While many expect the Los Angeles Clippers to retain Kawhi Leonard until he’s an unrestricted free agent in 2027, a recent report suggests the franchise could move on from him after the 2025-26 campaign.
“(The Ivica Zubac trade) all but ended a Clippers era when combined with the James Harden-to-Cleveland (Cavaliers) trade before it, and has plenty of rival executives wondering if Kawhi Leonard's time there could come to an end this summer via yet another trade,” The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reported Sunday.
Shortly after Fischer’s report, the Third Apron’s Yossi Gozlan stated that it may be possible for the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire the two-time NBA champion forward in the offseason.
“Kawhi Leonard’s situation will be interesting to monitor,” Gozlan wrote Monday. If the league voids his contract as a result of the Clippers circumventing the salary cap to pay him more money, that would seemingly put the Lakers in the driver’s seat to sign him.”
“If the Clippers are forced to trade him instead as a result of Leonard being banned from playing for them again, the Lakers should be able to make a strong enough offer with their draft picks, their ability to absorb him with their cap space, and give the Clippers cap relief.”
If the Lakers lose LeBron James this summer to the Cleveland Cavaliers or retirement, acquiring Leonard will likely be among the franchise’s summer goals.
There’s no guarantee that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will take his talents to Los Angeles, making it pivotal to have the option to turn to another accomplished superstar on the trade market.
At the end of the day, it will all come down to whether the Clippers feel 100% comfortable shopping Leonard around in the upcoming months.
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