Examining Clippers' Salary Cap, Decisions for 2026 NBA Free Agency after Warriors Loss
One truly bizarre season for the Los Angeles Clippers has concluded with a loss to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Before the campaign tipped off, news broke of potential salary-cap circumvention with Kawhi Leonard's contract. That cloud continues to linger over the franchise, which initially seemed to be imploding with a 6-21 record to start the season.
And then, the Clips bounced back.
They rattled off a few winning streaks to approach .500, shipped away James Harden in February to reshape the roster and posted a 19-13 post-trade record to have a shot at the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the season still came to an end earlier than expected and without a trip to the playoffs. To make matters worse, the Clippers won't have a lottery pick as the first-round selection now goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The reigning champs have a 1.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft.
Los Angeles is entering the offseason major unknowns, including Leonard's future with the franchise.
2026 Salary Cap
1 of 3
The questions around Leonard will be approached in a moment, but first we'll focus on the numbers as they stand.
Next season, the highest cap allocations are Kawhi's $50.3 million and Darius Garland's $42.2 million. Those numbers basically ensure LA will fly past the projected $165 million cap and toward the $201 million luxury tax.
Derrick Jones Jr. ($10.5 million), Isaiah Jackson ($7 million), Yanic Niederhauser ($2.9 million) and Cam Christie ($2.3 million) are also under contract.
Beyond them, there are a handful of others subject to player or team options—and those decisions will shape how the Clippers tweak the roster.
Top Contract Decisions
2 of 3
If the league finds the Clippers acted improperly with Leonard's negotiations, there is a chance his contract is voided entirely. He would become a free agent and potentially leave LA with no return—a true disaster scenario.
Complicating the matter is that no timeline exists for a resolution. It's possible the investigation filters into next season anyway.
So, we move on!
The main predicament is Bennedict Mathurin's future. He's a young, explosive scorer, but a horrible three-point percentage post-trade is very worrisome. Mathurin won't be cheap; should the Clips be the team paying him?
Los Angeles holds options on Bogdan Bogdanovic ($16 million), Brook Lopez ($9.2 million), Kris Dunn ($5.7 million), Jordan Miller ($2.5 million) and Kobe Sanders ($2.2 million). Bradley Beal ($5.6 million) has a player option, too.
The good news? Tons of flexibility. That doesn't make it a simple offseason.
Free Agents to Pursue
3 of 3
The lone impending unrestricted free agent on the roster, John Collins is worth keeping at a reasonable salary.
Collins made $26.6 million this season, but that should drop on his next contract. The combination of efficient scoring, decent rebounding and perimeter range make him a solid complementary piece.
Otherwise, the number of available spots will be clearer once LA exercises or declines those player options.
In acquiring Mathurin, the Clips created a void at center by trading Ivica Zubac. Jackson is back, but LA needs to exercise Lopez's option or find a replacement. Jaxson Hayes or Mitchell Robinson should be affordable, while an aggressive choice would be making a run at restricted free agent Walker Kessler.
Should the team not re-sign Collins, a floor-spacing big like Rui Hachimura or Jock Landale would be a quality fit.
Assuming the Clippers let Bogdanovic and Batum walk, adding depth on the perimeter would be wise. A reunion with Landry Shamet would be sensible, as is a low-risk gamble on Cam Payne for secondary creation.
