Dave Litman
Kawhi Leonard‘s days as a Los Angeles Clipper appear done. One way or another.
We’re still waiting on a decision from the NBA about how to punish the Clippers for the alleged ‘cap circumvention’ scandal. It could potentially lead to a voiding of Leonard’s contract (one year left at $50M). But even if not, it appears that a trade of Kawhi out of La La Land is a certainty this summer.
The rumors had been swirling around in recent weeks, but this latest bit of intel from insider Sean Deveney seems to put a nail in Kawhi’s coffin in LA.
According to a source of Deveney’s, the Clippers will be “going headfirst into a rebuild” this summer, based on their securing of the No. 5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
“I think you’ll see them really go headfirst into a rebuild this summer, and they can probably get it turned around relatively fast.”
The Clips got a huge head start on that youth movement already back at the trade deadline. They added exciting young backcourt players Bennedict Mathurin, 23, from the Indiana Pacers, and Darius Garland, 26, from the Cleveland Cavaliers. They moved off of veterans Ivica Zubac and James Harden in the process.
Next up, an all-out move to continue getting younger in a trade to send Leonard to a team in need of a veteran superstar with championship credentials.
3 Teams named as top summer suitors for Kawhi Leonard
Deveney goes on to specifically name three teams that are well-known for their superstar-hunting as being prime suitors for Leonard:
- Miami Heat
- New York Knicks
- Golden State Warriors
The Warriors attempted to trade for any big star they could get their hands on at the deadline, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Kawhi among the rumored targets. They’ll try again this summer, potentially on all three fronts.
“Pursuing a trade for a big-name star remains extremely relevant for owner Joe Lacob and the Warriors,” writes Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
All three teams are also in the running in the Giannis Sweepstakes, but Kawhi will be a target as well.
Leonard returned to the top of his game this past season. He proved that even at the age of 34, after years of injury troubles, he could still be one of the top players in the NBA. Kawhi averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game in 65 games, along with 6.4 boards and 3.6 assists.
He is a two-time Finals MVP, from 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs, and 2019 with the Toronto Raptors.
