Clippers' Future Isn't As Bleak As Advertised Despite the Kawhi Leonard Punishment

Being pessimistic about the future of the Los Angeles Clippers is certainly understandable. The franchise has hit rock bottom after the league dealt the most severe punishment imaginable as a result of the cap circumvention investigation. The top three executives in the organization are all suspended, and the team lost five first-round picks between 2029 and 2033.

This will undoubtedly make things more difficult for the Clippers. At the same time, one can't help but notice that the Clippers' downfall is overplayed.

ESPN released its rankings for the three-year outlooks for all 30 teams in the NBA. Taking into account the roster, management, draft, money, and the market, ESPN placed the Clippers 29th out of 30, only above the Sacramento Kings. They had a bottom-five ranking in terms of their players, management, and draft.

This is an overreaction to the Clippers' punishment. Yes, the reputation of the franchise is in the gutter, but the Clippers are still in a better spot than a handful of teams.

Clippers' Future Isn't As Hopeless As Some Think

First of all, the appeal of Los Angeles can't be understated. Under-the-table payments aren't the only reason Kawhi Leonard chose to join the Clippers. Players want to be in Southern California, and the Clippers' damaged reputation isn't going to change that fact. Expect the Clippers to be heavy hitters in free agency.

The Clippers also have relatively clean books. Darius Garland is under contract for just another season, and Brandon Ingram has a player option for the 2027-28 season. Those are the only two high-salary players under contract beyond the current season. They have no bad contracts on their books and have a couple of veterans on team-friendly contracts who they can trade to get back future assets.

Compare the Clippers' books to, say, the Phoenix Suns, who owe Devin Booker over $65 million in the 2029-30 season, or the Wizards, who will be paying the Anthony Davis-Trae Young duo $113 million in the 2027-28 campaign, and LA's situation doesn't look all too bad.

The Clippers will have a ton of flexibility and can easily have max cap space each of the next few offseasons.

There may be changes to the decision-making mechanism in LA, but as a basketball team, the Clippers are a well-run organization. There is a reason they had 15 consecutive winning seasons. Lawrence Frank is a good basketball mind, and Ty Lue is an excellent head coach.

Steve Ballmer, as deserving of all the scrutiny as he is getting, is a very willing spender. He isn't going to be scared to pay the luxury tax or go above the aprons if it means the Clippers can be a little more competitive.

In today's NBA, that is a huge competitive advantage. There are teams in the NBA, like the Hornets and the Pelicans, that have never paid the luxury tax in their history. Sacramento and Memphis haven't paid it in two decades.

It's difficult to believe that a team like the Pelicans, who will avoid the luxury tax like the plague and is run by an incompetent owner and one of the worst GMs in the NBA, has a brighter future than the Clippers.

It's not like the Clippers don't have any assets. They have a No. 5 overall pick on their roster in Keaton Wagler. They still have four first-round picks between now and the 2033 NBA Draft. The two picks they are getting from Toronto in 2031 and 2033 have a chance to be valuable lottery selections.

Moreover, there is a good chance that the Clippers will get back some of their forfeited draft picks. If we take Minnesota's 2000 Joe Smith scandal as an example, we can expect the league to reinstate two of the Clippers' picks for good behavior. This should help the Clippers make some moves to improve their roster over the next three seasons.

Let's not paint a rosy picture here. It will be a tough couple of seasons for the Clippers, but there are franchises that are in far worse spots than LA.

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