The Clippers will look to extend their first winning streak of the season to three games against their division rivals, the Golden State Warriors.

Game Information

Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

When: 8:00 PM PT

How to Watch: NBC, Peacock, KEIB 1150

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Bogdan Bogdanovic – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Warriors: Steph Curry – Brandin Podziemski – Jimmy Butler – Jonathan Kuminga – Draymond Green

Injuries

Clippers: Bradley Beal Out (Back), Jordan Miller Out (Hamstring), Kobe Sanders Out (Knee)

Warriors: Al Horford Probable (Toe), De’Anthony Melton Out (Knee), Alex Toohey Out (Knee)

The Warriors are playing quite well right now, making this game the biggest test for the Clippers of the young season.

Clippers vs Warriors Game Thread
Robert Flom

The Clippers will look to continue building on their blowout win over the Suns on Friday night against the scrappy Blazers.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 6:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Blazers: Jrue Holiday – Shaedon Sharpe – Toumani Camara – Deni Avdija – Donovan Clingan

Clippers: James Harden – Bradley Beal – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Blazers: Scoot Henderson Out (Hamstring), Robert Williams III Out (Knee), Damian Lillard Out (Achilles)

Clippers: Bradley Beal Questionable (Back), Jordan Miller Out (Hamstring)

Clippers vs Blazers Game Thread
Robert Flom

Hello all. I am getting married on Sunday and thus will not be focused on Clippers basketball this weekend. Here’s a quick game thread for tonight’s game, and I will probably have something similar up for Sunday’s game. Hopefully the Clippers don’t have two more embarrassments.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, KEIB 1170

Projected Starting Lineups

Suns: Devin Booker – Grayson Allen – Dillon Brooks – Ryan Dunn – Oso Ighodaro

Clippers: James Harden – Bradley Beal – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Suns: Jalen Green Out (Hamstring)

Clippers: Jordan Miller Out (Hamstring)

I’m not sure how the Clippers could possibly be worse than they were in the season opener against the Jazz. Win or lose, hopefully this is a much better effort than that disaster.

Clippers vs Suns Game Thread
Robert Flom

The Clippers kick off their 2026 season with a road game against the youthful and likely bad Utah Jazz.

Game Information

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

When: 6:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Bradley Beal – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Jazz: Keyonte George – Brice Sensabaugh – Ace Bailey – Lauri Markkanen – Walker Kessler

Injuries

Clippers: Jordan Miller Out (Hamstring)

Jazz: Ace Bailey Questionable (Illness), Georges Niang Out (Foot), Isaiah Collier Out (Hamstring)

The Big Picture

The Clippers’ long, drama-filled offseason is finally over. The revamped Clippers roster, boasting new additions such as Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, John Collins, and Chris Paul, will attempt to do what the franchise has not done in five years, which is get beyond the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers certainly have their most well-rounded roster since those early 213 era teams, as they no longer have gaping holes at backup center or backup point guard. The Clippers are old, but they are deep, coming into the season healthy, and seem to have positive vibes. Let’s see what they can do.

The Antagonist

The Jazz also turned over a lot of their roster, sending out veteran mainstays such as Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and John Collins while adding a motley assortment of aged vets (Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, Jusuf Nurkic) and young guys (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr.). The Jazz are under no allusions about how good they will be this year: even though they have promising young talent on the roster, headlines by Bailey, they do not have a foundational superstar yet, and they need to get that player through a high pick in this upcoming draft. Lauri Markkanen is a fringe All Star caliber player, Walker Kessler is a solid starting center, and the team does have an excellent young coach in Will Hardy, but the Jazz seem like a lock to be the worst team in the Western Conference this year.

Notes

Get the Win: First game of the season, first time I’ll repeat my oft-spoken phrase. If the Clippers are serious about getting a top seed and making a deep playoff run, these are the kinds of games they need to win. Yes, they’re on the road at altitude against a younger team. Yes, the Jazz have real talent. But the Clippers are better at every single position and have a much stronger bench. It would be great if the Clippers came out and sent a message with their play in this one.

