Clippers Updated Roster, Salary Cap After Russell Westbrook Trade, Kris Dunn Contract

The Los Angeles Clippers agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz as part of a sign-and-trade agreement to acquire Kris Dunn on Thursday.

Chris Haynes of TNT Sports reported Dunn is signing a three-year, $17 million contract as part of the deal. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Westbrook is expected to reach a buyout agreement with the Jazz, paving the way for him to join the Denver Nuggets as a free agent.

Because the Clippers are acquiring a player in a sign-and-trade agreement and used their full midlevel exception, they will be hard-capped at the first tax apron next season. LA had an estimated $6 million in space under the first apron before agreeing to the deal, which will make a negligible hit on their cap for 2024-25.

Westbrook was due a $4 million base salary for next season. Year-to-year details of Dunn's contract are still not available, but he'll likely come in at slightly over the $4 million mark for next season. The Clippers less than $2 million over the tax at the moment and will almost certainly make a move before February's trade deadline to get under that number.

Here is a look at how the Clippers' roster is shaking out:

PG: James Harden

SG: Terance Mann

SF: Derrick Jones Jr.

PF: Kawhi Leonard

C: Ivica Zubac

Bench: Kris Dunn, Kevin Porter Jr., Bones Hyland, Norman Powell, Cam Christie, Amir Coffey, Nicolas Batum, P.J. Tucker, Mo Bamba, Kai Jones

The Clippers have been a fixture in the luxury tax in recent seasons, putting them in repeater tax territory. The departure of Paul George for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason was rooted in the front office's desire to stay below the prohibitive second tax apron.

"Once we got James [Harden], without anyone asking for anything more, for both Kawhi and PG, the offers—both of them went significantly higher," president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told reporters. "Still, managing max cap space in '26-27 and being out of the second apron in 25-26. The goal was to get you as much money as possible, but we still have to add to the team."

Westbrook's departure is one rooted in financial wiggle room as well, though it's fair to wonder if it's a prudent move from a basketball perspective. At just $4 million, Westbrook is making a salary significantly below his production—even at a diminished state from his prime.

At the very least, Westbrook is a high-level role player who can conduct an offense coming off the bench. Those are contracts that regularly stretch into the $15-20 million range. Westbrook's salary is arguably a reflection of an unfair comparison to his former self, rather than an indication of his actual worth.

That said, Frank and the Clippers front office felt Dunn was a better fit for that salary slot and moved on. LA's loss should be the Nuggets' gain, as they'll likely ink Westbrook to a deal at the NBA veteran's minimum.