Clippers Season Preview: Uncharted Territory
The Outlook:
As the 2026-27 CSL season begins, we enter uncharted territory for Dylan and the Los Angeles Clippers. After taking over the team with a pretty much bare cupboard, Dylan took a long-term approach. He made trade after trade and made it clear that no one is safe until he feels there's a winning core in place. If you came to the Clippers, you leased your home and didn't buy, because you could be traded at any time.
Now? Some of these guys should feel pretty comfortable with buying a home. For the first time in this regime, the Clippers feel they have something real. A controversial off-season trade made that clear, as they traded last year's #2 pick Cam Reddish and this year's #7 overall pick (Donta Hall) for Isaiah Cousins and Richard Solomon.
Some said Cousins wasn't good enough to warrant that return. Are they right? Maybe. The Clippers, they feel otherwise, and Cousins' 34 points per game average in 23 preseason games may just prove that the Clippers weren't totally off base here.
While the team is aware the points per game can be an empty stat and don't necessarily directly correlate to winning basketball games if you don't play the right way, the team believes that Cousins preseason is no fluke. After watching the Spurs nearly win the title with Tery Rozier on a very high usage rate with solid shooters and defense around him, the Clippers have a plan. They have a strategy and a playstyle they believe in and a core they feel can take them to the next level.
The Offseason Moves:
The Clippers made a number of significant moves in the offseason that indicated a shift in expectations and a desire to compete in the postseason this year. Some Clipper front office favorites saw themselves shipped out of town in moves that turned some heads.
Trade #1:
Cam Reddish, #7 overall pick, Myles Turner and Joshia Gray for Isaiah Cousins and Richard Solomon
The most controversial of the trades, many felt the Clippers severely overpaid for this trade. That said, trades can't get truly judged until after some basketball games are played. So far, while preseason can be meaningless, the returns look much better than some may have expected. The Clippers were very competitive during the preseason finishing 14-9 (with at least 5 games featuring a fake lineup), and it was spearheaded by Cousins. He will be the center of the Clippers offense, and the team encourages others and its fans to give it a couple of seasons before truly judging this trade. On the other hand, Solomon provides a strong veteran presence as well as some solid defense from the center position.
Trade #2:
Luke Kennard for Zach Collins and Royce O'Neale
A tough one for the Clippers to pull the trigger on, they shipped out front office favorite and elite marksman Luke Kennard for shot-blocking extraordinaire Zach Collins and a 3&D role player in Royce O'Neale. With Cousins and Zach LaVine taking up the majority of the shots, and the Clippers desire to add some extra rim protection, this deal came together quickly. With the salaries being pretty dead even, and adding an extra rotation piece in O'Neale as well, this was an easy deal for the Clippers despite their love for Kennard.
Trade #3:
D'Angelo Russell for Julius Randle
This deal was technically at the beginning of the season, but still counts here. Russell was the Clippers starting point guard last season and while provided a solid scoring output, was a turnover machine and struggled from three. With Cousins and LaVine dominating the ball, as well as the Clippers bringing in free agent point guard Ish Smith, Russell was a piece that just wasn't needed any longer. Randle on the other hand, provides a scoring output from a big man position the Clippers currently lack, and is a very good rebounder, an area the Clippers are pretty weak in.
The Rotation:
As the Clippers season begins, the starting lineup and rotation is fluid. The foundation will remain intact, but the plan is to be experimental and try different combinations until the right mix is found. Early in the season, the rotation shapes out like this:
PG: Isaiah Cousins | Ish Smith
SG: Zach LaVine | Bojan Bogdanovic | Jerome Robinson
SF: Mikal Bridges | Royce O'Neale | AJ Davis
PF: Rui Hachimura | Richard Solomon | Jordan Mickey
C: Julius Randle | Zach Collins | Chris Boucher
The center position is what is expected to be the most fluid. The plan is to start with Randle at center, but Collins and Solomon will surely see time there as well.
The Clippers don't shy away from the expectations they set on themselves by these trades. There are skeptics around the league (looking at you, Jon), but there's a belief within the organization that hasn't been there previously. The Clippers believe they're a playoff team, and a piece or two away from title contention. It's time to see if they are full of shit.
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