Frank was upfront about their decision making.
The Los Angeles Clippers finished the 2025-26 season at 42-40 and were bounced from the play-in tournament by the Golden State Warriors, missing the playoffs entirely for the first time since 2022.
At his end-of-season media availability on April 17, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank wasn't interested in looking backward.
When Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints asked whether trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Oklahoma City back in 2019 has made the front office more cautious about moving draft picks, Frank didn't flinch.
"You can say his name. It's alright," Frank said before getting into his real answer. "We don't live in regret. ... We're not gun-shy. ... We don't always make the best decisions, but we don't feel that onus that we gotta go all-in. ... I don't think because Shai, who's now a great, great, great player, that you now become frozen because of it."
The Draft Pick Situation
That answer matters because the Clippers are heading into one of the most important offseasons in franchise history, and the temptation to package picks for a star will be real.
This summer they send their own unprotected first-rounder to the Thunder as the final piece of that 2019 deal, which means this year's draft won't directly help them.
But they also have four tradable first-round picks at their disposal, including a conditional 2026 first from Indiana that could land in the top six of a loaded draft class.
Frank acknowledged that those picks could be used to chase a superstar, but he also floated a more gradual approach and called it a "methodical build" with multiple pathways forward.
Given where the roster sits right now, patience might be the smarter play.
Why They Shouldn't Rush
Kawhi Leonard played 65 games this season and posted a career-high 27.9 points per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, proving he can still carry a team when healthy.
Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists after arriving from Cleveland at the trade deadline, and at 25 years old he gives the Clippers a legitimate long-term backcourt piece to build around.
Trading away multiple firsts right now for another star would be repeating the same win-now cycle that led to the Shai deal in the first place.
The Clippers need upgrades in rebounding, secondary playmaking, and shooting volume, and those are areas that can be addressed through the draft and free agency without gutting their future asset base.
What Comes Next
Leonard is entering the final year of his contract at $50.3 million, and reports suggest he has no desire to leave.
That gives the front office some breathing room to build around him and Garland without making a panic move this summer.
Frank's comments suggest the Clippers learned something from the Shai trade even if they won't come out and say it.
They aren't frozen, but they aren't rushing either.
After years of going all-in with mixed results, that might be exactly what this franchise needs right now.