Who Starts: It seems fairly clear that the Clippers’ fifth starter will be Derrick Jones Jr., but we do not have that 100% confirmed yet. On the Jazz side of things, the only two guys that I have locked in are Markkanen and Kessler. My guess is they want to give Ace the starting nod, as he had a strong preseason and is the highest draft pick on the roster. Keyonte George is the most seasoned ballhandler on the team (in his third season!), and with Collier out I’d guess he moves in at PG. The final spot could be Brice Sensabaugh or Taylor Hendricks, but I took a stab at Sensabaugh due to his increased experience and shooting acumen.

Who is the Clippers’ 11^th Man: We know that eight Clippers are locked into roles – Harden, Beal, Kawhi, DJJ/Collins, Zu, Brook, and CP3 – but we don’t know who the last two players are in their rotation. Ty Lue has already said he’s not playing an 11-man rotation, which means one of Bogi, Kris Dunn, or Nic Batum is out of the rotation to start the year. Based on how Ty has talked about point of attack defense, you have to think that Dunn will play at least some minutes. Ultimately, I think Nico gets the nod over Bogi as the 10^th man, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was the other way around. I just think Nico has so much trust from everyone on the roster and coaching staff, and it would be tough to not play him when healthy. Then again, he’s such a good fit they could mothball him. We will see in this one!

Do the Clippers Stagger: In the preseason, Ty Lue largely did hockey substitutions in the first quarter, bringing in all five of his bench players at once for the starters. The starters would then trickle back in a bit more gradually in the second quarter, but without a true stagger. I’m curious if that trend will carry into the regular season – I’d guess not. There are three potential stagger candidates with the second unit: Harden, Beal, and Kawhi. Beal seems like the most logical pairing, but this is his first game with the team so I don’t know if Ty will foist that responsibility on him yet. It remains to be seen, but it seems silly to not do at least some staggering for offensive firepower purposes.

Clippers Game Preview: Season Opener Against Jazz
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers closes (sorry Kobe Brown and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, you are just missing out on the cut based on my own missed deadlines) with new backup center, Brook Lopez.

Basic Information

Height: 7’1

Weight: 280 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 37

Years in NBA: 17

Stats: 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 turnovers in 31.8 minutes per game across 80 games played (all starts) on 50.9/37.3/82.6 shooting splits (4.7 3PA, 1.7 FTA) for 62.4 True Shooting

Contract Status: Signed a two-year, $18M contract this past offseason

Expectations

Brook comes to the Clippers with among the clearest expectations of anyone on the roster: be a competent backup center. After being a starter almost his entire career, Brook is overqualified to be a reserve, even as he heads deeper into his late 30s. One of the most experienced players in the entire league, Brook knows where to be on both ends of the court, has seen every scheme, and should help anchor the Clippers when Ivica Zubac is off the court. In terms of production, scoring of around 8-10 points per game on excellent efficiency and a handful of other stats seems reasonable.

Strengths

Brook has three strengths, and they’re all significant. First, he’s one of the very best shooting big men in the NBA, combining volume (4.7 threes attempted last year), accuracy (37.3%), and depth (will take threes well behind the line). He will instantly be the best shooting big man in Clippers’ history, that’s for sure, and that unique element will give the Clippers’ offense a new twist. His pairing with John Collins in the second unit makes particular sense, as Brook can space the floor while Collins dives to the rim. Shooting can be overrated at times, but having a true floor-spacing big man opens up the offense for everyone else and has immense value.

Second, Brook remains a strong rim protector. He’s extremely slow-footed at this point of his career, but he’s a massive, massive man even by NBA standards, and that size deters plenty of foes from even attempting shots around the basket. Brook is also extremely savvy in timing his blocks and rotations to provide maximum impact, working his way around his lack of mobility and vertical leap. There are not many players in the NBA better at deterring or blocking shots at the rim than Brook.

Finally, Brook can still cook in the post. He doesn’t get the ball there as much as he did in his days on the Nets, but his touch, size, footwork, and strength enable him to get buckets there, especially when he has mismatches against smaller defenders. When the second unit runs out of ideas on offense, there are far worse ideas than giving Brook the ball on the low block.

Weaknesses

While an extremely potent rim protector, Brook is very limited when not playing in drop coverage. His slow feet make him a prime target out on the perimeter when guarding smaller players, so you can’t switch one through five with him on the floor. Similarly, even though he’s a highly intelligent defender, there are times when he just can’t make the rotations he used to because he’s a step slow.

