Today’s Hottest Take: They Can’t Live Up To The Past

The Clippers had plenty of expectations coming into this season. They had just come off a successful season, making the playoffs and going to a Game 7 with the Denver Nuggets. They got players like Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul to help out the starters. However, the biggest change was trading away Norman Powell for John Collins. While Powell was just coming off of an All-Star caliber season, people still thought this would be a good trade. Collins is a good finisher, he can shoot the 3-ball well, and he is an above-average defender.

Bogdan Bogdanović was traded to the Clippers in February 2025 for Terrence Mann. This was a great trade at the time because Mann was on a $33 million contract even though he barely played. Bogdanović, on the other hand, was in a bit of a slump but had been playing great for the Hawks. Once he got to the Clippers, he provided an immediate impact, bringing scoring, shooting and ball handling off of the bench. He was a much needed piece for the Clippers, as they had one of the worst benches in the whole league.

Coming into this season, the Clippers were the oldest team in the league. All of their best players were past their prime besides these two. These two were both thought to be in the prime stages of their careers, and their numbers proved that. They both were efficient scorers who made their mark on the teams they had played on. They were thought to be the players who could insert some intensity into the Clippers’ elderly lineup. The opposite has proved to be true.

What You Need to Know: This Duo Is Killing the Clippers

This season, this duo is having career lows across the board. Collins is shooting career lows from the field and on 3-pointers this season. He’s also averaging career lows in rebounds and assists, and this is his lowest points per game since his rookie season. He has a terrible box plus/minus and net rating as well. Bogdanović isn’t doing much better this season. His points per game and field-goal percentage are career lows this year. He's shooting under the league average from 3 and is averaging 1.5 turnovers per game, as well.

These two being nonexistent on the court has seriously hurt the Clippers. With Beal and Derrick Jones Jr., the Clippers could desperately use another ball-handling guard who can score at all three levels, and a forward who can play defense and then run down and catch a lob or shoot a 3. This is what these two were supposed to do. Instead of that, they are screwing up the entire Clippers’ rotation

At this point, the Clippers need to do something. If they want any chance to make the playoffs, they can’t wait around for these two. Collins looks lost offensively, and Bogdanović hasn’t been able to create separation or knock down shots at the rate the Clippers desperately need. Despite the fact these two were brought in to help stabilize the Clippers, fans now hate to see them sub into the game.

Before You Go: Trades That Could Save The Clippers.

With the Clippers desperately needing to change up their rotation, trading these two would be the easiest solution. This first trade is a bit risky, and both teams might have some problems with it, but it could be a win-win trade. The Clippers would send Collins and Bogdanović along with two of their first round picks that are swaps with OKC for LaMelo Ball. Ball has long been rumored to be traded to Clippers after LaVar Ball said he wanted LaMelo to be a Clipper. With Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller playing great, the Hornets might want to offload LaMelo while he is still valuable for some role players they hope will bounce back. The Clippers will get an All-Star level talent who can fit in between James Harden and Kawhi Leonard to form a deadly trio. This would also be inserting some much needed youth into the Clippers lineup. The issue with this is that LaMelo is notoriously injury prone, almost as much as Kawhi, and it would make the Clippers lineup even more uncertain.

The second trade would be the start of a reset for the Clippers, with them trying to get draft capital and young players. It would send Collins and Bogdanović to the Wizards for Kris Middleton and Marven Bagley, along with two first rounders. The Clippers get Middleton on an expiring contract, meaning they will have $33 million in cap space next year. The Wizards can get two role players who can get the ball a lot and inflate their numbers to make them more valuable trade assets in the future.

While both of these trades have their flaws, doing either of them is better than sitting down and watching as these two players actively sabotage the Clippers.