The Los Angeles Clippers were surprisingly active during last week’s trade deadline. L.A. dealt both James Harden and Ivica Zubac in surprise deals, and there was a chance there could’ve been a third.
NBA insider Marc Stein noted how the Clippers received multiple calls on All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard. Stein wrote that teams were heavily interested in Leonard after the Indiana Pacers dealt for Zubac.
Many teams got the impression that the Clippers were on a fire sale, but it had stopped at Zubac. Leonard, 34, has one season remaining on his current three-year, $153 million contract that he signed in January 2024.
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His contract runs through the 2026-27 season.
NBA insider Chris Haynes said the Clippers never engaged in any serious discussions about trading Leonard.
“Teams were calling and trying to see if they could pry Kawhi away, but I was told that the Clippers never reached a point where anything was serious,” according to Haynes.
“I was told from Kawhi’s camp that they are not in any rush to initiate extension talks … Kawhi’s focus is on finishing this season strong and in the summer, they will assess where things stand,” added Haynes.
The seven-time All-Star is currently in his sixth season in Los Angeles. While his time with the Clippers has come with shortcoming after shortcoming, his play when he has been available has been tremendous.
This season alone, Leonard is averaging 28.0 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc in 39 games and 32.8 minutes of action. Leonard is extension eligible this summer.
Is Kawhi Leonard Still Under Investigation for “Aspiration” Scandal?
There was still strong demand for Leonard this season despite the “Aspiration” scandal that surfaced before the year began. The controversy centered on Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal with the environmental finance company Aspiration.
Aspiration was reportedly tied to the Clippers’ sponsorships, which remain under investigation as a potential salary-cap circumvention scheme. Leonard and the company’s former CEO have denied any wrongdoing, saying the contract included legitimate obligations and was connected to a company that later faced fraud charges and filed for bankruptcy.
There has been no update on the scandal.
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