Shocking; Tyronn Lue Clippers’ Confirmed Best Season Still Ends in First-Round Heartbreak, Leaving Future in Limbo”
What makes the Los Angeles Clippers’ early playoff exit so frustrating is that—for once—everything seemed to align. Kawhi Leonard was healthy when it mattered most. James Harden, at 35, defied expectations by earning another All-Star selection, showing flashes of his former brilliance despite a familiar postseason letdown. Ivica Zubac played at an elite level, even entering All-NBA discussions. The front office executed nearly every offseason move to perfection. They caught fire late in the year, finishing the regular season with an 18-3 run and becoming a trendy pick to come out of the West. This felt like the culmination of years of planning.
Yet, it ended in another first-round flameout—at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, no less. The same team that has consistently haunted the Clippers in the Kawhi era. But this wasn’t the 2023 championship-winning version of Denver. This was a 2025 team in disarray, one that fired its head coach and general manager after the season. Still, that dysfunctional Nuggets squad managed to knock off a Clippers team operating at near-peak form. If that doesn’t raise alarms, consider the rising threat of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who may already have passed them entirely.
Evaluating this Clippers season is difficult. On paper, it was one of the most successful regular seasons in franchise history—just their seventh 50-win campaign. They debuted their state-of-the-art arena and gave fans hope in a season where many thought the Leonard-Paul George era had already run its course. In terms of regular season achievements and overcoming adversity, this could be considered their most inspiring campaign ever.
But moral victories don’t count in the postseason. The real measure of success comes in June, and the Clippers didn’t even make it out of April.
Now what? Some fans may call for a full rebuild, but the reality is far more complex. Leonard’s injury history makes him a difficult trade piece, and Harden’s playoff inconsistencies do the same. The Clippers had nearly regained control of their draft assets before trading for Harden. Now, they don’t control their own first-round pick again until 2030.
They’re stuck in limbo—unable to tank, unable to rebuild, and seemingly unable to break through.