3 Players I’m Buying, 2 I’m Selling Halfway Through Preseason

The Los Angeles Clippers have one more preseason game left before the 2026-27 campaign officially kicks off. They have split their two preseason games so far, but the scores are irrelevant at this point in the year. The individual performances matter more, and there were some key takeaways. Let’s take a look at whose stock is rising in the preseason and whose is falling.

Buy: Darius Garland

The most important thing for Garland will be staying healthy. Last season, he had an up-and-down campaign as he was recovering from his toe surgery. He was on a minutes restriction for much of the season and wasn’t playing in back-to-backs.

So far, he is off to a great start. The former All-Star point guard is looking healthy and spry. He has been the best player on the court for the Clippers through two games, hitting his shots, generating great looks for his teammates, and taking care of the ball. All the signs for Garland getting back to his All-Star form are there.

Buy: Rui Hachimura

Hachimura has been everything Clippers fans have been hoping for so far. As advertised, the Japanese forward has been shooting the lights out all over the floor, including 5/8 from downtown. He is leading the Clippers in scoring in the preseason, putting up an impressive 17.5 points in 17 minutes per game.

The 28-year-old former Laker is a near-lock to start at the power forward spot, and he is on track to have a big season, especially offensively.

Buy: Baba Miller

All eyes have been on Keaton Wagler in the preseason, and the No. 5 overall pick has certainly had his moments. But it’s LA’s second-round pick whose stock has risen even more.

Miller just looks like an NBA player out there. The 22-year-old power forward has shown that he belongs on the NBA court in two games. He can do a little bit of everything, including shooting, passing, rebounding, and defending multiple positions.

Considering that there isn’t a clear backup power forward on this team and the frontcourt depth is highly questionable, Miller could find himself a bigger part of the rotation than expected.

Sell: Gradey Dick

The Clippers need to see something from Dick ahead of his fourth season in the league, but there are no signs of life from the former Raptor. The 22-year-old shooting guard continues to trend downward, and he will find it difficult to earn rotation minutes after a rough offseason.

There are several injuries on the perimeter for the Clippers, so Dick may see some action by default to begin the season. But he has to do a lot more than he has so far in the preseason to make that a permanent role.

Sell: Cam Christie

Christie is playing for his NBA future. His salary for the season is non-guaranteed, which makes him the most obvious cut candidate on the team. Since the Clippers have 16 players under contract right now, they have to part ways with someone before the season. The 21-year-old shooting guard hasn’t done enough to justify his salary being guaranteed and someone else getting moved.

The Clippers have given him plenty of opportunities in the preseason. He has played the second-most minutes on the team behind Wagler, and even got the start against the Raptors. However, he has yet to make a three. He averaged eight points on 4/12 shooting from the field. For a player whose calling card is supposed to be shooting, that is just not good enough.