The Los Angeles Clippers enter the 2025-26 NBA season with the kind of roster depth, veteran presence, and star power that the franchise has long dreamed of assembling. Yet, as the whispers around the league suggest, their championship hopes are under scrutiny, not because of a lack of talent, but because of age, durability, and lingering skepticism around whether this group can stay healthy long enough to deliver on their collective promise.

Still, the Clippers have given fans reason to believe. They followed last year’s disappointing first-round exit by making one of the most active and calculated offseasons of any Western Conference team.

Adding Brook Lopez, John Collins, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul to a core led by Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac not only reinforces their depth but also solves long-standing roster deficiencies: rim protection, size, and frontcourt athleticism.

That statement alone invites belief in a revival season. With that, here are three bold predictions for the Clippers’ 2025-26 campaign.

Kawhi Leonard will return to MVP-caliber form

Kawhi Leonard’s health has been the defining question of every Clippers season since he joined the franchise in 2019. But for the first time in years, Leonard enters a season both healthy and confident, and surrounded by the kind of complementary talent that will allow him to thrive without being overburdened.

Now, with Brook Lopez anchoring the paint and John Collins adding mobility at the four, Leonard will finally have frontcourt partners who can alleviate defensive pressure. The presence of Bradley Beal and James Harden also means Leonard can conserve energy on offense while still commanding attention as the team’s primary closer.

If he stays healthy, and that’s always the conditional phrase, Leonard could easily return to All-NBA First Team status and quietly insert himself back into the MVP conversation. His ability to lead both ends of the floor, combined with the Clippers’ potential to finish near the top of the West, gives him the narrative edge that voters often crave.

This version of Leonard might not average 30 points per night, but he could post a balanced 25-7-5 stat line with elite defensive metrics, reminiscent of his 2019 Toronto Raptors peak. For a player many have counted out, this season could be the reassertion of his place among basketball’s top five players.

The Clippers will finish as a top-3 seed in the Western Conference

Skeptics point to the Clippers’ age as a fatal flaw. But in reality, age brings experience, and experience often wins games, especially when paired with depth and lineup versatility. This Clippers roster might not play at an especially fast pace, but they’ll excel in half-court execution, situational awareness, and defensive cohesion.

The addition of Chris Paul might not move the needle statistically, but it changes the Clippers’ basketball IQ on the floor. When paired with Harden and Beal, Paul’s ability to manage tempo ensures that the Clippers can play any style, fast when needed, and patient when necessary.

His mentorship of the second unit, which could include Kris Dunn, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nicolas Batum, and John Collins, gives Los Angeles something it hasn’t had in years: a dependable bench that won’t hemorrhage leads.

The Clippers’ depth chart now runs 11-deep with players who can contribute meaningfully in both the regular season and playoffs. With lineups that can go big, small, or switch-heavy, Tyronn Lue finally has a roster that can be adjusted to fit matchups rather than force them.

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This balance could translate into regular-season consistency that’s eluded the Clippers in past years. Even if they rest Leonard, Harden, or Beal strategically, their depth is strong enough to maintain winning momentum, something that wasn’t true last season when injuries forced Lue to play lineups with glaring holes.

If this team manages to stay reasonably healthy, a top-three finish in the West is entirely within reach. Denver and Oklahoma City remain the conference’s elite, but the Clippers finally have the defensive tools and scoring versatility to stay in that conversation from October to April.

A 52-55 win season would not be shocking, and for a franchise that has lived in the “what-if” category for years, that consistency would be a monumental step forward.

The Clippers will finally reach the NBA Finals

It might sound overly ambitious, especially given the franchise’s painful history, but this version of the Clippers has the right ingredients to break through the Western Conference barrier finally.

For years, the Clippers’ playoff exits have followed the same script: elite top-end talent, but not enough depth, rebounding, or health to survive deep series. This time, the script is different. The team has fortified its weakest areas while retaining its identity as a veteran, half-court-oriented squad built for playoff basketball.

The addition of Brook Lopez cannot be overstated. He provides rim protection that allows Leonard and Harden to focus on perimeter defense rather than collapsing into the paint. Meanwhile, John Collins brings the athleticism and cutting that were missing in previous lineups. The Clippers’ frontcourt rotation is now one of the league’s most complete, blending skill, defense, and experience.

Add in the playmaking of Harden and Paul, the scoring punch of Beal, and the steady leadership of Leonard, and you have a team capable of outmaneuvering anyone in the postseason. Tyronn Lue’s flexibility as a coach, his ability to adapt mid-series, gives Los Angeles a tactical edge against nearly every Western rival.

The Western Conference remains brutal, with Denver, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota all capable of making deep runs. But the Clippers now have something those teams don’t: a group of veterans who have seen and survived every postseason scenario.

If the Clippers remain healthy heading into April, even at 80%, they have enough experience, depth, and defensive toughness to finally reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

It’s a bold prediction, but boldness has always followed this franchise, and after years of heartbreak, perhaps this time, fortune finally follows too.