There could be something deeper with last seasons' core.
The Los Angeles Clippers have an offseason that could go in a lot of directions, but the smartest path is not a teardown after one disappointing ending.
It is keeping the main group together, re-signing Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins, holding onto their pick if it does not convey and giving Kawhi Leonard another real chance with a roster that finally started to make some sense.
That might not be the loudest answer after a play-in exit, especially for a franchise that has spent years chasing a real postseason breakthrough, but it is still the most practical one.
The Clippers spent the season trying to balance new pieces, injuries and changing roles, and even with the uneven finish, there were enough flashes to believe the core deserves another run before the front office decides to pull everything apart.
Mathurin and Collins fit the need
Mathurin should be a priority because he gives the Clippers something they have needed for years, which is a younger downhill scorer with athletic pop who can create pressure without every possession being perfectly scripted.
On a team that can get too jump-shot heavy when the offense slows down, that kind of force matters because it changes the way defenses have to load up.
Collins brings a different type of value, but his fit is just as important when looking at what Los Angeles needs around Leonard.
His vertical spacing, rebounding and ability to finish as a frontcourt piece give the Clippers a cleaner way to support their stars, while his athleticism helps a roster that cannot afford to get older and slower around its main group.
The Clippers frontcourt still needs more athleticism and versatility, but Collins gives them a useful piece without needing the offense built around him.
That matters for a team trying to win with veterans, because the best version of this roster needs players who can fill gaps instead of creating new ones.
Keep Kawhi and the pick
Leonard remains the player who makes the Clippers relevant, and moving him would only make sense if the organization were ready for a full reset.
That should not be the approach yet, because when Leonard is healthy, he still bends playoff coverages, defends top wings and gives Los Angeles the kind of calm first option most teams spend years trying to find.
If the pick does not convey, the Clippers should keep it rather than rushing to move another piece of their future.
Cheap talent is too valuable under the league’s financial rules, and a young player on a controlled deal could help balance a roster that already has veterans making real money.
The better path is patience with action.
Re-sign Mathurin and Collins, keep Leonard, and keep the pick if it stays home.
Then use the margins to add shooting, point-of-attack defense, and another steady guard who can help stabilize the offense when games slow down.
The Clippers do not need to pretend this season was good enough, because it was not.
But there is a difference between making needed adjustments and tearing down the Clippers core before seeing what a cleaner version can become.
There is also a real chemistry argument here, because Los Angeles spent too much of the season adjusting on the fly, and another major reset would only create the same problem again.
Keeping the core does not mean ignoring the flaws.
It means giving the group one more real offseason to shape roles, address the margins and find out whether this version actually has another level.