Great! The top pick odds! Thanks, Clippers!

The Rockets edged out the Clippers 115-113.

Rockets' stats are as follows:

Clippers' stats are as follows:

It’s said that the Clippers have a bunch of seasoned veterans, all very experienced, yet they still made a rookie mistake.

With about 9 seconds left, the Clippers had a chance to tie the game. Harden was backing down, orchestrating teammates’ movements to receive the ball, but the Rockets completely shut them down, and Batum eventually stepped out of bounds on the inbound pass.

After this game, the Clippers stand at 6 wins and 19 losses, second to last in the Western Conference and third worst in the league. The good news is their odds for next year’s top draft pick have risen to a joint highest 14%, and their chance to pick in the top four of the first round has increased to 52.1%. The bad news is this pick currently belongs to the Thunder, who boast an impressive 24-1 record...

Given the current situation, the Thunder are very likely to win the championship again next summer while also securing a top draft pick, making them even more unbeatable and poised to dominate the NBA for years to come.

Next year is a big draft year, packed with talent. In September, draft expert Wasserman from “Outdoor Stand” released a mock list for the 26th draft, ranking Dalen Peterson (shooting guard from Kansas), Cameron Buzer (inside player from Duke), and AJ Dybantsa (forward from BYU) as the top three picks.

The Clippers have a total salary of $211.1 million this season, ranking sixth in the league, and pay $20.59 million in luxury tax, seventh in the league. Yet not only have they lost badly, they’ve also ended up helping the Thunder as mentioned above, which is truly frustrating.

The NBA trade deadline is approaching. Those who can leave should pack their bags early. The Clippers aren’t just sinking this season—they won’t rise again for many years to come.

So far, Harden is averaging 35.5 minutes per game, contributing 26.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.3 steals, shooting 36.8% from three-point range with 3.5 made threes per game. His current contract pays $39.18 million this season and $42.32 million in the final year, with a player option next summer allowing him to opt out and become a free agent early.

As for Leonard, his current contract also expires in summer 2027. This season, he’s averaging 25.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 steals. However, due to his fragile condition and low availability, his trade value is zero or even negative.