There is perhaps no team in the NBA with as many questions to answer this offseason, both on the court and off, than the LA Clippers.
Trading longtime center Ivica Zubac and guard James Harden at the deadline signaled to the rest of the NBA a shift in the organization's priorities -- that the Clippers, after years of tantalizing potential and subsequent disappointment, were finally entering a rebuild. The question, then, was: Would that include 34-year-old, six-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard?
The Clippers said then -- and maintain now -- that they'd like to "win with Kawhi," and the two-time NBA Finals MVP is eligible for an extension this summer. If the Clippers pivot, Leonard would become the second megastar -- after Giannis Antetokounmpo -- available in what could shape up to be a spicy offseason.
Our NBA insiders examine the trade market and best potential fits for Leonard, including four trade packages that could entice the Clippers to part ways with the lone remaining superstar:
Jump to a section:
What's ahead for the Clippers
Leonard's murky future in L.A.
Leonard to: GSW | DET | HOU | MIA
The offseason in Los Angeles
The Clippers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022, but they did identify a blueprint for the future.
LA went 36-19 after Dec. 19, the fourth-best record in the Western Conference in that span. That success stemmed from prioritizing young players such as second-round rookie Kobe Sanders, marking a shift in their roster-building philosophy.
"We do have great hope and optimism with our future," Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations, said after the regular season. "Because as we build that bridge from competitive to contender, we've put ourselves in a very good position with emerging young players, draft capital and cap space."
The Clippers could have the No. 5 or No. 6 pick for the draft in June, if the Indiana Pacers' first-rounder falls outside of the top four (a 47.9% chance) in the May 10 draft lottery.
As for the roster, the franchise's recent moves -- signing Harden to just a two-year deal last summer, letting Paul George walk in free agency in 2024, and including 2026-27 team options on the contracts for Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez and Nicolas Batum -- show that the Clippers are prioritizing financial flexibility over the next two offseasons.
It is important to note that the Clippers still have an ongoing league investigation hanging over the franchise. The Clippers were accused of circumventing the salary cap to pay Leonard.
If LA is found guilty of wrongdoing, penalties could include the loss of draft picks, significant fines and suspensions of team executives, including owner Steve Ballmer. -- Bobby Marks
Leonard's future with the Clippers
Leonard will turn 35 on June 29, but the two-time Finals MVP is coming off one of his most efficient seasons. He averaged the most points per game in his career (27.9) and finished in the league's top 10 in field goal, 2-point and 3-point shooting percentage.
The Clippers were plus-7.8 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court and minus-6.9 when not. More importantly, Leonard played 65 games, his second most since the 2016-17 season, when he played in 74 for the San Antonio Spurs.
Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, $149.5 million extension he signed in January 2024, but starting the day after the NBA Finals, he will become eligible to extend his contract for two additional seasons. The maximum the Clippers can offer is $126.1 million.
"Our plan is to win with Kawhi," Frank said after the season. "We obviously showed as an organization that we want to continue and we are driven to win. So, at the appropriate time, we'll sit down with Kawhi, and very similar to 2024, lay out our plan. And if our goals are aligned, then we'd like to win with Kawhi." -- Marks
Four trade proposals for Kawhi
Leonard joins Steph in the Bay
LA Clippers get:
Jimmy Butler III
2027 first-round pick (lottery-protected)
2032 first-round pick
The Warriors have been connected more to Leonard than any other team in recent months, and for good reason. After Butler tore his ACL in January, the Warriors need a Plan B if they want to try to reopen their competitive window while 38-year-old Stephen Curry is still playing at an All-Star level.
Leonard would be a strong fit as a Butler replacement, with even higher upside after the best regular season of his career. The salaries of the two stars match well enough that no other player would need to be included in this deal.
For the Clippers, think of this trade as a supersized version of last summer's Brooklyn-Denver deal, which sent Cameron Johnson to the Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and a far-off future first-round pick. In that move, Brooklyn wanted a valuable first-rounder years after Nikola Jokic's prime. Here, the Clippers would nab a future first-rounder that should convey after Curry retires (as well as a less lucrative pick -- thanks to lottery protections -- next season). -- Zach Kram
Marks' analysis: Considering Butler is out indefinitely, the Clippers certainly would want the top-14 protection removed from the 2027 first-round pick or amended.
An injured star, a pick that might not convey and a selection six years into the future should be a nonstarter for Frank and LA. From the Warriors' viewpoint, swapping Butler for a healthy All-Star makes too much sense -- even if the 2032 first-round pick ends up in the lottery.
Pistons land a true co-star for Cunningham
Detroit Pistons get:
2029 second-round pick (from Memphis via Portland)
LA Clippers get:
2027 first-round pick (via Detroit)
2029 first-round pick (via Detroit)
2031 second-round pick (via Memphis)
Memphis Grizzlies get:
The Clippers would get three things out of this deal. First, they would add Holland, a 20-year-old previous No. 5 pick with promise. Second, they would shed more than $10 million from their salary cap figure for next season. And third, they would land two unprotected first-round picks to recoup some value lost in trades that gave them unfavorable pick swaps in 2027 and 2029.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, would surrender two future second-round picks for Reed, an advanced stats standout who deserves more playing time than he currently receives as Detroit's third-string center.
