3 Clippers on Thin Ice Despite Surviving Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Clippers made waves at the trade deadline as one of the most active teams of the week. Sending away James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Chris Paul, and Kobe Brown, the Clippers received Darius Garland, Ben Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. This pivot will likely make them worse for the immediate season, but the hope is that it will help the Clippers set themselves up better for the future.

There were a few trade candidates on the roster that found a way to stick around in LA past the deadline. While these players have managed to survive the busy transaction window for the Clippers, their futures in LA continue to be in jeopardy.

Bogdan Bogdanovic

If someone told us that the Clippers would trade four players in three separate transactions, but Bogdan Bogdanovic wouldn't be involved, we wouldn't have believed them. Entering the week, Bogi seemed like a prime trade candidate thanks to his $16 million expiring salary.

The Clippers' rapidly changing plans likely prevented Bogdanovic's departure. The Serbian shooting guard would have likely been moved alongside draft capital for an upgrade. Yet, the Clippers had to adjust on the fly after moving Harden and Zubac.

Bogdanovic's tenure in LA will likely not last past the offseason. He has a team option for $16 million for next season. Given he has been out of the rotation or injured for most of the season, the Clippers will certainly decline that option, allowing the 33-year-old sharpshooter to sign elsewhere.

Brook Lopez

The Clippers also have a $9.1 million team option for Brook Lopez for the 2026-27 season. Unless the 37-year-old center turns things around and starts playing miraculously better in the final two months of the season, there is very little reason for the Clippers to exercise that option.

Lopez will likely be the starting center in the final 32 games of the season for the Clippers. Perhaps he does enough to change the organization's mind, but it's hard to imagine him holding more value than a minimum contract.

As the Clippers' prized offseason acquisition, Lopez was supposed to give them solid backup center minutes, but that plan hasn't worked out at all. He had completely fallen out of the rotation before re-earning around 20 minutes per game, but Lopez is still in the midst of his worst season, averaging a career-low 51.8% True Shooting and not making an impact defensively.

Bradley Beal

With so many questions about his health and availability, finding a trade for Beal was probably always unrealistic. There was a possibility that the Clippers could have moved Beal for cap savings, while using his salary to add a difference-maker.

Now, they will likely try doing that over the summer. Beal has a $5.6 million player option for next season and the Clippers would love to get that off their books to open some cap space. Since, he will be an expiring contract, moving Beal may be easier at that point. With Ben Mathurin now in the fold as the potential long-term answer at shooting guard for the Clippers, there isn't much of a reason for LA to keep Beal around.

If there are no takers, however, the Clippers may have to hold onto Beal and hope that he rehabilitates his trade value. However, with this era of Clippers basketball essentially over, it's hard to see the 32-year-old Beal playing again in a Clippers uniform.

Read More About the LA Clippers:

• Projecting the Clippers' Starting Lineup & Depth Chart After Trade Deadline
• Clippers' Ivica Zubac Trade Is a Big Mistake
• Kawhi Leonard Is On Borrowed Time With Clippers After Ivica Zubac Trade
• Clippers Send Ivica Zubac to Pacers in Shocking Trade Deadline Move