Clippers Reload with Youth and Veteran Power Ahead of 2025-26 Season
The Los Angeles Clippers are reshaping their roster with a mix of promising young talent and seasoned veterans as they gear up for the 2025–26 NBA season.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The Los Angeles Clippers are reshaping their roster with a mix of promising young talent and seasoned veterans as they gear up for the 2025–26 NBA season.
After finishing last season 50–32—second in the Pacific Division—the team exited early in the playoffs, prompting leadership to rethink the roster.
Draft Brings Defensive Edge
With the 30th overall pick in the NBA Draft, the Clippers selected Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a 6-foot-11 center out of Penn State. The 22-year-old averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 61.1% from the field. He led the Big Ten in blocked shots and was 12th nationally.
“Yanic is a talented young big with great positional size who can run the floor, protect the rim, roll and finish,” said Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank. “He is an excellent athlete and we’re excited to add him to the organization.”
A native of Fräschels, Switzerland, Niederhauser also played for Northern Illinois, where he led the conference in blocks during the 2023–24 season, and has represented Switzerland in FIBA competitions.
The Clippers also acquired Kobe Sanders, the 50th pick, from the New York Knicks in exchange for their 51st pick and the rights to Luka Mitrović. Sanders, a 6-foot-7 guard from Nevada, posted 15.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game, earning All-Mountain West Third Team honors.
“Kobe is a playmaking wing who is a skilled passer and an effective scorer,” Frank noted.
Veteran Reinforcements
On the first day of free agency, L.A. added a major presence in the paint by signing Brook Lopez from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Harvard-Westlake alum is one of the NBA’s most reliable centers, playing nearly every game over the past three seasons and averaging 13 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists last year. He also shot 37.3% from three and averaged 1.9 blocks per game.
Lopez joins Ivica Zubac to form a formidable defensive duo down low.
Meanwhile, James Harden and Nicolas Batum are returning on new deals. Harden declined a player option for the second consecutive year but re-signed with another option included. Batum also re-signed, in a move that continues to defy expectations about his retirement plans.
Looking Ahead
The Clippers are far from finished reshaping their roster. With moves still likely in free agency, the front office is clearly committed to improving on last season’s early exit.
