Just as we’re about to enter September and inching closer to the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Raptors’ agreed-upon trade for Kawhi Leonard (first making headlines in late June/early July) still hasn’t reached official status or finalization. That being said, amid a very topsy-turvy investigation, many in the basketball world have already considered the moving pieces into their respective team outlooks. Kawhi has practically been acting like a Raptor all summer long, while Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick have been interpreted as Clippers players in the aftermath.
Now, in light of this Clippers reset, the new-look squad calling the Intuit Dome home is definitely a bit puzzling, to say the least. It seems like quite a mixed bag of talent, with an expected starting lineup of Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler, Brandon Ingram, Derrick Jones Jr., and Brook Lopez. But overall, especially after the Clippers slotted themselves into the Peyton Watson trade and added Max Strus, it’s become clear that LA’s roster is getting way too loaded to keep everyone around.
Considering the potential finalization of a Kawhi Leonard trade, the Clippers currently have 17 players on their roster. That means they’ll need to explore moving or cutting two players before the season tips off in October.
And unfortunately for Gradey Dick, you have to consider that he might be a name atop the Clippers’ chopping block. While Dick had a promising sophomore campaign in Toronto, his recent junior year was far from an impressive showcase. It was largely defined by him slipping down the Raptors’ pecking order, overtaken by a blitzing Ja’Kobe Walter and even Jamison Battle at times.
Clippers face an inevitable roster cutdown, and Gradey Dick could be impacted as a result
After joining the Raptors as their 2023 lottery pick, Dick looked like a strong candidate to be Toronto’s hopeful specialist sharpshooter, especially given his pre-draft buzz and a promising season at Kansas. However, finding his rhythm as a consistent three-point threat in the NBA proved to be quite the learning curve. He never exactly reached the elite range he displayed at the college level.
Dick started off okay in his rookie year, shooting 36.5 percent from deep, then dipped slightly to 35.0 percent in his sophomore year — though he took more attempts from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, in the 2025-26 season, his three-point shooting dropped off a cliff to just 30.1 percent.
You could argue that Dick had more potential entering the NBA than just being a three-point sniper. Still, even in the moments Toronto experimented with his ability to rebound, cut to the basket, or be a hustle/energy defender — the results were less than stellar. It became obvious that Dick’s time to thrive in Toronto had run its course, a sentiment that’s followed him since even before the 2026 trade deadline.
Ultimately, he was included in this massive Kawhi Leonard trade, which could be a sign that brighter days are ahead for Gradey Dick’s NBA journey. But with the Clippers bringing in a roster packed with more established and playable talents than him (aside from the pieces they already had from the previous era), it’s far from certain that the 22-year-old swingman will carve out a key role or even lock in a steady rotation spot. That call for him to stand out again follows him into LA, and it only gets tougher with the Clippers’ roster in focus — where some players are bound to be collateral damage.
To give Dick a bit of grace and optimism, LA might look to part ways with other unproven young guys like Cam Christie or the recently-acquired Johni Broome before giving up on the secondary piece they got in the Kawhi trade. Similarly, the Clippers could try to get a jumpstart on moving their more enticing, expiring contracts like Derrick Jones Jr. or Kris Dunn, which might save Dick from being among the first in line to go. They could even explore rerouting him to a third team in the aftermath of the Kawhi trade.
But either way, it’s clear that Gradey Dick is getting left behind further and further in this current Clippers setup — which isn’t exactly ideal for his pro journey. Hopefully, he can finally find some stability in the NBA and prove his worth to a team that believes in him.
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