Already, it is shaping up to be a very busy offseason in the NBA rumors sphere, with a consequential draft lottery looming, a small handful of teams actually in possession of significant salary cap space, and a mega-star on the trade market. Or more likely, two megastars. Increasingly, there is momentum for Kawhi Leonard to be traded away from the Clippers after their elimination at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, even as an NBA investigation into his no-show contract with a failed company called Aspiration drags on.
Leonard will most likely join Giannis Antetokounmpo as the top trade chips for the summer of 2026. The Clippers flamed out this season yet again, and won’t be in the playoffs. They made the conference finals in 2021, but have not won a playoff series since and, worse, they owe their lottery pick this year to the Thunder. That’s par for the course: The Clippers don’t have control over their first-round draft pick until 2030.
Said one NBA executive: “(Clippers owner) Steve Ballmer loves Kawhi Leonard and doesn’t want to trade him. And that could be enough to keep him there. But the basketball people know it’s time to cash out. They’re not out there shopping him but they need picks, they need to clear things out and reset a bit.”
Kawhi Leonard Trade to the East?
So where could Kawhi Leonard land? It’s early yet, but he is entering the final year of his contract, with $50 million due next year. If the league does not invalidate that contract in the Aspiration investigation, it would have to be a trade, and there would be plenty of suitors.
Of note: Leonard would need to sign an extension to stay past one year, so he could have some control over the process.
Miami Heat. It seems to come up every spring, when the Heat are eliminated. Team honcho Pat Riley will hold a forceful press conference, and declare that the results were not good enough, but won’t make a significant move the following summer. Maybe this year is different. The Heat have salaries to match Leonard’s, as well as control of two future first-rounders. “They do have the means to get him, but they’ve got to start showing more will when it comes to making these trades,” the executive said.
New York Knicks. The Knicks can’t offer picks, of course–their cupboard is bare–but if the goal of the Clippers is to stay competitive, there could be a wider deal that involves sending out OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges for Leonard and other salaries (Derrick Jones Jr. and more). While the Clippers need picks, around the league, the consensus is that they’re also worried about falling farther behind in the star-power battle with the Lakers. A core of Anunoby, Bridges and Darius Garland is not a terrible starting point.
NBA Rumors Suggest Kawhi Leonard May Keep It Local With Lakers, Warriors
L.A. Lakers. Would the Clippers trade Leonard across town to the Lakers? Doubtful, of course. But again, because of the extension situation, Leonard may have some say over where he is trades. He landed with the Clippers in 2019 (when most thought he was bound for the Lakers) because he wanted to be home, and there’s a good chance he is not interested in leaving Southern California, even if it is for Miami or New York. If the Lakers move on from LeBron James, Leonard could slide right into the mix.
Golden State Warriors. It’s not Southern California, but it’s not too far off. The Warriors had interest in Leonard at the February trade deadline, but the Clippers were not ready to pull the trigger. Now, the Warriors will be in better position to offer future assets. But they’d almost certainly need to trade Jimmy Butler, recovering from an ACL tear, to do it. Said one Western Conference GM: “They know it is a bad look to trade Jimmy. It would take a home run to get them to do it.” Is Leonard a home run?
NBA Rumors: Western Contenders Could Gamble
Houston Rockets. There is some sentiment for the idea that Leonard could seek to hitch on with a Western Conference contender to help close the gap with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard could find winning easier in the East–the Cavaliers? The Celtics?–but a West home is more likely. Would the Rockets be willing to part with Jabari Smith Jr. for a player with a championship resume like Leonard?
Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are expected to sniff around some of the big-name stars who could be available for trade, but without significant draft assets on hand, they’d be a longshot to get something done.
Minnesota Timberwolves. Contractually, the Wolves are probably locked into their current group for another year, and Leonard might not want to sign an extension to stay in Minnesota. However, this group needs a revamp and a jolt, even if only for one year, reminiscent of when Leonard was traded to Toronto against his wishes and wound up leading the Raptors to a championship. “There will be some teams that will make the move even if there is no extension coming,” the executive said. “Some teams would be willing to bite that bullet.”
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