With veteran point guard Chris Paul, now 40 years of age, anticipated to join the team, projections suggest that the 2025-26 Clippers could become the most seasoned team in the history of the NBA, boasting an average age of approximately 33.2 years. This observation was shared by Tom Haberstroh of Yahoo Sports during a recent installment of “The Big Number” NBA podcast.
Most Experienced Teams Post-Merger:
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2025-26 Clippers: 33.2 (adjusted for minutes played)
(Stefan Milic/Yahoo Sports)
Insights: “Teams like the Hakeem Rockets, the Jordan Bulls, and the Stockton and Malone Jazz—once considered among the most seasoned NBA teams ever—now seem youthful in comparison to this iteration of the Clippers,” Haberstroh commented.
Team Composition: Paul is expected to feature prominently in the Clippers’ rotation, joining other notable players such as James Harden (who will be 37 by the commencement of the next season), Brook Lopez (37), Nicolas Batum (36), Kawhi Leonard (34), Bogdan Bogdanović (33), Bradley Beal (32), and Kris Dunn (31).
Diverging Strategy: The Clippers are set to field a team with considerable experience at a time when the league is trending towards younger, more athletic rosters. This is evident in the recent 2025 NBA Finals, which showcased the youngest average player age on record (25.5 years) and resulted in the crowning of the youngest champions (24.7) in the last 50 years. This strategy is certainly unique. Here’s Tom’s take:
“The composition of this roster stands in stark contrast to the prevailing direction of the league. Over the past decade, older teams have generally performed better during the regular season. However, as the postseason progresses, success increasingly favors younger teams compared to previous eras. As such, it appears that this Clippers team is designed to secure a high seed, possibly No. 1 or No. 2, but may not be ideally suited for winning the championship.”
View: Complete episode (YouTube)
