Report: Clippers won't hold fire sale at trade deadline
The Los Angeles Clippers don't intend to be sellers ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, sources told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Despite the Clippers starting the season with a disappointing 6-21 record, a current five-game winning streak has buoyed the organization's hopes, Amick adds. Los Angeles sits 2.5 games back of the Western Conference's final play-in spot ahead of Thursday's visit from the Utah Jazz.
Reports have linked Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as potential trade pieces if Los Angeles decides to make significant moves. However, Harden's Bird rights allow him to veto a trade this season, and the MVP has a $42.3-million player option for next campaign. Meanwhile, Leonard has one season left on a three-year, $149.5-million deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
The Clippers could look to make upgrades at the trade deadline, though the team has prioritized salary-cap flexibility for next summer, Amick adds.
Veterans John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Nicolas Batum are all on expiring deals and could be used in a trade to match the salary of a star-level player. Bogdanovic, Lopez, and Batum all have team options for 2026-27.
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder are in line to receive the Clippers' 2026 unprotected first-round pick as a result of the Paul George-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade in 2019.