The Los Angeles Clippers find themselves at a crossroads. As the NBA investigates the team for potential salary cap circumvention tied to Kawhi Leonard’s marketing contracts, league punishment could include fines, suspensions, or even forfeited draft picks. With a ruling from Adam Silver potentially months away, some analysts are urging the Clippers to act decisively before their assets are at risk.
Clippers Trade Rumors: Level Up Now or Risk Losing Assets
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NBA writer Tom Haberstroh has suggested that LA uses their remaining first-round picks aggressively, rather than wait for a league verdict. “If the Clippers trade for a star using their picks, what could Silver do about it? As long as the investigation is ongoing, the answer is almost certainly nothing. Freezing a team’s assets for the duration of an investigation would cause an all-out revolt among the other owners,” he wrote.
With this in mind, Haberstroh floated a scenario in which Los Angeles targets New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Like Leonard, Williamson has struggled with injuries, but when healthy, he has proven to be a dominant force. In 30 games last season, the former No. 1 pick averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
A Star-Studded Lineup
Adding Williamson could allow the Clippers to field a lineup featuring Bradley Beal, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, and Williamson himself, with Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and Nicolas Batum coming off the bench. Brook Lopez’s floor-spacing ability would be crucial to prevent overcrowding alongside Williamson and Zubac.
“From the Pelicans’ side, they sport a new front office led by Joe Dumars, and new regimes have been known to clean house so they can start with a blank canvas,” Haberstroh wrote, noting that the Pelicans could leverage draft capital to rebuild while Los Angeles positions itself for a title push.
Betting on Health and Timing
Trading for Williamson is not without risk. Both Leonard and Williamson carry significant injury histories, and integrating two high-usage, elite-level forwards requires careful roster management. Still, the Clippers already boast depth with Beal, Harden, Paul, and Lopez, making the gamble more feasible than it might seem.
“If you’re able to stomach the injury-riddled Leonard, why not double down?” Haberstroh asked. By moving first-round picks before a potential punishment is imposed, Los Angeles could acquire a star without fear of losing the assets to league sanctions. In this scenario, the Clippers would be betting on timing, health, and cohesion—an audacious but potentially championship-defining move.