not to add new talent, but Sam Presti is credible in knowing what he is doing; thus, fans and other members of the Thunder’s organization should not be worried.
Moreover, the Clippers won 50 games last season and chose to add four faces that will play a prominent role in Tyronn Lue’s 2025-26 active rotation. Each move was appropriate, but sometimes chemistry can be disrupted with a flare up in certain players' egos.
These potential detriments could force the Clippers down a similar path to the Philadelphia 76ers faced last season, as they missed the playoffs by a wide margin despite having several All-Stars on their roster. Yet, if this takes place in LA, the front office may not be willing to run it back, given the obvious need for a new culture and scenery.