Clippers “Done” Building Around Kawhi Leonard, Former Staffer Says

NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers “Done” Building Around Kawhi Leonard, Former Staffer Says

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly no longer view Kawhi Leonard as the cornerstone of their roster. ESPN’s Baxter Holmes cited a former Clippers staffer saying, “They’re done building around [Kawhi]. They know that and he knows that.”

Leonard has been among the league’s elite when healthy, but injuries have plagued his career. Since the 2017-18 season, when he played just nine games, Leonard has reached 60 games in a season only twice over the past seven campaigns. One of those seasons came during his lone year with the Toronto Raptors, when he played 60 regular-season games and led the team to its first NBA championship, earning NBA Finals MVP honors for the second time in his career.

Leonard signed a three-year, $103.14 million deal with the Clippers following that championship season and has remained in L.A. since. While the team has reached the playoffs five times in his six years, they have yet to make the NBA Finals, leading some to view his tenure as underwhelming.

At 34, Leonard has earned three All-Star selections with the Clippers, averaging 24.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.1 made three-pointers, and 1.6 steals per game. However, he has missed a total of 216 regular-season games during that span. Last season, injuries limited him to 37 games, allowing James Harden to emerge as the team’s de facto centerpiece. Harden earned his first All-Star nod since 2021-22 and helped guide the Clippers to a 50-32 record.

 

Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Clippers are projected to be the oldest team in NBA history, with an average age of 33.2. Key veterans include Leonard, Harden, Chris Paul (40), Brook Lopez (37), Nicolas Batum (36), Bogdan Bogdanović (33), and Bradley Beal (32). The only contributors under 30 are Ivica Zubac (28) and John Collins (27).

While the Clippers remain committed to contending for a championship this season, questions loom over the future. Leonard becomes a free agent after the 2026-27 season, and unless he dramatically improves his durability, the Clippers may move on. Multiple NBA executives told Holmes they expect Leonard to finish out his contract in L.A., but his long-term role with the team remains uncertain.