For years, the LA Clippers were the laughing stock of the NBA, being known as the Los Angeles Lakers’ “little brothers,” and it took a long time for things to get better.
In an 18-year span, from the 1992-93 to 2010-11 seasons, the Clippers made just two playoff appearances. Then, the Clippers got better, building a core group of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and company, but still, the franchise was lacking.
The Clippers made their first Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history in the 2020-21 season, led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but to this day are still one of just five teams to never make an NBA Finals.
Of course, moving out of a shared arena with the Lakers and into the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome certainly helped LA’s reputation, but they still need to see some on-court success. After making their lone Western Conference Finals appearance, the Clippers followed it up by missing the postseason, and then suffered first-round playoff exits for the next three years.
Now, the Clippers are desperate, and they have gone all-in on winning in the 2025-26 season.
The Clippers have built a core group of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac, along with offseason additions of Bradley Beal, John Collins, and Brook Lopez. However, their roster would not be complete without a Chris Paul homecoming. Bringing back the 12-time NBA All-Star and arguably the best player in franchise history was a great moment for the Clippers this offseason, but now they just need the results to match the hype.
Paul, 40, is certainly well past his prime of what Clippers fans witnessed during his first tenure with the franchise, but the elite playmaker still has one of the highest IQs in the game. Even if Paul is logging DNPs next season, he will be an effective leader and veteran presence on the bench and in the locker room, which could be what the Clippers need the most around their abundance of talent.
Los Angeles Lakers legend and Hall of Fame forward James Worthy recently talked about the Clippers’ addition of Chris Paul in an exclusive interview.
“All GMs and owners, they make moves that they think are going to benefit their team,” Worthy said. “Chris Paul, a lot of experience. Still can play, but more importantly, it’s what he can do in the locker room, and it’s pretty much like having another coach, so I understand that.”
Paul was a highly sought-after free agent this offseason, solely because of the veteran experience and leadership he can bring to a team. Many fans believe that Paul will be an NBA coach after he retires as a player, so having that type of presence on a team’s bench can really make an impact, and that is why Worthy thinks the Clippers made this move.