It must be noted that Brook is very old. He was good last year, and he looked quite good in preseason, but the bottom can fall out on NBA players at any time. His size and shooting are probably enough to keep him from becoming unplayable, but there’s a chance that an extra half step lost on both ends could severely mitigate his effectiveness. The Clippers just have to hope that last backwards slide from “rotation-caliber player” to “not a rotation-caliber player” does not happen this year.

Summary

Brook is coming to the Clippers at the end of his career, but promises the most reliable backup center play the Clippers have had in a long, long time (Isaiah Hartenstein was really good in 2022 but still figuring a few things out). A local guy who is beloved around the league for his personality, I think he will very quickly become a fan favorite in Los Angeles. I, for one, can’t wait to watch Brook combine with Chris Paul for some of the oldest pick and rolls in NBA history. There is not a ton of upside with Brook, obviously, but his steadiness on both ends will be like water in the desert for the Clippers after their backup centers of the past few years.

Clippers 2026 Player Preview: Brook Lopez
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues the longest tenured player on the team, starting center Ivica Zubac.

Basic Information

Height: 7’0

Weight: 240 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 28

Years in NBA: 9

Stats: 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.6 turnovers in 32.8 minutes per game across 80 games played (all starts) on 62.8/66.1 shooting splits (0 3PA, 3.0 FTA) for 64.1 True Shooting

Contract Status: In the first year of a three-year, $58.5M deal, making $18M this season

Expectations

Zu has raised expectations for himself after putting together a career-best season in 2025. Zu set career highs in nearly every statistical category last year, including games played, minutes, points, rebounds, and assists per game, and advanced metrics like win shares and BPM. He was a dominant two-way presence, earning an All-Defense Second Team nod while receiving votes for All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year. While I don’t expect Zu’s counting stats will be quite as high this year, as the Clippers have more talent and are healthier going into the season, he is in his prime, so I do expect his overall impact to be at a similar level.

Strengths

Zu’s biggest strength is his defensive acumen. Always a plus on that end, Zu has continued to take steps in terms of his awareness, ability to stay out of foul trouble, and stoutness in defending opposing big men in the post. He’s a fantastic rim protector that consistently ranks among the NBA’s best in terms of opposing field goal percentage at the bucket. Not many players can shift Zu out of the way in one-on-one matchups, and he’s a very tough player to finish through. There are not many centers who have a larger impact on that end of the court.

A huge element of Zu’s defense is his rebounding. He’s a terrific rebounder on both ends of the court, with his ability to collect defensive rebounds being particularly important on closing possessions. Zu led the NBA in defensive, offensive, and total rebounds last season, and while that probably won’t happen again, it shows just how strong he is in that element of the game.

The area where Zu took his biggest strides last season was on the offensive end. Zu boosted his scoring from his previous career high of 11.7 points per game all the way up to 16.8 points per game – all while not sacrificing much in the way of efficiency. He and James Harden developed one of the most efficient and deadly pick and rolls in the NBA, with Zu’s monster screens and soft hands getting him several easy buckets per game. Zu’s offensive rebounding, long a strength, continued, providing more easy scores right around the rim. And, most importantly, Zu’s ability to get the ball in the post and score without assistance took a leap. In fact, Zu got so good in the post that teams started sending double teams – and Zu responded by improving his playmaking, posting by far a career high in assists per game while keeping his turnovers down.

Finally, it must be noted that Zu’s reliability is a massive strength. As a Clipper, he’s played in 72, 72, 76, 76, 68, and 80 games, with one of the 72-game seasons being every game because of the COVID-shortened campaign. Early in his Clippers days, the coaching staff worried about Zu losing energy and effectiveness if he played too much, and he firmly refuted that by logging major minutes last year. He’s always on the court, has plus stamina for a guy his size, and does not take stuff away. There’s not much to nitpick.

Weaknesses

It’s hard to say that Zu really has weaknesses at this point, more like limitations. He can’t shoot threes, or really any shots from outside of around eight feet from the rim, but that does not really matter for his position archetype. He can’t attack from the perimeter at all, but that’s not something the Clippers really need from him. He’s not a big man that can bring the ball up the court, but that’s an extremely rare skillset that’s hard to knock.

