NBA Swing: How the Clippers Outsmarted the New CBA

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Entering the 2025-26 NBA season, the Collective Bargaining Agreement has completely changed how organizations have looked at their rosters. Organizations have avoided bigger contracts outside of their main stars and have looked at shorter-term contracts. The CBA has already begun to dismantle teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns, while teams like the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets have made quick attempts to build championship-contending teams before they face their own CBA problems. The Los Angeles Clippers, on the other hand, have built a team that works now and later.

The Clippers have had one of the busier offseasons following their first-round exit in the 2025 playoffs. Starting with the beginning of free agency, the Clippers would re-sign Nicolas Batum, sign Brook Lopez, re-sign James Harden, trade Norman Powell and receive John Collins as part of a three-team deal, sign Bradley Beal, and sign Chris Paul, among other moves. Already having Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, these additions and re-signings make the Clippers one of the deeper teams in the lead. They are also officially the oldest team in NBA history. With an average age of 33.2 years, they surpass the 2001-02 Utah Jazz, who had an average age of 32.0 years.

Via FanDuel Sportsbook, the Clippers are predicted to win around 49-50 games, which, given recent seasons, could land the team anywhere from fifth place in the Western Conference to a play-in tournament seeding. ESPN gives the Clippers the sixth-best odds of winning the 2026 NBA Championship.

Key moves would help shape the Clippers’ offseason so far. Not being able to afford Norman Powell, who had an All-Star caliber season and is set to become a free agent next summer, the Clippers would flip Powell’s success into John Collins, who will help bolster the Clippers’ starting lineup. The move would also help the Clippers sign Bradley Beal on a two-year, $11 million deal with the team following his buyout with the Phoenix Suns. Chris Paul gives the team a reliable veteran with past ties to give the second unit a boost.

While the current roster should consider them for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, the summer of 2027 is key for the Clippers. Heading into the summer of 2027, the Clippers only have three players under contract: Ivica Zubac, and rookies Cameron Christie, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The summer of 2027 has numerous free agents that the Clippers could be in contention for.

Notable potential free agents in the summer of 2027 include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Zach LaVine. Only having three players signed for the 2027-28 season, the Clippers could have upwards of $100 million in cap space available.

The 2027 offseason could give the Clippers the perfect opportunity to go from one championship-contending contending to another championship-contending team without having to go through a rebuild. While a handful of teams are expected to be around the projected 2027-28 salary cap of $182 million, the Clippers have the best opportunity to attract several big-name free agents. In a new era where the CBA has forced teams to break up, the Clippers have outsmarted the CBA to remain in championship contention without worrying about a forced rebuild.