"As a close observer of an NBA franchise that has spent the past few decades in various states of putrefaction, an exercise I like to undertake from time to time is to consider which of the 30 NBA teams faces the bleakest medium-term future. This excludes most teams presently in the thick of the playoff race, because maintaining such a position is easier than attaining it."
"Before the current season began, one may have thought the Phoenix Suns-who finished 11th in the West last season and do not control their first-round pick until the end of the next presidential administration-were the answer, but they have turned out to be super feisty. No, despite serious competition, the league's worst future outlook belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers."
The Clippers are 5-15 this season and have endured a 2-13 month, marking one of the franchise's worst recent stretches. The team carries an aging, slow, and irritable roster that struggles to compete with younger opponents. Kawhi Leonard plays sparingly, performs poorly when active, and is embroiled in a major NBA investigation tied to a questionable endorsement deal. The front office retooled the bench with established veterans to create a platoon-style second quintet intended to give coach Tyronn Lue ten interchangeable, skilled players. Those moves have not prevented a bleak medium-term outlook relative to most NBA teams.
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