Clippers offseason primer: In need of more offense to go with all that defense

Despite losing Paul George in free agency last summer, the LA Clippers followed up their 51-31 record of 2023-24 with a 50-32 record in 2024-25. A loss in seven games to the Denver Nuggets has unfortunately meant their third consecutive first-round postseason exit; nevertheless, they have been able to navigate the demise of the once-celebrated yet ultimately anticlimactic George/Kawhi Leonard era, and come out of it no worse off than they were.

The Clippers have been able to do so through significant internal growth. A much-improved defense that ranked third in the league in the regular season – and for which much of the credit is being given to last summer’s recruitment of Jeff Van Gundy – gave the Clippers an identity and competitive edge. Excellent defensive personnel such as Ivica Zubac, Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum create a foundation going into the offseason on which the Clippers can build, buoyed by the knowledge that it is not only young players who can improve.

That said, three consecutive first-round exits are frustrating and insufficient. Doing well to get back there does not mean getting back there suffices. With the oldest roster in the league, the Clippers need to make improvements so as not to make it four in a row. The defense cannot get much better, so the offense will have to.

With this in mind, here follows a look at the L.A. Clippers’ roster and spending options heading into the 2025 NBA offseason.