Kawhi Leonard didn’t see the Los Angeles Clippers’ trade-deadline moves coming.
The team had been playing some of its best basketball in weeks, building real momentum without any glaring problems. Then the front office changed direction.
The Clippers traded away James Harden and Ivica Zubac, two players who had been central to their recent success. That decision raised eyebrows around the NBA. Reports surfaced later that multiple teams checked in on Leonard during the final hour before the deadline.
The Clippers weren’t moving him. They understood his value, regardless of what a potential rebuild might look like down the line. Los Angeles brought in Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, along with draft assets.
Those additions sparked speculation that the franchise was preparing for life after Leonard. The idea gained traction quickly.
But beat writer Joey Linn recently reported that Clippers president Lawrence Frank addressed Leonard’s future and opened the door to the possibility of him staying in Los Angeles beyond his current deal.
“We definitely see a scenario where he’s part of the group going forward. Look — Kawhi when healthy is arguably one of the top-5 players in this league. No one is playing better than him over this last 7-week stretch. Similar to what we did in other summers, we always get together with Kawhi and his representatives and we lay out what the plan is,” Frank said.
“The number one priority for Kawhi is the same number one priority for the Clippers organization. We want to win a championship. How do we do it together? This is what it looks like.”