Clippers Lose Key Starter to Injury Until All-Star Break

The Los Angeles Clippers will be without a key contributor for at least the next six weeks.

Jan 3, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue at press conference at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Not only did the Los Angeles Clippers see their six-game winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, but they were also dealt a devastating injury blow. In the fourth quarter of the blowout loss at Intuit Dome, the Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. suffered a knee injury that forced him out of the game. Going for the loose ball with Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Jones' leg buckled under Pritchard's weight, causing many to fear a significant injury.

While Jones was able to avoid the worst, the Clippers will still be without their 28-year-old forward for at least the next six weeks. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Jones was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MLC sprain and will be re-evaluated in six weeks. That puts the defensive stalwart at risk of missing all 20 of the Clippers' games before the All-Star break.

Derrick Jones Jr. Will Miss At Least Six Weeks With Knee Sprain

This is a devastating development for both the team and Jones. The veteran wing missed over a month after spraining his MCL against the Celtics in November before returning to action last week. After only four games, Jones suffered the same injury against the same opponent.

Since returning from his extended absence, Jones had been coming off the bench, but he has started the first 13 games of the season for the Clippers. He started 55 games for LA last season, generally taking on the toughest defensive assignments on the wing. Shooting 40% from three, Jones has become one of the best three-and-D players on the roster, making him an indispensable part of the rotation.

The Clippers are already suffering from a lack of depth, especially in terms of two-way players. Ty Lue has been struggling to find enough shooting and defensive versatility around James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, and Jones' absence will further exacerbate the problem.

With Bradley Beal out for the season and Chris Paul no longer with the team, the Clippers are now down to 11 healthy players on standard contracts. That's three perimeter players who were expected to be a part of the rotation now sidelined. This puts immense pressure on the Clippers to address this issue ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. If the front office wants to have any hope of turning the season around and chasing a postseason spot, they can't waste any more time before making moves, especially after Jones' injury.