The Los Angeles Clippers had a rough offseason, to say the least. Sure, they finally got the long-awaited Kawhi Leonard trade done with the Toronto Raptors, but at what cost?
The Clips lost a significant amount of first-round draft capital by way of the league-issued penalty and while they consolidated some of that pick loss with two first-rounders by way of Toronto — it was revealed that the player centerpiece of the deal, Brandon Ingram, had discovered a partially torn Achilles. That concerning injury is expected to keep BI out of action for the start of the upcoming season, with no real timetable on his return at this point.
Similarly, the Clippers are dealing with a sudden injury to Bradley Beal, who’s navigating knee inflammation as he works his way back to game speed. It’s still a key setback for one of LA’s veteran players. And to make matters worse, offseason pickup Max Strus was also revealed to have a partially torn right plantar fascia, which will keep him out for “at least four weeks,” per reports.
Alongside the Ingram injury news, that makes three big hits to the Clippers’ swingman pecking order, putting the spotlight on ex-Raptors youngster Gradey Dick — the other outgoing piece in the Kawhi Leonard deal.
Gradey Dick faces a defining chance amid Clippers’ injury troubles
When the deal first went down, Gradey Dick’s future with the Clippers drew concern, despite their apparent pivot back toward rebuilding. His future looked far from certain: he hadn’t shown much to get people excited about his growth, and I even thought he could be on the chopping block as LA’s need to trim its roster became clear. But those concerns eased when Dick was highlighted as likely safe, thanks to his movable contract and the small (but still present) amount of potential he has left to tap into, compared to some others.
Now, with the Clippers’ depth chart thinning out close to the start of the 2026–27 season, Dick should see this unfortunate turn of events as a critical opportunity. I highly doubt he’ll get a starting nod, but the bench looks so bare that it’s hard to argue against the former 13th overall pick getting a decent amount of minutes to start the year. I’d like to think that remains true even after Bradley Beal returns from injury, with a bench unit that could include Kris Dunn, Beal, Dick, and Brook Lopez.
The most recent sample of Gradey Dick that Raptors Nation saw wasn’t the brightest, but I like to think back to his sophomore season in 2024–25, when he honestly looked like a rising star. Ja’Kobe Walter eventually “snatched his chain,” so to speak, and Dick's chance in Toronto passed him by. But this may be the golden opportunity he has been waiting for — the chance to get more minutes, reps, touches, and to build on the flashes of potential we saw just two seasons ago.
Given how the Kawhi Leonard trade situation has played out, I imagine LA is hoping to get anything at all out of the players coming back. They won’t be able to reap the benefits of a game-ready Brandon Ingram for some time — so, why not give Dick more of a chance? There isn’t really much more to lose at this point.
Still, he’s probably on thin ice, with a short window to impress. His first preseason outing wasn’t exactly encouraging, but once the season starts, it could be do-or-die time for the 22-year-old to show out. Gradey Dick is not just fighting to earn his next NBA contract — he’s battling to prove he still belongs in this league.
Add us as a preferred source on Google