The Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat are interested in trading for Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Miami is trying to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. If the Heat don’t land Antetokounmpo, they will attempt to get Leonard from the Clippers.
Meanwhile, the Warriors have been trying to acquire Leonard since February.
“League sources also confirmed a report from NBA reporter Jake Fischer that the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard is on the Heat’s Plan B list (or the Golden State Warriors’ Plan A list). The issue around the league is that no one seems to know if Leonard is available. Or, for that matter, if the NBA’s never-ending investigation into the Clippers’ alleged salary cap circumvention with Leonard might be an issue for any team that takes him on when it comes to possible discipline.
Leonard, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause, has one year left on his contract. He will make $50.3 million next season.
The Clippers have the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. They acquired Darius Garland in the James Harden deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Isaiah Jackson and Bennedict Mathurin, along with draft picks, in the Ivica Zubac trade with the Indiana Pacers.
While many people believe the Clippers should trade Leonard, owner Steve Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against trading the forward, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season. The swingman played in 65 games, the most games he’s appeared in since the 2023-24 season, but the Clippers missed the playoffs after losing to the Warriors in the 9-10 play-in game at home.
A future Hall of Famer, Leonard has played for the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Clippers. He holds career averages of 20.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in the regular season and 21.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in the playoffs.
Leonard has been traded once in his career. San Antonio traded him to Toronto in 2018. The Raptors won the 2019 title against the Warriors in six games.
Leonard is a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time All-Star. He turns 35 on June 29. The California native signed with the Clippers in 2019 in free agency. LAC has never reached the NBA Finals in franchise history. The Leonard era with the Clippers has been pretty disappointing.
It will be fascinating to see if the Clippers trade or keep Leonard, who has been interviewed by NBA investigators as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations that LAC circumvented the salary cap to compensate him.
