Intuit Dome in Inglewood, August 2024. Photo by Haruhi8, resized.

Interactive · LA Clippers

Penalty, trade, 1-5: the Clippers' season so far, step by step

In two months the Clippers lost their owner to a suspension, five first-round picks, Kawhi Leonard and then five straight games. From the league's ruling on Sept. 2 to Sunday night in San Francisco.

Tyronn Lue on the Clippers sideline in January 2022. Photo by All-Pro Reels, resized.

Chapter 1

Sept. 2: the penalty

After a year-long independent investigation, the NBA found that the Clippers had broken the league’s salary cap circumvention rules by setting up off-court income for Kawhi Leonard through four companies doing business with the team, including Aspiration.

The league called the Clippers a prior offender and handed down the heaviest penalty it has given a team.

$0Mfine for the team

0first-round picks forfeited, 2029 to 2033

0 yearsuspension for owner Steve Ballmer

$0paid to the league by Leonard

Steve BallmerOwner, suspended from all league and team activities for one year
Gillian ZuckerPresident of business operations, suspended one year without pay
Lawrence FrankPresident of basketball operations, suspended six months without pay
Five yearsCompliance and monitoring by the league office

Kawhi Leonard speaking after a Raptors preseason game

Kawhi Leonard after his Raptors preseason debut. Image: NBA / X video still.

Chapter 2

Sept. 14: Leonard goes back to Toronto

The Clippers and Raptors had agreed on a Leonard trade at the end of June, but it was held up while the investigation played out. It was completed on Sept. 14, sending Leonard back to the team he won the 2019 title with and bringing Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to Los Angeles.

A week later, longtime season ticket holder John S. Gibson was named interim governor and chief executive. Trent Redden became interim president of basketball operations and Mark Hughes interim general manager.

Feb. 4, 2026Clippers trade James Harden to Cleveland for Darius Garland and a second-round pick
April 2026After a 6-21 start, the Clippers finish 42-40, ninth in the West
Sept. 2League announces the penalties
Sept. 14Leonard trade to Toronto completed
Sept. 21John S. Gibson named interim governor and CEO

Rui Hachimura shoots a three against Denver in preseason. Image: LA Clippers / X video still.

Chapter 3

Opening night: 121-96

The season started the way the Clippers hoped. Garland scored 30 on 11-of-19 shooting, Brook Lopez had 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, and the Clippers beat Sacramento by 25 at Intuit Dome.

Tyronn Lue dedicated the win to the owner who could not be there.

“First off, that win was for Mr. Ballmer. Just want to say thank you for everything and we're still fighting for him.”

— Tyronn Lue, Oct. 21

Tyronn Lue after the loss to the Lakers, Oct. 28, 2026. Image: FlyByKnite / X video still.

Chapter 4

Five straight losses

Then came five games in 10 days, four of them on the road, and five losses. Two were to the Lakers, the second at home without Luka Dončić in the Lakers’ lineup.

Oct. 23Lakers 125, Clippers 117. Garland scores 26 with nine turnovers; Lopez goes 8 of 9.
Oct. 25Thunder 108, Clippers 101, in Oklahoma City. Dunn has five steals.
Oct. 28Lakers 103, Clippers 87, at Intuit Dome. The Clippers shoot 26 of 74 and commit 24 turnovers.
Oct. 30Timberwolves 127, Clippers 101, in Minneapolis.
Nov. 1Warriors 124, Clippers 112, in San Francisco. Golden State makes 22 of 49 threes.

Margin of each loss (points)

at Lakers8

at Thunder7

vs. Lakers16

at Wolves26

at Warriors12

0points per game scored

0points per game allowed

0-4road record

Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, in 2024. Photo by Haruhi8, resized.

Chapter 5

Garland, and the turnovers

With Bradley Beal, Ingram, Max Strus, Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser yet to play, Garland has carried the offense. He is averaging 20.8 points, but in the five losses he shot 34 of 82, including 12 of 36 from three, and he has 31 turnovers in six games.

Clippers turnovers by game

vs. Kings (W)18

at Lakers26

at Thunder26

vs. Lakers24

at Wolves18

at Warriors14

“Teams are gonna guard him with their best defender, with bigger defenders.”

— Tyronn Lue, on Darius Garland

0turnovers in six games

0per game

0players who have not played yet

Kris Dunn after the loss at Golden State, Nov. 1, 2026. Image: BJ / X video still.

Chapter 6

"It's our foundation"

On Sunday the Clippers led by eight after one quarter against a Warriors team resting Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Golden State won the second quarter 34-20, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 37, and the Clippers did not block a shot. Derrick Jones Jr. hurt his right knee.

The 14 turnovers were a season low. Kris Dunn had a career-high seven steals.

“There's no defense to recover when you get blown by. They got in the paint. We got to overhelp. Spread it out for threes.”

— Tyronn Lue, Nov. 1

“It's a long season. … As you know from last year, we turned it around, and we were in a dark, dark spot last year.”

— Kris Dunn, Nov. 1

There is no time to dwell on it. The Clippers host Toronto on Monday, Nov. 2, at 10 p.m. ET, which is 5 a.m. Tuesday in Cairo, on the second night of a back-to-back. Leonard has missed Toronto’s last four games and is expected to be out for weeks, so his first game back at Intuit Dome will have to wait.

Miami visits on Wednesday. Last season the Clippers were 6-21 before they turned it around. This time they are 1-5, with the owner, the picks and the star all gone.

Interactive: Penalty, trade, 1-5 — the Clippers’ season so far, step by step