What direction does Los Angeles go?
The Los Angeles Clippers' season ended the way too many of their recent seasons have ended, with a gut punch and more questions than answers.
A 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament capped a 42-40 campaign that had moments of promise but ultimately fell short of the postseason.
Stephen Curry hit the dagger three with under a minute left, and just like that, the Clippers were done.
It was a frustrating finish for a team that showed serious fight throughout the year.
After starting 5-16 with no signs of life, Los Angeles ripped off 16 wins in 19 games and became the first team in NBA history to climb above .500 after being 15 games under.
But the roster had holes that no winning streak could cover up, and those holes showed up in the biggest game of the year.
The Center Problem
The front office knows it. Lawrence Frank identified rebounding as the top priority for offseason roster improvement, and that lines up with what everybody watched all season long.
When they traded Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers at the deadline for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks, they sacrificed their most reliable interior presence in the name of the future.
Zubac was averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds on 61 percent shooting before the deal.
Nobody on the current roster comes close to replacing that level of production on the glass, even with the breakout of rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Brook Lopez is 38 years old and unlikely to return, and Isaiah Jackson has never been a consistent starter in his career.
Kawhi Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 65 games this season, but asking him to be the answer on the boards is not sustainable.
What Can They Do?
Still, the Clippers have real flexibility this summer.
Only seven players are under contract heading into next season, and the team holds multiple tradeable first-round picks, including a conditional 2026 first from Indiana that could land in the top six of a loaded draft class.
They could chase a center in free agency, swing a trade for an established big, or use the draft to find a long-term answer at the four or five.
Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists this season and gives the Clippers a real point guard to build around alongside Leonard, whose future with the team reportedly remains solid despite the disappointing finish.
But without a legitimate center to anchor the middle, the Clippers are going to keep running into the same wall.
The Clock is Ticking
Leonard enters the final year of his deal next season at $50.3 million, and the front office wants to build around him.
That means this summer matters more than most.
Adding a reliable five who can rebound and protect the rim is the most important move the Clippers can make to avoid another early exit.