As the first phase of NBA free agency unfolded, the Los Angeles Clippers made one thing abundantly clear: they’re not spending for now — they’re planning for later. While their moves have been restrained, their intentions might be anything but.
“If you watched the way the Lakers and Clippers front offices functioned during the first phase of free agency, you might have noticed a theme,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote. “Neither team wanted to make any moves that cut into its financial flexibility for the future… The most obvious target here is Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
Amick’s framing places the Clippers — not the Lakers — at the heart of one of the NBA’s most intriguing long games. Their focus on preserving cap space through 2027 isn’t about prudence; it’s about preparing for the possibility that one of the league’s premier players might decide he’s ready for a change of scenery.
Are the Clippers Strategically Positioning for a Giannis Antetokounmpo Blockbuster?
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That possibility looks more real with each passing day. The Milwaukee Bucks, ousted in the first round of the playoffs for a third straight season, are entering a period of deep uncertainty. According to Marc Stein, “anticipation around the league regarding Antetokounmpo’s availability via trade… continues to bubble based on the belief that it is only a matter of time before the 30-year-old finally concedes that a contender can no longer be built around him in Brewtown.”
Antetokounmpo reportedly met with Bucks leadership to evaluate his future with the team, per Chris Haynes. While the organization remains hopeful he’ll stay, the reality is that Milwaukee’s roster is aging, and they have no control over their draft picks until 2031. The path to contention is murky at best.
Enter the Clippers.
Despite limited first-round picks until 2027, LA can still offer a compelling combination of flexibility and assets. They hold three first-rounders starting in 2030 and can offer pick swaps and multiple second-rounders. More importantly, they have an ownership group and front office willing to be aggressive when the moment arrives — and the allure of building around Antetokounmpo in a brand-new arena in Inglewood adds a marketability angle few teams can match.
While the Lakers always lurk as a star magnet, the Clippers arguably have more immediate trade flexibility. ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted that LA could “give Harden a salary increase, use most of their non-tax midlevel exception and still remain below the luxury tax and aprons.” That level of room to maneuver is rare for a team with two aging stars already in place.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel named the Clippers a longshot in the Giannis sweepstakes — but acknowledged their potential: “In the Clippers’ case, a deal for Antetokounmpo would result in needing to part ways with Ivica Zubac, John Collins, and Bogdan Bogdanovic… This is an even worse situation in terms of a potential package than the Lakers,” he wrote. But unlike the Lakers, the Clippers aren’t tied to LeBron James’ timeline and have more long-term clarity.
Zach Lowe recently added fuel to the speculation, reporting “rumblings” that one of the LA teams — or perhaps a New York franchise — could be Giannis’ preferred destination.
If Antetokounmpo makes it clear he wants LA — and specifically the Clippers — Milwaukee may have no choice but to engage. And if that day comes, the Clippers’ patience and long-term vision may turn into the boldest swing in franchise history.