Who would start alongside Kawhi Leonard?
The Los Angeles Clippers are still waiting for the NBA to rule on its investigation into the team and Kawhi Leonard regarding an alleged no-show sponsorship deal with Aspiration.
The Clippers are accused of salary cap circumvention, paying Kawhi through a no-show job on top of his contract.
The investigation has been ongoing since September 2025, and Kawhi played all of last season without repercussions.
Due to there not being a ruling as of yet, the Clippers' trade of Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors is currently on hold. If the trade goes through, the Raptors would assume responsibility for any punishment handed down to Kawhi.
The trade would send Kawhi to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick.
What Is Kawhi Isn't Traded?
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN said that she could see a world where Kawhi is back on the Clippers if the trade doesn't go through.
Unless Kawhi's contract is voided or he's suspended for too long of a period of time, it's tough to imagine the Raptors not accepting the trade, but let's say he does return to the Clippers, what would their lineup look like?
The Starting Lineup
PG: Darius Garland
SG: Keaton Wagler
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Rui Hachimura
C: Brook Lopez
Garland, Leonard, and Lopez are the incumbent starters who won't lose their respective spots as they are the best options.
Wagler, the fifth overall pick in the draft, could move to the bench if the Clippers are able to re-sign restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin. As of now, Mathurin remains unsigned, and there is a possibility that the Clippers end up dealing him in a sign-and-trade, so for now he's coming off the bench.
Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal in the offseason, leaving the Lakers to join the Lakers. He takes the starting spot over Derrick Jones Jr due to his offense and spacing, though the Clippers might opt to play Jones for his defensive ability, feeling Hachimura's offense is more important coming off the bench.
The Rest Of The Rotation
Jones Jr, Isaiah Jackson, Kris Dunn, Jordan Miller, Kobe Sanders, and Johni Broome would be the top rotation players off the bench.
If the Clippers are able to re-sign Mathurin, their bench would immediately become bolstered, either with him or Wagler taking that spot.
The bench is rather unproven, though Dunn and Jones Jr bring a veteran presence that ca help navigate things. Miller showed promise last season while Sanders is coming into his second season with the team.
