The 2025-26 season is over for the Los Angeles Clippers. After their in-season resurgence from a 6-21 start, fans believed the run would go on at least till the playoffs. But the Golden State Warriors overpowered them, overcoming a 13-point deficit in Q4. Thus, the defeat now turns attention to Kawhi Leonard’s uncertain future. It also puts the Clippers’ head coach, Ty Lue, in the hot seat.
Meanwhile, the Clippers president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, also shared the team’s plans with Lue. He said, “Ty not being the coach was never, ever, ever a consideration. Even at our lowest point when were 6-21, there was never, ever any conversation of Ty not being the coach. Ty’s gonna be the coach here for a long, long time.”
Following the Clippers’ Play-In loss, many pointed out that Ty Lue deserved his fair share of demerit for a mistake in adjustment. The problem revolved around Brook Lopez. The 38-year-old logged the second-most minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers and stayed on for the entire fourth. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors kept carving up the offense, finding clean looks from deep.
Lawrence Frank, on Tyronn Lue’s future with the Clippers: “Ty not being the coach was never, ever, ever a consideration. Even at our lowest point when were 6-21, there never, ever was any conversation of Ty not being the coach. Ty’s gonna be the coach here for a long, long time.” pic.twitter.com/qZiFEV0Ibm
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 17, 2026
At the same time, change has hit the Los Angeles Clippers hard. A fresh chapter began after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers’ shadow and settling into the Intuit Dome. However, the roster looks almost unrecognizable. James Harden, Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and Chris Paul are gone. Meanwhile, Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin are settling into life in Los Angeles. On top of that, uncertainty lingers as the NBA reviews the Kawhi Leonard–Aspiration situation.
The Clippers’ long-term plans with Kawhi Leonard
Lawrence Frank reiterated the franchise’s long-term commitment to Kawhi Leonard during his end-of-season press conference on Friday. “Our plan is to win with Kawhi,” Frank said. “We obviously showed as an organization that we want to continue, and we are driven to win. So, at the appropriate time, we’ll sit down with Kawhi, and very similar to 2024, lay out our plan. And if our goals are aligned, then we’d like to win with Kawhi.”
When questioned about his future after the Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Golden State Warriors in Wednesday’s play-in, Leonard kept his response brief and offered little insight. “Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” he said. “We’ll have our discussions when that time comes.”
Now, tension lingers around the Clippers as last September’s allegations tied Kawhi Leonard to a shady Aspiration deal and possible cap manipulation. Therefore, the NBA launched a probe, bringing in Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. While fears of contract termination surfaced, momentum has slowed. However, per Law Murray, expectations now lean toward minor fallout, with Leonard’s deal likely safe. This puts the Golden State Warriors’ dreams of acquiring him in a tough position.
Reports from ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne suggested that the Warriors could rekindle the conversation about Kawhi Leonard after it fizzled out during the Feb 5 deadline. Meanwhile, in the 2026–27 season, Leonard will account for a $50.3M cap hit as part of his fully guaranteed $149.5M deal with the Clippers. After that, he will turn into a free agent. Interestingly, the Warriors can either chase after the 7-time All-Star now or wait until 2027. The possibility of the former happening suddenly feels unlikely.
The Clippers stand at a breaking point. After the loss to the Golden State Warriors, pressure builds on Tyronn Lue, yet Lawrence Frank remains firm. He sees the head coach in his position for a prolonged period. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard sits at the center of uncertainty, both on court and off it. But once again, the front office is keeping its faith in the veteran star. Therefore, with roster shifts, looming decisions, and external noise, direction matters now.
