Frank vows to be 'aggressive' in fixing the struggling Clippers.
After parting ways with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul in the middle of the night on December 3, Frank faced reporters and made his intentions clear.
"If I'm wrong and this roster isn't capable of doing more, as always we'll be aggressive in trying to fix it," Frank said during his media availability. "We'll explore every avenue to make this team better."
The Clippers currently sit at 6-16 on the season after snapping a five-game losing streak with a 115-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
That record puts them 14th in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Utah Jazz for the worst record in the West.
The start has been nothing short of disastrous for a team that finished 50-32 last season and pushed the Denver Nuggets to seven games in the first round of the playoffs.
A Season Gone Wrong
Los Angeles came into 2025-26 with high expectations after making several offseason moves. The team traded Norman Powell to Miami for John Collins, signed Bradley Beal and veteran center Brook Lopez, and brought back franchise legend Chris Paul for what was supposed to be a celebratory final season.
Instead, the Clippers have looked lost on both ends of the floor.
Frank was blunt about the state of his team. "Right now we're playing bad basketball," he said. "On both ends, we're a bad basketball team and we're capable of being a whole lot better than 5-16."
James Harden has been putting up strong numbers this season, averaging 26.9 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Kawhi Leonard has looked like his old self when healthy, posting 26.4 points per game across 12 games this season.
But the supporting cast has struggled, and injuries have been a constant issue with Beal now out for the season due to a hip fracture.
Limited Options for a Trade
The problem for the Clippers is that they have very few assets to make a significant move. Their 2026 first-round pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Paul George trade, and the Thunder have the right to swap picks with Los Angeles in 2027 and 2029.
The Clippers also owe their 2028 first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers from the James Harden trade. That means the front office does not control its own first-round pick until 2030.
Despite those limitations, trade rumors have already started swirling around the roster.
Ivica Zubac has drawn the most interest from teams around the league according to multiple reports, with the expectation that Los Angeles would seek at least two first-round picks for the center.
John Collins and his expiring $26.6 million contract is also being discussed as a trade piece.
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale has floated several mock trade scenarios that would send Harden to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Jalen Green and other pieces.
Another proposal involves targeting DeMar DeRozan from Sacramento.
But with so few draft picks to offer and limited cap flexibility, the Clippers may struggle to find a willing trade partner that improves their roster in a meaningful way.
What Comes Next
Frank made it clear that head coach Tyronn Lue is not going anywhere, calling him "one of the best coaches in the NBA" and saying he will be with the team "for a long time." The responsibility for turning things around falls on Frank's shoulders.
"I put together that roster," Frank admitted. "It starts at the top with me."
Whether the Clippers can salvage this season remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Lawrence Frank is not content to sit back and watch his team struggle.
The trade deadline is still weeks away, and if his words are any indication, the Clippers will be making calls to try and find a way out of this mess.