Clippers operating as though they’ll create cap space

The Clippers appear to be positioning themselves to create salary cap space this offseason.

According to Zach Lowe of The Ringer, the organization has been operating as though it plans to have room to spend, though no final decisions have been made.

“I don’t know if this has been decided yet, but someone who would know told me that the Clippers are telling or behaving, I guess, as though they’re going to have cap space in the offseason,” Lowe said, via RealGM.

Los Angeles could create roughly $20 million in cap room by declining team options on Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nicolas Batum, while also renouncing the rights to certain free agents.

Lowe speculated that such flexibility could put the Clippers in the mix for LeBron James should he become available, though he did not suggest any deal was imminent.

Meanwhile, the Clippers also continue to face significant decisions surrounding Kawhi Leonard. According to Lowe, the expectation around the league is that Los Angeles will either work out a contract extension with Leonard or explore his trade value.

How aggressively the Clippers pursue cap space could, without a doubt, become one of the more intriguing storylines of the offseason.

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