According to Jonathon Scotto, if the Los Angeles Clippers decide to pursue a blockbuster trade for a high-priced star player, they may look to utilize the contracts of veterans Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones as valuable salary-matching assets.
Bogdanovic is set to earn slightly over $16 million next season, while Jones’s salary stands at $10 million, making both contracts useful tools in facilitating a significant deal.
However, if the Clippers opt not to make a major move this offseason, their focus is expected to shift toward filling specific roster needs.
Scotto reports that the team will likely prioritize adding another point guard to complement their backcourt, as well as acquiring a rim-protecting center who can serve as a reliable backup to starter Ivica Zubac.
To aid in this pursuit, the Clippers should have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency, which offers some flexibility to bring in targeted players without severely impacting their salary cap.
Regarding roster decisions, the Clippers are not expected to retain center Drew Eubanks, who has a non-guaranteed contract worth $4.75 million for the 2025/26 season.
Meanwhile, the team is hopeful that veteran wing Nicolas Batum will exercise his $4.9 million player option and return for another year, as noted by Scotto.
Other potential offseason decisions include evaluating the futures of unrestricted free agents Amir Coffey and Ben Simmons.
It remains unclear how much interest the Clippers will show in re-signing either player, leaving those spots open for possible changes depending on the team’s broader strategy moving forward.
Clippers guard James Harden, who holds a $36.3MM player option for the 2025/26 season, is “trending toward” declining that option:https://t.co/gHLfWiA9Yo
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) June 5, 2025
