What the Bradley Beal Signing Signals About the Clippers' Plans

The surprise decision to bring Beal back gives us an important insight about the Clippers.

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The Kawhi Leonard era in Los Angeles may have come to an end, but the Clippers have seemingly no interest in taking a significant step back. Their decision to re-sign Bradley Beal to a two-year deal gives us an idea of what the organization intends to do.

Beal is 33 years old and is coming off a serious injury that cost him almost the entire season. He has a lengthy injury history. On paper, it makes little sense for a team headed for the lottery to give such a player a two-year deal, including a player option for next season. Especially if that deal is significantly above a minimum contract.

It would have made more sense for a non-playoff team to sign Mathurin instead. He is nine years younger, has more upside, and plays the same position. His fit with the team may not be as seamless as Beal's due to his shooting issues, but that is not that big of a deal unless you are trying to win games now.

And that is what this move signals. The Clippers are going to try to be as competitive as possible over the next two seasons.

Clippers Hope to Win As Many Games As Possible But Bradley Beal May Not Help

In the context of the Clippers' assets, this is not a crazy plan. The Clippers don't control their first-round pick in the next two seasons. The Oklahoma City Thunder have swap rights for their 2027 first-rounder, and the Philadelphia 76ers own LA's pick outright in 2028.

This gives the Clippers no incentive to tank. The league has already disincentivized tanking with its new lottery rules, and LA has no reason to try to bottom out.

The issue here is that it's not clear that Beal gives the Clippers a better chance to win than Mathurin or another free agent at that price point. Not only has Beal not played more than 53 games in a season in six years, but he has also not contributed to winning in a meaningful way in a long time.

On paper, there is no problem with the Clippers' decision to be as competitive as possible. This is what we have come to expect from Steve Ballmer in his tenure as an owner. As long as Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, and Ty Lue are running the show, the Clippers are unlikely to bottom out.

So, don't expect the Clippers to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference next season. They may not be chasing a playoff spot, but they will be pushing all the way to the end.