At eight games into the 2027 NBA season, we have enough of a sample size to give the Clippers’ key players some grades based on their performances so far compared to their expectations.
Starters
Darius Garland: F
Don’t be fooled by raw stats. Garland’s raw scoring (20.8 points), assists (6.6), and efficiency (58.4 True Shooting) would indicate a player having a pretty good offensive season. That could not be further from the truth. Garland’s numbers are buoyed by a strong game 1 performance against the miserable Kings and by some garbage time buckets in other games. That’s not even taking into consideration his league-worst 5.5 turnovers per game, which have come at the most inopportune moments and many of which have been completely unforced. That’s also not accounting for Garland’s pitiful rebounding (1.6 per game in 33.8 minutes – literally how?) or atrocious defense. Most advanced metrics have Garland as one of the worst players in the entire league so far, and the eye test would agree with them. There is still talent here, clearly, but Garland’s turnovers, defense, and inconsistent scoring are killing the Clippers. I do think Garland will improve when Brandon Ingram can carry some of the offensive burden, but it’s been a disastrous start to the season for Garland, and his play is the main reason the Clippers are one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Kris Dunn: A
Would the real best player on the Clippers please stand up? I’m not sure where the Clippers would be without Kris Dunn, but it would be a dark place. Dunn has been (by far) the Clippers’ most impactful player through eight games, putting forth his highest minutes, points, rebounds, and assists per game as a Clipper while scoring at by far his most efficient rate. He’s been aggressive in getting to the rim, is drawing more fouls, and is handling the ball more than ever to take the load off Garland and Wagler without turning the ball. Meanwhile, his defense is as good as ever (he leads the league in steals at 2.8 and ranks top in multiple advanced stats for defensive impact) both as an on-ball defender and as a help menace. Kris has been so strong on both ends of the court that it’s hard to imagine him going to the bench even when the team is healthy. Across his 2+ years on the team, the Clippers have consistently tried to de-emphasize Kris due to his scoring limitations, but each time find he’s a load-bearing pillar of the team that they can’t go away from so easily. What a player, what a pleasure to watch.
Derrick Jones Jr.: A-
It’s been a very nice start to the season for Derrick Jones. DJ has brought his usual defense and above-the-rim attacks on offense, but is also shooting 50% from three (on a career-high 4.3 attempts per game) and grabbing 5.3 rebounds (up from 3.5 last year). The shooting will regress as the season goes along, but DJ does look more comfortable launching shots from distance than before, so I suspect the volume will still settle into a career high. The rebounding is also well above any other season he’s had (next highest is 4.0 per game), so if that sticks that would be huge for the undersized Clippers. Adding in better three-point shooting and rebounding to a solid role player package should make DJ even more enticing on the trade market if he continues to play at this level.
Rui Hachimura: D+
After a horrific start to the season, Rui has ticked up the past couple games, including an excellent performance against the Heat. Still, for the overall 2027 campaign Rui has rated as well below average: he’s shooting just 37.3% from the field, 34.2% from three, and is averaging more turnovers (2.2) than assists (1.7). There are some positive indicators, however, namely rebounding (6.5, would be a career high) and three-point volume (6.3, by far a career high). If Rui’s other numbers stabilize but he keeps rebounding and shooting threes at a high rate, he will probably end up having a pretty solid season, frustrations with defense and playmaking aside.
Isaiah Jackson: C+
I’ve seen a lot of Clippers’ fans blaming Isaiah Jackson for some of the team’s issues to start the season; more than I would expect. And the fans are not necessarily wrong to do so, as Jackson being undersized prevents him from being a truly effective rim protector on defense or rim roller on offense. However, that’s a physical limitation that was factored into my expectations. On the whole, I think Jackson has brought great energy, he’s contributed on the glass, and he’s had a couple big scoring performances. The main knock on him is that he sets two illegal screens per game, and those turnovers are killing the Clippers (I legit might have him a full letter grade higher if it wasn’t for this). He’s a bench player, not a starter, and we knew that before the season. My guess is he shifts out of the rotation when Yanic returns.
Bench
Keaton Wagler: B+
This grade might seem high considering Wagler’s obvious limitations, but those limitations are precisely the reason I’m giving him a B+. We knew going into his rookie season that he would be at a weight and strength disadvantage against 99.9% of NBA players, and that would be a hindrance to him on both ends of the floor. Considering his complete inability to score inside the arc (25.8% on twos) or handle ball pressure, Wagler has actual been reasonably effective. He’s shot well from three (35.1% on 4.6 attempts), chipped in on the glass (4.1 rebounds), and held a strongly positive assist to turnover ratio (3.3 to 2.0). There are flashes of brilliance mixed with some rookie blunders and weak drives to the rim, but overall, I’ve been more impressed with Keaton than not. It’s still very, very early in his NBA career, but I think there’s a super interesting player in there.
Gradey Dick: B
I was not expecting much from Gradey this season, so the fact that he’s been a perfectly solid 9th man in the rotation has been a pleasant surprise. The numbers don’t stand out, but Gradey has been solid enough on defense, plays with a lot of energy, and has made his open threes (38.5%), albeit on very low volume. He will presumably be shifted out of the rotation when Brandon Ingram is healthy, but I’m intrigued by him as an energy back-of-rotation player.
Max Strus: C+
Strus has played just two games since he returned from a foot injury, but has immediately become a key part of the Clippers’ rotation. The shot hasn’t quite been there so far, but his high-volume outside shooting (9 attempts per game so far), playmaking (5.5 assists), and rebounding (4.5) make him one of the more well-rounded players on the team. The shots will start falling at some point, and when they do they could help the Clippers win games. Strus plays with a ton of energy and grit, and I’m excited to see him as he further rounds into shape.
Kobe Sanders: A-
Kobe has been one of the bright spots of the Clippers’ season so far. His stats haven’t gone up a lot from his rookie year, but he has upped his minutes, points, rebounds, assists, and steals numbers while playing stouter defense. Sanders’ shooting percentages have come down somewhat, but his efficiency is almost identical due to the increase in his three-point attempts. You know what you’re getting with Kobe – solid defense, good outside shooting, and a bit of ballhandling and creation with limited errors – and that consistency has been of value. I hope his role increases as the season goes along, and that he doesn’t fade to the fringes of the rotation when the Clippers get healthy.
Baba Miller: B
Baba has been on the fringes of the Clippers’ rotation so far, but has impressed in limited minutes. His numbers (2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per game) certainly don’t stand out, but his per 36 numbers (3.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 2.4 blocks) are incredible and demonstrate the flashes he shows. Baba just can make plays nobody else on the roster can due to his size and athleticism, and I hope at some point this season he gets true, extended rotation minutes, because he’s raw and needs to play. There’s going to be some mistakes along the way, but the upside is worth it. I am very, very intrigued.
Brook Lopez: B+
Brook has gotten off to a strong start to the season offensively, averaging 13.5 points per game (3rd on the team) in just 23.5 minutes while shooting 56% from the field and 42.3% from three. The rim protection has also been solid, though Brook’s mobility makes him a limited defensive player and rebounder at this stage of his career. The little flip shots and jumpers probably won’t keep falling at this rate, but as long as they are, Brook has been a nice option on offense for a team that needs as much help as it can get there. I don’t enjoy watching Brook play, and once Yanic is back I hope his role is greatly diminished, but there’s no denying he’s helped the Clippers thus far this year.