Really, the only thing you could point to as an actual weakness for Zu is that he’s not great at defending players out on the perimeter. A phenomenal defender in drop and help around the rim, Zu is not comfortable in switch-heavy defenses, as he’s prone to getting cooked by guards and swifter wings. The Clippers have designed their defense around Zu’s potent strengths, but his lack of switchability does make him a bit less “versatile” than other premier defensive big men like Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Victor Wembanyama.

Summary

Ivica Zubac is primed for a monster season. With a better backup behind him in Brook Lopez and more surrounding talent on offense, Zu can focus on the things he does best without having to carry the team on offense. Already one of the best centers in Clippers’ franchise history, another big year from Zu will put him into truly lofty conversations regarding his place in franchise lore. I have every confidence that Zu will have a season of that caliber, and he’s probably the Clipper I have the most faith in meeting his floor of expectations. Hopefully he makes it happen and helps the Clippers have another strong season.

Clippers 2026 Player Preview: Ivica Zubac
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with one of their new acquisitions, veteran forward John Collins.

Basic Information

Height: 6’9

Weight: 235 pounds

Position: Power Forward

Age: 28

Years in NBA: 8

Stats: 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.6 turnovers in 30.5 minutes per game across 40 games played (31 starts) on 52.7/39.9/84.8 shooting splits (3.7 3PA, 4.1 FTA) for 62.8 True Shooting

Contract Status: In the final year of a five-year deal originally signed with the Hawks, making $26.58M this season.

Expectations

Collins came to the Clippers with a good amount of fanfare – Clippers’ fans have wanted the team to trade for him for at least three years. A large, athletic forward, Collins is a type of player the Clippers have not had in a long time (since Blake Griffin, really, though there are similarities to Montrezl Harrell), and fans have been hankering for a more physical starting forward next to Kawhi. Collins is coming off a couple seasons in Utah where he fell off the radar a bit after being a higher-profile player in Atlanta. On the last year of a five-year deal that he signed back when he seemed a key part of Atlanta’s future, Collins is at a career crossroads.

At first, it was expected that Collins would start at power forward. However, the Bradley Beal addition – and the instant reporting that he would likely start – changed that. With another offense-first player in the starting unit, the thinking shifted to Derrick Jones Jr. starting, and after preseason, it seems all but set in stone that Collins will come off the bench. Collins will still play a lot (I’d say 20-30 minutes most games), and I think reasonably can be expected for something like 14 points, 5 rebounds, and other ancillary stats while bringing some highlight-reel dunks to the Clips.

Strengths

John Collins is a well-rounded offensive player that technically qualifies as a three-level scorer even though he’s not a traditional creator. Collins has honed his three-point shot over the past couple years and is a reliable marksman from distance. While not a prolific midrange shooter, he’s more than capable of rising up from 16 feet. And, most importantly for the Clippers, Collins is a dominant rim attacker that is thunderous as a roll man and capable of finishing over and through even stout defenders. His best years were eating in the pick and roll alongside Trae Young in Atlanta, and there’s no reason he can’t duplicate some of that success with Harden and Chris Paul in Los Angeles.

Collins is also a solid rebounder that will consistently contribute on both the defensive and offensive glass. He’s not a dominant presence, but when playing at the four next to traditional big men like Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez he will help the Clippers be (hopefully) a very good rebounding team. Things are a little trickier if you ask him to play small-ball center, but the Clippers probably won’t be doing that much.

Weaknesses

Collins is not really a playmaker for others, nor a shot creator. Despite scoring over 21 points per game earlier in his career and averaging 19 last season, Collins is a play-finisher that does not have an advanced handle or passing game. That’s fine for his archetype of player, to be clear, but the Clippers can’t force feed him the ball (especially out on the perimeter) to get easy buckets. If the Clippers’ second unit needs a go-to bucket getter, it will probably have to be through a stagger with one of Kawhi, Harden, or Beal. That lack of passing can be frustrating at times as well – there will be plays he has someone open and either misses the pass or is a beat too late on making it.

Collins is also an inconsistent defensive player. While certainly not awful (he’s just too large and physical to be that bad), there are times he can miss rotations or be a step slow in help. When playing on-ball, despite his athleticism, Collins is not great at switching out onto smaller guys, instead being a better option on larger and more physical players. There are times he can really lock in defensively (he was awesome on that end in the Hawks’ run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals), but that can make the missteps on a game-to-game basis more frustrating.

