Los Angeles Clippers Reportedly Turning Down Trade Offers; Believe They Can Be A Playoff Team

The Los Angeles Clippers have been a mess of a franchise for a long, long time, but this offseason, it appeared as though things had turned around. With a core built around James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and Ivica Zubac, there was major optimism that they could be a genuine NBA Playoffs threat in the Western Conference this season.

However, they sit at just 6–20 through their first 26 games, with most people expecting them to move on from their veterans as they look to build for the future. Now, though, a report from Dallas Hoops Journal has revealed that the team believes they can still be a playoff team this season, and as such, they've refused trade offers on some of their biggest stars.

"The Los Angeles Clippers are rejecting trade offers for Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac, NBA sources told DallasHoopsJournal. The Clippers are 6–20. They are in 14th place in the Western Conference standings, but since their 2026 first-round pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the front office doesn't want to blow up the roster, sources said. LAC still believes it can make a run for a play-in spot once forward Derrick Jones Jr. comes back from his knee injury, sources said."

It's unclear exactly what those offers have been, but with a record of 6–20, it's highly unclear why the Clippers believe they can still be a playoff threat in 2025–26.

Ultimately, if this team is relying on Derrick Jones Jr. to reignite their season, then all hope is already lost, but given that the Thunder own their 2026 first-round pick, it makes some sense that they don't want to give up entirely.