The Aspiration investigation looms, but the real question is whether Los Angeles should just trade him.
The Los Angeles Clippers went 42-40 this season and got bounced from the play-in tournament by the Golden State Warriors.
Kawhi Leonard had arguably the best individual year of his career, and it still was not enough.
The ongoing NBA investigation into the Aspiration scandal only makes the path forward harder to figure out.
An unnamed Western Conference general manager recently told ESPN that the league would never void Leonard's contract over the alleged salary cap circumvention.
"There's no way they're voiding his contract even if the league finds him guilty," the GM said. "That would be a reward, clearing the Clippers' books for them."
Leonard is owed $50.3 million next season, and wiping that off the books would basically hand the Clippers free cap space they did nothing to earn.
ESPN's Bobby Marks has reported that the more realistic penalties look like lost draft picks, heavy fines and possible suspensions of executives, including owner Steve Ballmer.
That actually stings instead of quietly doing the franchise a favor.
Leonard Played Great, but the Situation Still Does Not Add Up
What Leonard did on the court this year is not up for debate.
The 34-year-old averaged a career-high 27.9 points along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 50.5 percent from the field across 65 games.
He practically dragged the Clippers out of a miserable 6-21 start and got them back to .500 by mid-March, which felt impossible in November.
Great individual year, but that does not automatically mean the team should run it back.
The Clippers already showed their hand at the deadline when they shipped James Harden to Cleveland and Ivica Zubac to Indiana.
Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists after coming over from the Cavaliers, and Bennedict Mathurin put up 17.6 points per game following his trade from Indiana.
The team also landed the fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft through that Indiana deal.
The front office has young pieces and actual draft capital now.
Why Trading Leonard Might Be the Smarter Move
Leonard turns 35 in late June.
His injury history during his time in Los Angeles has been rough outside of this past season, and tying the franchise into a $126.1 million extension while the rest of the roster is younger runs against everything those deadline trades were supposed to accomplish.
Multiple teams have already called about his availability, including the Warriors, Rockets and Heat.
His trade value is probably never going to be higher than it is right now.
If the Clippers wait and Leonard gets hurt or starts to slow down, the return shrinks fast.
Moving him now while contenders are lining up gives the front office real assets to build around Garland, Mathurin, and whoever they take at number five.
The Aspiration investigation is still hanging over them too, and if the league does somehow void the contract down the road, the Clippers lose Leonard without getting anything in return.
That possibility alone should be pushing this front office toward the phone this summer.
