Clippers Bolster Roster for Title Run with Key Additions

LOS ANGELES, California — The LA Clippers have significantly improved their roster for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season by adding key players such as Brook Lopez, John Collins, and Bradley Beal while only losing veteran guard Norman Powell. These strategic moves aim to provide the team with the talent and depth needed to compete for a championship.

However, any potential title run hinges on the health of star forward Kawhi Leonard. Despite a disappointing 2024 playoffs, where he played only 37 games of the regular season and struggled in the postseason against the Denver Nuggets, Leonard averaged 21.5 points per game last season. His performance will be crucial for the Clippers’ success.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, provided an update on Leonard during a recent media session. “Leonard’s doing great. One, he’s healthy, which is not just a physical thing. It’s also a mental and emotional thing to go into an offseason without having surgery,” Frank stated. Leonard has a busy schedule ahead, including a trip to Africa, during which he will continue to work with a coach.

Frank also expressed excitement about Leonard’s eagerness to collaborate with the revamped roster, which now includes Beal and Lopez. “He’s super excited about the roster; he’s super excited about the season, and he’s super excited that he’s gonna be able to begin at training camp,” Frank said.

Despite Leonard’s injury history, where he has missed substantial portions of the season since his last full playoff run in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, there is cautious optimism for the upcoming year. Frank noted that if Leonard can play 50 to 55 games, the Clippers will be serious contenders in the Western Conference against teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers are poised to build on their previous season, which saw them win 50 games. With new additions that enhance floor spacing and defensive capabilities, the team appears ready to tackle the challenges ahead in the quest for their first championship.