Memphis spent most of the 2025-26 season without a true center after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. and losing Zach Edey to injury. Reed would fill that hole next season, and potentially be moved for other picks at the 2027 trade deadline.
Finally, given how poorly their playoff journey has gone thus far, the Pistons could be in consideration for a true co-star next to Cade Cunningham. Leonard offers elite scoring and long-range shooting, and his two-way prowess means he'd even improve Detroit's second-ranked defense.
If the Pistons fall short of the conference finals, at the very least, then they should do everything in their power to add Leonard this summer. And though this trade would cost them two first-round picks and a prospect, they'd lose only one player (Robinson) who has received meaningful playing time in these playoffs. -- Kram
Marks' analysis: Every offseason includes a knee-jerk reaction from a team struggling early in the playoffs.
Two examples: Brooklyn trading all of its first-round picks for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in 2013 -- don't remind me -- and Houston acquiring Kevin Durant just last offseason.
The Pistons going all-in for Leonard would present little risk, considering they are sending three rotational players, a 2027 first-round pick that probably will land in the 20s and a future first-rounder.
Rockets go old and all-in
Houston Rockets get:
LA Clippers get:
In this trade, the Rockets go all-in to win a championship in the short term.
Durant and Leonard would pair at forward, Jabari Smith Jr. would slide to starting center and budding star Amen Thompson would join a healthy Fred VanVleet in the backcourt. That lineup is more defense-minded, with Leonard and Smith forming a stingier frontcourt around Durant than Smith and Sengun.
The Rockets would retain their depth of young 3-and-D talent and Lopez gives them size, shooting and shot blocking off the bench. And Leonard would combine with Durant to give the Rockets arguably the most potent 1-2 scoring punch in the league.
The Clippers would finally bring the Leonard/George era to a close and inject young veteran talent to one of the oldest rosters in the league.
Sheppard would be an exciting fit in the backcourt, and Sengun and Darius Garland would secure LA's center/point guard pair of the near future.
With Bennedict Mathurin already on the wing, the Clippers would get a massive head start on their post-Leonard rebuild. -- Andre Snellings
Marks analysis: Once again, postseason futility has Houston reacting to their roster shortcomings.
The two deals in less than a year to add Durant and Leonard would see the Rockets trade Sengun, Sheppard, Jalen Green, a 2025 lottery pick and veterans Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams. This trade would be as win-now as it gets for Houston, considering the age and contract status of Durant and Leonard.
As for the Clippers, this trade fits the "get younger but remain competitive" mantra that was implemented this past season. Sengun, 23, would give LA an All-Star center under contract for three more seasons. Sheppard, 21, can start or come off the bench.
Heat finally land their superstar
Miami Heat get:
LA Clippers get:
2030 unprotected first
2032 unprotected first
The Heat have been trying to land a true franchise superstar for years now, and this would achieve that goal.
Leonard would be the centerpiece of a Heat team that could help lead Miami back to the success of the Butler years. Leonard is a two-way superstar whose style of play fits into the culture of the Heat, and Dunn is an excellent defensive guard who could pair with "Off-Night" Davion Mitchell to give opposing backcourts nightmares.
Herro would give the Clippers a good young guard to pair with Garland, Wiggins is still a starting-caliber small forward, and the two first-rounders would give them added currency to speed up the rebuilding process. -- Snellings
Marks analysis: This Heat package is a scaled-down version of a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But the difference is that instead of gutting their young core of Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson, the veteran Wiggins is included.
The Heat benefit also with the inclusion of Dunn. In this scenario, the Clippers ask for Miami's lottery pick in this year's draft and replace Dunn with Derrick Jones Jr.. The two future unprotected first-round picks have more value than the expiring contracts of Herro and Wiggins.
Marks' verdict: Leonard to South Beach
In his annual state-of-the-roster news conference, Heat president Pat Riley showed a wide array of emotions. He started with anger.
"I'm really pissed," Riley said. "I'm disappointed. Disgruntled. Just like everybody else in the organization that understands what we are about -- about winning. The last three or four years, with the exception of the '23 season when we got all the way to the Finals, has been something that I am not, we are not proud of."
Acquiring Leonard would ease his anger, at least for now. The trade Snellings laid out is a win for Miami not only because of the star they'd be adding, but in who remains on the roster.
The Heat would retain the No. 12 pick in June's draft, along with 10 players from this season's team, including Bam Adebayo. And because they are taking back less money in the trade, Miami could also re-sign free agent Norman Powell and still remain under the luxury tax.
The Rockets trade makes the most sense for the Clippers, considering the additions of Sengun and Sheppard. But as part of negotiations in this scenario, Leonard let it be known (fictionally, of course) that the only team he would sign a new contract with was Miami. -- Marks