Summary

John Collins might be my biggest x-factor of the Clippers’ season (outside of health and age-related concerns). If he’s able to tap into his role player skills and be a force for the Clippers as a roll-man, rebounder, and physical presence on defense, he can offer traits that no other Clipper can and will be a huge part of their season. There’s also a scenario where he does not do those things and is more of an empty calorie scorer that is less essential when push comes to shove. For the Clippers’ and Collins’ sake, I hope he’s able to rejuvenate his career in LA after a couple quiet seasons in Utah. I think Collins could be really, really good for this team, but it’s all up to him.

Clippers 2026 Player Preview: John Collins
Robert Flom

The Clippers will wrap up their 2026 preseason with an away contest against another division rival, the Golden State Warriors.

Game Information

Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: NBA League Pass

Notes

The Clippers’ dress rehearsal game ended up being on Wednesday against the Kings, and Ty Lue has already ruled out Kawhi and James Harden from this game. It is quite possible other key veteran Clippers don’t play either, though some of the new arrivals (Brook, Collins, CP3) logging minutes makes sense.

One of the only reasons to tune into this one is because there is at least a chance Bradley Beal makes his Clippers’ debut tonight. Honestly, I’d be a bit surprised if he appeared in preseason, but he has not been ruled out, and the Clippers might want to give him a few meaningless minutes with some teammates before being thrust into games that actually matter. If he does play, it will be interesting to see how he looks.

The only other semi-interesting plot thread here is if any of the younger players stand out enough to get the final two-way spot vacated by Trentyn Flowers. The smart money right now is on Jason Preston to get that last two-way slot, but if any of the other training camp guys has a terrific outing maybe it sways the Clippers in another direction.

That’s about it! After this, the games will actually matter, and I can’t wait for that!

Clippers 2026 Preseason Game 4: Game Thread
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with beloved veteran Nic Batum.

Basic Information

Height: 6’8

Weight: 230 pounds

Position: Power Forward/Small Forward

Age: 36

Years in NBA: 17

Stats: 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 turnovers in 17.5 minutes per game across 78 games played (8 starts) on 43.7/43.3/81.0 shooting splits (2.6 3PA, 0.3 FTA) for 63.3 True Shooting

Contract Status: Signed a two-year, $11.5M deal this summer

Expectations

Nic Batum has one of the clearest roles on the 2026 Clippers: be a competent, steady, two-way forward that can fill minutes alongside any of the Clippers’ best players. Nico’s role downsized last year compared to earlier in his Clippers’ tenure (his 17.5 minutes per game were a career low), but impact stats and the eye test still marked him as a clear plus player on both ends. Nico’s size, smarts, and shooting should keep him as a positive presence on the court even as the last vestiges of his athleticism fade away.

Strengths

Nico’s top-billed strength, at this point in his career, is on the defensive end. Despite being old and slow (by NBA standards), Nico’s size, length, smarts, and strength still enable him to guard multiple positions. More importantly, he’s always in the right spot on that end of the floor, and his presence and communication help to prevent defensive breakdowns. He is not a stopper anymore, but is a clear plus on defense and will likely remain that way.

On offense, Nico’s biggest asset is his three-point shooting. He shot 43.3% from deep last year (albeit on only 2.6 attempts per game) and has shot 40.4% from three across his tenure with the Clippers. Nico’s height and quick release mean he can get off threes even against hard-closing defenders, and he’s fantastic at relocating to different spots on the floor to provide maximum spacing. He’s not a truly top-tier shooter, but he’s someone who defenses have to respect out there.

Finally, it must be noted that Nico just brings all the intangibles, and then some. He is a beloved teammate, a player that is trusted by the Clippers stars and coaching staff alike. You always know what you’re getting from Nico, even when the shots aren’t falling or the matchup is a tough one. That reliability is priceless from a role player.

Weaknesses

Nico’s only true weakness is that he no longer really takes shots on offense that aren’t threes. Nico took 85.3% of his shots from three last year, a career high, and that number will probably only go up as he continues to age. Despite being a feared shooter, Nico doesn’t have the burst to truly attack off closeouts any more, and finishing at the rim (57.1% on field goals at the basket) is a challenge nowadays. Nico is not scoring the ball unless he’s getting wide open threes. It’s always useful to have everyone on the court be a threat to dribble, drive, and shoot, and at this point, Nico only fills one of those boxes – though he’s so good at that one box it alleviates some of the downside.

