September 3, 2026 • 9:02 PM EDT
Updated 3 hours ago
Let’s not sugarcoat this: the NBA hit the Clippers hard. Five first-round draft picks are gone, all because the league found they circumvented the salary cap to push extra money toward Kawhi Leonard. It’s the kind of punishment that can reshape a franchise for years. Adam Silver made sure of that.
A $30 million fine? Steve Ballmer barely blinks. Losing executives or a suspension? It stings, but those wounds heal fast in today’s NBA. But half a decade’s worth of first-rounders, stretching from 2029 to 2033? That carves deep, especially for a team that just started thinking about life beyond their current stars.
According to Yahoo Sports, the league is taking the Clippers’ firsts from 2029 through 2033. That includes the Pacers’ pick they got last season in the Ivica Zubac deal. The Pacers won’t get the pick back, either; the NBA is simply erasing it from the books.
So what does LA have left in their arsenal? They’re not totally emptied out, even after this penalty. There’s a potential trade in the works: if the deal to send Kawhi Leonard to Toronto wraps up, the Clippers would net the Raptors’ first-round picks for 2031 and 2033, plus a swap option in 2027. That’s not a haul, but it gives them a few more swings at the draft late in the decade.
This all gets complicated fast — pick swaps, protections, and potential empty years. The new draft landscape for the Clippers looks like this:
- 2027: The Thunder can swap their first-rounder or Denver’s top-5 protected first with the Clippers’ pick. The Clippers can then swap whichever pick they end up with for Toronto’s — if that deal goes through.
- 2028: Empty. No first-round pick coming their way.
- 2029: They keep their own pick only if it lands in the top 3. Otherwise, the 76ers get the right to swap with them.
- 2030: Another dead spot in the cupboard.
- 2031: They’d hold Toronto’s first-round pick, assuming the trade happens.
- 2032: Again, nothing to play with.
- 2033: A second Toronto pick, courtesy of that same deal.
The Clippers are still in the NBA’s game of chess, but they’re playing without a queen for a while. Pick swaps in 2027 and 2029 don’t exactly inspire confidence, since Oklahoma City and Philadelphia are eyeing those years for their own reasons. More importantly, under the new lottery setup, it’s harder than ever to bottom out for a quick comeback — the NBA wants everyone competing, not just tanking for the top picks.
Key developments in Clippers’ draft situation
- The NBA has stripped five Clippers first-rounders from 2029 to 2033.
- The Pacers’ pick (from the Zubac trade) is also seized — not returned to Indiana.
- The Clippers may gain Toronto’s firsts in 2031 and 2033, and a pick swap in 2027, if the Leonard trade is completed.
- Pick swaps in 2027 (Thunder/Raptors) and 2029 (76ers) remain possibilities.
- No first-round picks available in 2028, 2030, and 2032.
What this means for the Clippers’ future
Building through the draft just got a lot tougher for LA. With only a few lottery tickets left, smart trades and scouting get even more important. They’ll also need stars like Leonard — if he stays — to carry disproportionate weight until the draft cupboard is restocked much later. The pressure’s now on the front office to work the margins even more aggressively and keep the team relevant with little help from future first-rounders.
Key takeaways for bettors and fans
- The Clippers can’t easily rebuild through trades relying on first-round picks — those assets are depleted for years.
- Any blockbuster move now has to involve current players or far-off draft capital.
- Pick swaps muddle the value of the Clippers’ remaining picks; their own future picks are rarely safe.
- If the Toronto trade finalizes, getting two firsts back slightly softens the blow but doesn’t come close to replacing five picks.
- Expect extra creativity from LA’s front office — undrafted players, second-rounders, and veteran bargains just became much more important.
- Bettors should rethink long-term futures for the Clippers; sustained success now relies heavily on retaining current stars and staff.
- New NBA lottery rules make it harder than ever for the Clippers to bottom out and climb back quickly, which adds to the penalty’s weight.
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