In one way or another, the Los Angeles Clippers have remained in the headlines throughout the NBA season, and it’s not just because they happen to be playing in one of the nation’s biggest markets.
Whether it be the reports of the back-channel dealings to land Kawhi Leonard in free agency, the fact that they’ve plummeted to the basement of the Western Conference, or Chris Paul’s unceremonious departure from the team, the Clippers have made news for all the wrong reasons this year.
Now, the question for this team becomes, what’s next?
With a lowly 6-18 record and a roster full of aging players, blowing it up seems like the most logical course of action. But could they try to make a move to add some talent around Leonard and James Harden in an effort to save the season?
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Trade Proposal Sends Michael Porter Jr. to Clippers
On the nation’s other coast, the Brooklyn Nets are among the bottom dwellers in the East. It’s no surprise, as the Nets are clearly in the midst of a deep rebuild, just trying to find some young talent to carry them into a new era.
Coming into the year, it was also expected that Brooklyn would showcase newly acquired sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. in an effort to make him a valuable trade chip.
That plan is going fairly well, as Porter is scoring the ball at a career-high clip, and a number of teams should come calling ahead of the deadline.
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points believes the Clippers will be one of those teams, making a proposal to bring Porter to Los Angeles.
He’s pitched a three-team deal that would most notably send John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and a first-round pick to Brooklyn in exchange for Porter.
“LA is certainly in trouble given its position at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, which is why Ballmer and Lawrence Frank will look to utilize the contracts of John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Derrick Jones Jr. to try and upgrade the chances of turning things around before even thinking about tearing everything down,” wrote Siegel.
Should The Clippers Make This Trade?
Siegel makes some fair points about the Clippers’ lack of a clear path to a rebuild, given their lack of draft capital and young talent.
While tearing things down may not be the route the Clippers ultimately do go down, it’s the path they should take. It doesn’t take an expert on NBA team building to realize that, either.
Los Angeles has positioned itself to win in the immediate future, but this team simply isn’t winning games. They should bite the bullet, flip any players of value for picks and up-and-coming players, and prepare for the future.
Steve Ballmer may not like it, but it’s the reality of what this team is facing.
The Clippers need a hard reset, and trading for Porter would only push them farther away from building a team that’s capable of achieving sustained success.
Michael Porter Jr. Stats
Porter isn’t having the most efficient year, but given his ability to get up more shots in Brooklyn, he’s posting some lofty averages.
2025-26 Stats:
19 GP
32.8 MPG
25.8 PPG
7.6 RPG
3.2 APG
49.6 FG%
39.2 3P%