Summary

Nic seems like a lock to finish his career with the Clippers, and that’s something that Nico, his family, the Clippers’ organization, and fans all seem to be very pleased with. Nico’s role will likely continue to fade – the John Collins acquisition was a real sign that the Clippers know they can’t rely on Nico for huge minutes in big situations anymore – but his impact in the minutes he does receive will remain positive. The Clippers are better off with Nico on the roster, and he will be a joy to watch for as long as he’s on the team.

Clippers 2026 Player Preview: Nic Batum
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with Kris Dunn, the Clippers’ best perimeter defender.

Basic Information

Height: 6’3

Weight: 205 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard

Age: 31

Years in NBA: 9

Stats: 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 turnovers in 24.1 minutes per game across 74 games played (58 starts) on 43.9/33.5/68.2 shooting splits (3.0 3PA, 0.3 FTA) for 53.2 True Shooting

Contract Status: In the second year of a 3 year, $16.2M deal, making $5.4M this season with a non-guaranteed $5.7M next season

Expectations

Kris Dunn was a bit of a revelation last year for the Clippers. While people knew he was a good defender and figured he’d have a nice impact on the team, I’m not sure anyone thought that he’d start most of the season and be an All-Defense First Team caliber player that raised the floor and ceiling of the Clippers’ defense. With the Clippers adding more talent this summer and trying to boost their offense, it feels like Dunn’s role will be smaller this year, but his point of attack defense, hustle, and energy are still important, and he seems locked into a bench role where he can come in and wreak havoc against opposing reserve units.

Strengths

Kris Dunn’s best strength is obvious: he’s one of the very best perimeter defenders in the entire NBA. A menace on ball, quick enough to take on small guards and strong enough to body up bigger players, Dunn is even better off-ball, as his instincts, speed, and swift hands enable him to rack up deflections and steals. While Ivica Zubac had the biggest impact on the Clippers’ top-five defense last year due to position, Dunn was a rare perimeter defender who truly swung the team’s entire defense. Add to his actual skills the intangibles of effort, intensity, and ferocity and you have a special defensive talent.

While Kris Dunn has his weaknesses on offense (see below), he is capable in a couple of key areas. Notably, the fact that he used to play point guard means he’s a relatively strong ballhandler that is generally able to bring the ball up the floor and handle pressure. In a similar vein, while not a brilliant playmaker, Dunn can make easy reads in the flow of the offense and is a careful passer that does not turn the ball over much. These skills make Dunn particularly nifty in four on three situations where he can take advantage of numbers to make the simple read and get open looks. There is definitely utility with having Dunn out there on offense.

Weaknesses

Kris is a well below-average three-point shooter for a modern NBA guard, making just 33.5% of his triples last year while attempting three per game. And as meh as those numbers are, that was by far his best three-point shooting season when combing volume and percentage in his career. Despite being at least a slight threat from deep, Dunn is just not a good enough shooter to make defenses really pay attention to him from behind the arc, which cramps spacing and can result in frustrating offensive possessions when he misses several open looks in a short span. If he was a better three-point shooter, however, he’d be one of the better role players in the league, so there’s a reason the Clippers got him for cheap.

Outside of the outside shot, Kris is also sadly not a huge threat to score inside the arc. He doesn’t get to the rim much, and when he does, he’s a below-the-rim finisher that can’t consistently punish defenses around the basket. Kris actually shoots quite well at the rim (71.9% last year) but is judicious with his attempts because he knows he can’t finish over people. That lack of slashing is partially why Derrick Jones Jr. is a more effective offensive player even though he’s not a meaningfully better outside shooter. In short, Kris is just not much of a scoring threat in the halfcourt, and that’s a problem for a guard.

Summary

Kris Dunn was a mighty pleasant surprise last year, becoming an instant fan favorite due to his insane defense and fun personality. There’s no reason to think he can’t continue being beloved by the fanbase this year if he maintains his defensive impact off the bench and helps keep the Clippers’ defense afloat even with the influx of offense-first pieces. In just one season Dunn skyrocketed up my ranks of favorite Clippers’ role players, and I feel quite confident he will be just as entertaining this season.

Clippers 2026 Player Preview: Kris Dunn
Robert Flom