Trent Redden and Mark Hughes are expected to operate as the Los Angeles Clippers’ primary basketball decision-makers following the suspensions handed down by the NBA, according to Shams Charania on NBA Today.
Redden, the Clippers’ general manager, and Hughes, the team’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, have stepped into expanded roles after president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months without pay. Their authority will be particularly important through the 2027 trade deadline, when Frank remains unavailable.
Redden brings championship experience to the role. He was part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office when the franchise won its first NBA championship in 2016, serving as assistant general manager.
The Clippers’ first major transaction under the new decision-making structure was the completion of the long-delayed Kawhi Leonard trade to the Toronto Raptors on September 14. Redden was authorized to execute the deal on behalf of Los Angeles.
The Clippers received Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, a pick swap and two second-round picks for Leonard. The trade had originally been agreed upon June 30 but remained incomplete for more than two months amid the fallout from the NBA’s salary-cap circumvention investigation.
Leonard had already joined Toronto for a minicamp-style retreat in Miami but was limited to individual workouts while the transaction remained unofficial.
The NBA investigation resulted in historic penalties for the Clippers. The franchise was fined $30 million and forfeited its first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, while Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension, Frank was suspended for six months and business president Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year.
Ballmer announced Sunday that the Clippers had paid the fine and would comply with the league’s penalties, while acknowledging that the organization still disagreed with parts of the NBA’s findings.
The sanctions leave Redden and Hughes in charge of basketball operations during a crucial period for the franchise. The Clippers already have their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks tied up in swaps, while the five forfeited selections further reduce their ability to use the draft as a source of future talent or trade capital.
Tyronn Lue remains the head coach as the Clippers transition to a roster led by Ingram, two-time All-Star Darius Garland and No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler.
There has been speculation that Frank could ultimately leave the organization once his suspension ends, but no decision has been made. For now, Redden and Hughes represent the Clippers’ primary basketball authority as the franchise moves into a new phase following the NBA’s sanctions.
