Assessing Kawhi Leonard's Future With the Clippers: Will He Stay in LA?

The 2026 offseason will be incredibly important for the Los Angeles Clippers. Coming off a disappointing result in the NBA Play-in Tournament, general manager Lawrence Frank will have his hands full as he tries to assemble a competitive roster next year.

Despite a 6-21 start and a trade deadline that saw James Harden dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, the Clippers had an impressive turnaround to end the season. The idea of a rebuild is out of the question, according to Frank. Per Clippers' beat writer Justin Russo, Frank said, "We're not going to do that...That's not happening here."

However, the question of Kawhi Leonard's future in LA remains at large. There are multiple options the Clippers can take, but which is the right one?

Evaluating Options for Kawhi Leonard This Offseason

Leonard is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season. He'll make just over $50 million next year. They could work out an extension this offseason, but with Leonard turning 35 in June, it could be a risky move with his injury history. If they move forward with an extension, Leonard should expect a short-term deal with a high annual salary, given the aforementioned factors.

Leonard could also request a trade this offseason. He's coming off a year where he averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game and shot nearly 39% from beyond the arc. If he feels the Clippers aren't competitive enough, he could look for a better situation to win his third title. Teams such as the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, or the Detroit Pistons could emerge as suitors.

However, Frank laid out their plan for Leonard. Frank said, "Our plan is to win with Kawhi...At the appropriate time, we'll sit down with Kawhi and, very similar to 2024, lay out our plan and if our goals are aligned, then we'd like to win with Kawhi." It's clear the Clippers want to keep their All-Star forward around, but if both sides can't agree on the right path forward, then a change could be necessary.

Aspiration Investigation Could Affect Clippers' Offseason

If the plan is to build a roster around Leonard and Darius Garland, the Clippers have to be aggressive this offseason because the current team isn't competitive in the Western Conference. John Collins is an unrestricted free agent, so working on a deal with him should be a top priority. Otherwise, they'll have to look for a better interior presence in free agency.

However, if the league punishes the Clippers in its investigation involving Leonard and the company Aspiration, the organization could forfeit draft capital, which could hinder its offseason plans. That could affect Leonard's decision to stay in LA.

At the moment, it feels likely that Leonard will stay with the Clippers to begin next season. If they aren't going into a rebuild, their best chance at winning is with Leonard. If they can steal the Pacers' first-round pick by falling into the 5-9 range, they'll have a talented rookie and, hopefully, some reinforcements through free agency will put LA among the top teams in the West.

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