Five teams have never reached the NBA finals, but Max Kellerman thinks the Los Angeles Clippers stand alone in having no real path forward. Their run of misfortune, he says, is so extreme it's hard to chalk up to normal bad luck.
"This is what's crazy about the Clippers. This is why you say snakebit," Kellerman told Bill Simmons on "The Bill Simmons Podcast." "The basketball gods just don't like them. When I think about the franchise , whether it's going to be healthy and good or not, first I think about is human resources."
"For example, Jerry West. (He) spreads his pixie dust all over the Lakers, and they win forever. Then he goes to Memphis, and they get good, and then he goes back to the Lakers, and they're good again. Then, he goes to Golden State… The Warriors became a championship team," Kellerman added.
As West made his tour of the California teams with a brief stop in Tennessee, the Clippers eventually enticed him. He signed up for an executive advisory role in 2017, providing guidance for the team's front office.
It turned out great at first. West played a role in acquiring Paul George from Oklahoma City , the superstar whom Kawhi Leonard coveted. The Klaw reportedly wanted to see the Clippers at work, and if he liked what he saw, he'd come aboard. Jerry got that done.
So, after the Lob City era that brought the franchise some life but came to an abrupt end, the Clippers had reason to hope again. They got a couple of two-way superstar wings as leaders, and putting a team around them was not much of a problem in theory. They hired Ty Lue, who had a championship pedigree as a player and coach.
Contending for years was the goal, and the vision was taking shape. Until it did not. Both Kawhi and PG spent more time in street clothes than on the court. They traded for James Harden at the start of the 2023-24 season, but George eventually bolted out in the summer of 2024 to Harden's former team, the Philadelphia 76ers .
Right now, the Clippers are nothing but a hot mess.
"It doesn't matter who they bring in," Kellerman stated.
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The Clippers finished last season with a three-way tie in the record standings with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets (50-32). Currently, they are 5-16. That's tied for the fifth-worst record in the league and second-worst in the Western Conference.
As Kellerman reiterated, it does not matter who they sign or trade for. They managed to acquire John Collins , Derrick Jones, Jr., Brook Lopez , Bradley Beal , and Chris Paul , and yet they are wallowing in the trenches. Beal will no longer be seen on a basketball court for the rest of the season, while the team waived CP3 in a shocking move.
"A combo of the least likable, least successful team you could put together. Old, unreliable, vets who don't wanna be there," Simmons summed up what he thought of the Clippers' product on the floor.
It could even get uglier for the Clippers if they do not find a way to turn their season around. The Thunder hold the right to swap first-round picks next year, and at this rate, L.A. is headed toward a top-five spot they wouldn't even get to keep!
The Clippers are definitely in a bind, although they could still chase midseason fixes. However, none of those matters if the same issues keep resurfacing. Every time they build momentum, which doesn't happen often, something pulls them right back out.
That's the cycle Kellerman believes they have not broken. Until they do, the outlook will look as bleak as always.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
