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.