The LA Clippers' 2025-26 season has been nothing short of a disaster so far. At 4-10, they sit near the bottom of the Western Conference, having lost eight of their last nine games. Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined since November 3rd with an ankle and foot injury. Bradley Beal suffered a season-ending hip fracture. And now Derrick Jones Jr. is out at least six weeks with a sprained MCL. But amidst all the chaos and misery, there's been one unexpected bright spot: second-round rookie Kobe Sanders.
Sanders' career-high 17-point performance in his first career start against the 76ers on Monday night was impressive. The 6'8" guard out of Nevada showed exactly why the Clippers traded to grab him with the 50th pick in the 2025 draft. He's strong, he can shoot, he can handle the ball, and most importantly, he hustles like he belongs in the league.
The LA Clippers' injuries have just kept on biting
Pretty much to sum it up: the LA Clippers are falling apart and are an abject disaster. Kawhi Leonard's ankle injury that occurred on November 3rd against the Miami Heat turned out to be much more serious than initially thought (of course). According to Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, when he sprained his ankle, it kind of triggered a mechanism in his foot.
Leonard has now missed eight consecutive games, and while he's traveling with the team, there's no clear timetable for his return. The Clippers went 1-7 without him heading into Monday's game against Philadelphia, and the offense has looked completely lost.
Then there's Derrick Jones Jr., who was having a career year before disaster struck Sunday in Boston. Jones Jr. was averaging a career-high 10.9 points per game and had started all 13 games this season. But a collision with Jaylen Brown left him writhing in pain on the floor, grabbing his right knee. The diagnosis: a sprained MCL that will keep him out at least six weeks. For a team already decimated by injuries, losing another starter felt like the final nail in the coffin.
And let's not forget Bradley Beal, who suffered a season-ending hip fracture on November 8th. The injuries just keep piling up, and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
When in doubt, Tyronn Lue inserted Kobe Sanders
With Derrick Jones Jr. sidelined, head coach Tyronn Lue made the decision to start Kobe Sanders against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a trial by fire for the 23-year-old rookie, but Sanders responded like a true pro. He finished with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point range. He was perfect from the free-throw line (4-for-4) and played 30 solid minutes without looking overwhelmed.
What stood out most was the poise. Sanders made clutch free throws down the stretch, pulling the Clippers within 110-108 with 13.8 seconds remaining and giving the LA Clippers a chance to tie or win. He didn't shrink from the moment.
Sanders has now played six games this season, averaging 5.0 points in 13.8 minutes per contest. But in his last two games, including 11 points in 23 minutes against Boston on Sunday, he's shown he can contribute at the NBA level. His 80-inch frame allows him to defend multiple positions, and his shooting ability gives the Clippers desperately needed floor spacing.
Kobe Sanders' future is ridiculously bright for the LA Clippers
Kobe Sanders came to the LA Clippers via a draft-night trade with the Knicks, who selected him 50th overall before immediately shipping him to LA in exchange for the 51st pick. For a player who averaged 15.8 points and 4.5 assists per game as a transfer at Nevada, going in the second round felt like a great pick, even at the time.
Sanders spent four years at Cal Poly before transferring to Nevada for his final season. At Cal Poly, he he earned All-Big West honorable mention honors after averaging 19.6 points per game in his senior season.
At Nevada, he balled out but second round picks dont usally make it in the league. Sanders has the ability to be an exception. His size, shooting ability, and basketball IQ make him a prototypical modern wing.
The bigger picture is what is crucial for the LA Clippers
The LA Clippers are currently in win-now mode with a 33-year-old Kawhi Leonard and a 36-year-old James Harden leading the way. But the reality is that both stars are dealing with age-related issues. Leonard's injury history speaks for itself, and Harden, while still productive, is clearly not the MVP-caliber player he once was. The window for contention is closing fast, and the Clippers need young players like Kobe Sanders to step up into a contributing role immediately.
Monday night's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers was painful as the Clippers blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and lost on back-to-back missed threes by Harden at the buzzer. It was the second straight game where Harden missed a potential game-tying three at the end, and the frustration is starting to show. The Clippers have now lost eight of their last nine games, and at 4-10, they're in danger of falling completely out of playoff contention.
Here's the kicker: the Oklahoma City Thunder own the Clippers' first-round pick this year, and it's currently projected to land at No. 2 overall, which is absurd, as it could destroy the league's competitive balance.
But Sanders' emergence offers some hope to get out of this 4-10 hole. If he can continue to develop and earn more minutes, he could become a key rotation piece and someone who can provide scoring and defense without needing the ball in his hands. That's exactly what this Clippers team needs: players who can complement Harden and Leonard (when he returns) without demanding the ball.
The Clippers travel to Orlando on Thursday looking to snap their current losing streak. With Leonard still out and Jones Jr. sidelined for the foreseeable future, Sanders will likely continue to see extended minutes. If he can build on his career-high performance against Philadelphia, the Clippers might have found their silver lining in an otherwise nightmarish start to the season.