Nov 3, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts at the end of the game against the Miami Heat at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches, the Los Angeles Clippers are still in the early stages of recovery from the brutal penalties that resulted from the cap-circumvention scandal. With long suspensions for various top-level executives, the Clippers didn’t even have time to send a representative to the annual Board of Governors meeting, but it hasn’t put out their playoff aspirations.
In fact, even with Kawhi Leonard gone, the Clippers are more determined than ever to make the playoffs and quell the feeling of doom that has loomed over them since the penalties were announced. The first order of business was getting someone to handle basketball operations, which now falls to GM Trent Redden.
“The Clippers are still working through their process of naming an interim governor, which is why they did not have a representative here in New York for this quarterly Board of Governors meeting,” reported Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer. “The Clippers, I’ve been told, are going to go forward with that process first, and then they’re going to formally update everything with Trent Redden leading the Clippers’ basketball operations. But it was GM Trent Redden who got back on the phone with the Raptors, where both sides agreed to move forward with this blockbuster trade as originally structured… The Clippers are getting an All-Star back in Brandon Ingram, and they do have some level of playoff aspirations in that front office.”
While the Clippers are still working out how to delegate front office duties, it seems Trent Redden will have a good degree of power, as he’s arguably the highest-level executive still allowed to work. He was the one who finalized the Kawhi trade (ending the delay), and we can expect him to handle any similar moves for the foreseeable future.
It’s a good first step for the Clippers, but we know their ambitions go higher than merely filling the front office. Even in light of their losses (Kawhi, $30 million, and five first-round picks), the Clippers are eyeing a potential playoff run, and they believe it can be done with Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura, Brook Lopez, and Bradley Beal. That’s not to mention longtime coach Tyronn Lue, who is frequently recognized as one of the best in the league.
If they can have a successful season and finish in the top six in the standings, it would go a long way toward restoring some hope for the fans and flipping the negative perception around the organization. Whether or not they can get there as currently constructed is unclear, but it’s a sign that we should expect more moves from this team going forward, either via trade or on the free-agent market.
For better or worse, the Clippers’ performance this year largely depends on Brandon Ingram. While he’s no Kawhi, he still gives them a star to build around at just 29 years old, and he’s arguably their best chance at finding some success amid the circumstances. Last season, in 77 games, Ingram averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 47.7% shooting from the field.